Patient Education

Eight Steps to Dental Health Your Dental Visit Bad Breath Brushing and Flossing Cavities Children Cold Sores Cosmetics Crowns Dental Bridges Dentures Dry Mouth Fillings Fluoride Healthy Habits Implants Impacted Tooth Invisalign Oral Surgery Orthodontics Pediatrics Periodontics Root Canal Treatment Scaling and Root Planing Sealants Sensitive Teeth TMJ and TMDs Tobacco Tooth Decoloration Whitening Zoom 2 Whitening

Brushing and Flossing Brushing The Right Angle The bristles of the brush need to reach into the space between your teeth and gums. To do this, hold the brush at a 45-degree angle against your teeth. Gently, Gently The biggest mistake is scrubbing too hard, which can wear away your gums. Use a very short back-and-forth motion or a small circular motion. Don't move the brush more than half a tooth length. Do the outsides and the insides top and bottom. The Front Teeth To reach behind the upper and lower front teeth, hold the brush vertically and use the bristle toward the end of the brush. Chewing Surfaces It's important to clean the crevices in the chewing surfaces of your teeth where food can get stuck. Use a gentle back and forth motion. Flossing 1.  Keep your fingers close to your teeth for better control. 2.  Work the floss back and forth slightly to east it between your      teeth so it doesn't snap in and injure your gums. 3.  Make a "C" shape around the tooth. 4.  Move the floss gently up and down the side of the tooth,      making sure to clean between the tooth and the gum. 5.  Do both sides of every tooth, advancing to a clean section of      floss for each side. [ Back to top ]