How to Properly Brush & Floss

How to Properly Brush & Floss

When it comes to oral hygiene, brushing and flossing are important. A sparkling smile, healthy mouth, and disease prevention are all benefits of proper brushing and flossing.

Bi-annual dental cleanings may remove plaque, tartar, and debris, but excellent home care methods can also protect the health of your mouth. With proper brushing and flossing, mouths will be healthy and smiles will shine. They also may prevent serious diseases such as tooth decay or gum disease.

Reasons why proper brushing and flossing are essential:

• For tooth decay prevention
  Tooth decay is one of the leading causes of tooth loss and can be prevented by practicing proper oral hygiene practices. Tooth decay occurs when acids found in plaque erode the natural tooth enamel. By practicing good dental hygiene, such as brushing regularly and avoiding sugary foods, teeth can be protected from this process.
• Prevention of halitosis
  

  When it comes to bad breath, you’re on your own. The causes of halitosis are usually old food particles, mouth cleanliness, and taste. Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and keep up with the personal care routine at home. This will not only remove old food particles but also leave your mouth healthier, thus giving a fresher breath.

• Prevention of staining

  There are a number of reasons that teeth can become stained, and one of them is caused by smoking, drinking coffee and tea, and even more. The more often these stain-causing agents are removed from the teeth using brushing and flossing, the less likely it is that the stains will become permanent.

• Prevention of periodontal disease
  Plaque is the cause of periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss, gum recession, and jawbone recession. Plaque is just as dangerous as it sounds — these toxins can cause serious health problems in other parts of the body. The best way to prevent plaque from building up is to brush your teeth with a toothbrush and floss the interdental areas with dental floss.

What’s the proper way to brush?

You should brush your teeth twice a day – in the morning and before bed. The perfect toothbrush is small, with soft bristles, and no more than 3 months old. The head of the toothbrush should be small enough to access all areas of your mouth, and the bristles should be soft enough so as not to hurt your gums. Electric toothbrushes have been approved by the American Dental Association (ADA)

The Proper Way to Brush

You should brush your teeth twice a day – in the morning and before bed. The perfect toothbrush is small, with soft bristles, and no more than 3 months old. The head of the toothbrush should be small enough to access all areas of your mouth, and the bristles should be soft enough so as not to hurt your gums. Electric toothbrushes have been approved by the American Dental Association (ADA)

 Here is a basic guide to proper brushing:

• Start by holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle. As you would brush, have the bristles face the teeth.
• Use small circular motions to gently brush this area. The bristles should point towards the teeth, as if you are airbrushing a wall.
• It is important to not scrub or apply too much pressure to the teeth. This can damage the gums and tooth enamel, which will be painful later.
• Brush all surfaces of every tooth, chewing surfaces, and the insides of your cheeks. Put special emphasis on the back molars.
• Use a back and forth motion to brush your chewing surfaces.
• Brush the tongue to remove the build-up of food and debris.

The Proper Way to Floss

Flossing is an excellent way to clean plaque from the spaces between your teeth. Flossing is an especially important tool in preventing gum disease and controlling the depth of your gum pockets.

The interdental regions are difficult to reach with a toothbrush and should be cleansed with dental floss on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter if you like strawberry-flavored floss or minty-flavored floss, choose gently, pleasant-to-use floss.

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