Effective home care will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, improve your oral health, and lower your cost for dental care! Maintaining good oral hygiene at home is crucial to maintaining a healthy smile.

Plaque is a sticky film constantly forming on and between the teeth. The plaque contains harmful bacteria that attack the teeth, gums and even bone. Without bacteria, dental decay and periodontal disease will not exist! In addition, if not thoroughly cleaned off, the plaque will harden to form tartar. Now the tarter becomes an excellent location for additional plaque to develop and harbor yet more bacteria. A vicious cycle has begun! But with appropriate home care, plaque can be completely removed from your mouth.

Brushing Basics:

• Brush at least twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste using a soft bristle brush. (Brushing after each meal is ideal.)
• Be sure to use a SOFT bristle toothbrush. (Hard bristles and/or brushing too hard can damage the gum tissue. This can potentially cause your gums to recede.)
• Start in one area of your mouth and continue to brush the front, back, sides, and chewing surfaces of all teeth until you come back to your starting point.
• Use a circular motion to clean the front, back, and side teeth, and use a scrubbing motion on the chewing surfaces.
• Visit us regularly at West 10th Dental Group for professional cleanings and exams!

Additional aids to oral home care can include mouth rinses, high fluoride pastes, sensitivity pastes, remineralizing pastes, electric brushes, sonic brushes, oral irrigators, and other specialized oral hygiene products. When you visit West 10th Dental Group, we will provide individualized oral hygiene instruction. In addition, we will suggest the products and materials that we feel are best suited for your particular oral health needs.

No one can do it all by themselves! Please feel free to visit us at West 10th Dental Group for an oral hygiene appointment. We hope you will be healthier and wealthier as a result!

Back To Main