1209 Dundee Avenue Elgin, IL 60120
How to Properly Brush and Floss
It cannot be stressed enough how important is to maintain your oral hygiene by regular brushing and flossing. It will keep your teeth clean, remove the plaque and debris accumulations and prevent diseases. Brushing and flossing will prevent tooth decay, periodontal disease, bad breath (halitosis) and it will prevent staining.
Proper way to brush
Many patients ask how to brush your teeth effectively. This is a good question since only the proper brushing will keep your oral hygiene on a high level. There are many brushing techniques and your dentist or oral hygienist will recommend which one is proper in your case. But, in general, this is the recommended way of brushing your teeth:
- Hold the brush firmly by its handle at the angle of 45 degrees approximately. Hold it against your gums and use small, circular motions. Try to feel the bristles of the toothbrush on your gums all the time. This is important for the enhancement of the blood circulation of the gums and helping in the keratinization process
- Brush the outer, inner and biting surfaces of every tooth.
- With the tip of the brush, brush the inside areas of your front teeth
- Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove the debris and bacteria and make your breath fresh.
- Be gentle, don’t use scrubbing technique since you can damage your gums and cause the gum recession.
Only with proper and regular brushing you will be able to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease. If you are still uncertain you have the proper brushing technique, ask your dentist or oral hygienist to show you how to brush properly. Brush your teeth at least twice a day (in the morning and in the evening before going to bed) and change your toothbrush every three months.
Proper way to floss
Just like regular brushing, so does regular flossing play essential role in maintaining good oral hygiene and keeping your oral health. With floss you can remove debris and plaque from the areas that cannot be reached just with the toothbrush. It is essential in preventing periodontal disease and preventing the deepening of the gum pockets. Since there are many brands of floss available, you can choose whichever you want as long as it is pleasant and easy to use. This is how you will floss your teeth properly:
- Cut the piece of floss to be 18-20 inches long
- Wrap one end of the floss around the middle finger of the right hand and the other end around the middle finger of the left hand until the floss in between is 3-4 inches long.
- Go with the floss gently between the teeth towards the gum line
- Curve the floss around the tooth and gently go under the gum line
- Move the floss gently up and down several times to remove the plaque and debris in between the teeth
- Be gentle, do not cut the gum since this might cause the inflammation.
This is the most common flossing technique, you can also use the floss handle if it is more comfortable for you. You can also ask your trusted Elgin dentist or oral hygienist to demonstrate how to floss your teeth properly.
Office Hours
| Monday | 10:00 to 6:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:00 to 6:00 |
| Wednesday | 11:00 to 8:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 to 6:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 to 6:00 |
| Saturday | 8:00 to 3:00 |
| Sunday | Appointment only |
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