Brushing
your teeth at least twice daily helps prevent tooth
decay and gum disease, the major causes of tooth loss.
Use a soft-bristle brush remove plaque and food particles.
Replace your brush every two to three months.
On
outer and inner surfaces, brush at a 45-degree
angle in short, half-tooth-wide strokes against
the gum line.
On chewing surfaces,
hold the brush flat and brush back and forth.
On
inside surfaces of front teeth, tilt brush vertically
and use gentle up-and-down strokes with toe of
brush.
Brush
your tongue in a back-to-front sweeping motion
to remove food particles and freshen your mouth.
Proper Flossing
Flossing
daily removes plaque and food particles between teeth
and below the gum line. You may experience sore or bleeding
gums for the first several days you floss. If bleeding
continues after the first week of flossing, call your
dentist. If you are having trouble handling floss, you
can ask about the use of a floss holder or other types
of inter dental cleaning aids.
Wrap
an 18-inch strand around your middle fingers and
hold a one-inch section tightly.
Ease
floss between your teeth. Clean up and down several
times while curving around teeth at the gum line.
Don't scrub.
Always
floss behind the last tooth. Unwind clean floss
as you proceed.
Floss
around the abutment teeth of a bridge and under
artificial teeth using a floss threader.
