Brushing?
Keep your teeth healthy and beautiful with proper brushing! It’s important not only that you brush after you eat; you also need touseproper technique when brushing your teeth! Here are some tips tomake your brushing sessions more effective at removing plaqueandpreventing decay.
• Always use a toothbrush that has soft bristles with rounded tipsto avoid damaging your gums.
• Hold your brush at a forty-five-degree angle towards the gumline(the area where teeth and gums meet).
• Using a gentle, circular motion, move the brush around one ortwo teeth at a time, overlapping as you move along.
• It’s also a good idea to have a regular brushing pattern. It’s fine touse any pattern you like, as long as you clean each surface ofevery tooth

Here’s an example of an effective brushing pattern:
• Start with the insides of your upper teeth, and brush from the rightside to the left.
• Move to the insides of your lower teeth, from the left side tothe right.
• Brush the fronts of all upper teeth, then the fronts of all lower teeth.
• Then brush the chewing surfaces of your upper teeth, then yourlower teeth.
• Use the tip of your toothbrush to brush the backsides of yourfront teeth.
• Finally, gently brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth tokeep your breath fresh.
• To prevent future cavities, use toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Fluoride hardens the enamel on the surface of your teeth, and caneven stop cavities in their tracks. Remeber to change yourtoothbrush when the bristles are worn or bent, at least every threemonths. Old bristles don’t clean well under the gumline, and theyhost more plaque and disease-causing bacteria.

This might seem like a lot to remember, but proper brushing techniquewill soon become a habit, and will keep your teeth healthy and your breath fresh.

Brush at an angle	Don’t miss back teeth	Brush tongue gently

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Why is flossing so important?
Brushing is a good way to prevent cavities, but flossing is just as important! Most cavities start between your teeth, where the bristles of your toothbrush simply can’t reach. To keep your gums and teeth healthy, you must use dental floss to remove the plaque between your teeth at least once a day.

How to use dental floss
First, take about eighteen inches of floss and wind the two ends of it around your middle fingers, leaving about five inches between your hands. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers, and leave about one inch in between to work with. Gently guide the floss between the first two teeth using a side-to-side motion. Pull the floss tightly in a “C” shape around the side of one tooth and slide it under the gumline. Clean the surface of the tooth by using an up-and-down motion, not the side-to-side motion you used to guide the floss between the teeth. Repeat on the side of the adjacent tooth. Then remove the floss, wind it to a fresh section, and repeat the process to clean both sides of every tooth.

What to expect
If you’re just beginning to floss, your gums will probably bleed a bit. After about a week of daily flossing, the bleeding should stop. If your teeth are too tight to floss, or if the floss catches or tears, let us know; it may indicate a problem that needs to be corrected.
Flossing can be time consuming and a little awkward at first, so make sure to give yourself enough time to get used to proper flossing technique. It will soon become an automatic part of your dental hygiene routine, and your teeth and gums will be healthier for it.

Brushes can’t reach	Floss under gums	Pull in a C shape

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What Are Disclosing Tablets??
Disclosing tablets contain harmless red vegetable dye that reveals plaque left on your teeth by turning it red temporarily. By using these special chewable tablets after you brush and floss, you can see the areas that you’re missing.

What is plaque?
Plaque, the sticky film of food and bacteria that’s constantly forming on your teeth, is the main cause of tooth decay and periodontal disease. If it’s not removed, plaque builds up and mineralizes to become rock-hard tartar in as little as twenty-four hours. There’s no way you can remove tartar at home, because a toothbrush and floss won’t even budge it. Tartar can only be removed with by a dental professional, using special techniques and instruments.

How do you use disclosing tablets?
After brushing and flossing, simply chew a disclosing tablet, swish it around in your mouth for about a minute, and then rinse with water. Using a small dental mirror, check all sides of your teeth for any areas that have been stained red, especially near the gumline. Brush and floss these areas again to be confident that your teeth are free from
harmful plaque.

Disclosing tablets help improve your brushing pattern and technique
Without even realizing it, you may be regularly missing certain parts of your teeth when you brush and floss; disclosing tablets can help you identify these neglected areas. For example, many of our patients don’t brush their back teeth, the back sides of their teeth, or the area next to the gumline as thoroughly as they should. Using disclosing tablets for a few days will show you if you routinely miss any areas. When you know where these areas are, you can spend a bit more time brushing
and flossing them, and soon, it will be part of your regular dental hygiene routine.

Stained plaque before brushing	Remaining plaque after brushing	Check backs of teeth

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Homecare – Braces?
Caring for teeth with braces
Braces are a great way to straighten and realign your teeth to create the beautiful smile you deserve! However, caring for your teeth while you have braces can be challenging, because there are a lot of brackets, bands, and wires to work around. Because these fixtures create dozens of “nooks and crannies” in your mouth, there are more places for food particles and plaque to hide. This can result in tooth decay, gum disease, and permanent staining, which will negatively affect the terrific smile your braces were meant to create!

Caring for your teeth when you’re wearing braces:
We’ll be happy to show you special techniques for caring for your teeth while you have your braces.
• Floss at least once a day. We’ll give you a floss threader to use at home. Insert floss into the loop of the floss threader, then insert the floss threader between the wires and your teeth. Remove the floss threader, pull the floss into a “C” shape around the side of your tooth, and floss up and down the sides of each tooth.
• Check carefully to see if you’ve missed any areas, and then rinse thoroughly with plenty of water.
• Use fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head.
• Brush in the morning, before bed, and after each meal, giving extra attention to the areas where the brackets and bands meet the tooth, and where the tooth meets the gumline. It’s also a good idea to carry a travel toothbrush so you can brush your teeth when you’re away from home.
• At times when you absolutely cannot brush, be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.
• As you brush, angle the brush toward your gums and go over each tooth using a small, circular motion. Get between the wires and brackets as much as you can with the bristles of your toothbrush.
• Don’t forget to gently brush your gums, tongue, and the roof of your mouth.
• Be sure to visit us every six months for an exam and a thorough, professional cleaning. We’ll help you keep your mouth free from plaque and cavities.

Your diet is also important
Cutting down on sweets will help you avoid tooth decay, so avoid sugary foods and foods that stick to your teeth. Also, watch out for hard foods like Cornnuts, popcorn hulls, and ice, because they can damage your braces. It’s best to eat softer foods and cut hard foods into smaller bites.

Nooks and crannies	Brush frequently	Floss daily