Home Care
A beautiful, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime is our ultimate goal when treating patients. Your personal home care plays an important role in achieving that goal. It starts at home with a healthy diet, and good dental hygiene.
Tooth brushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an soft bristle brush and flouride toothpaste.
-
Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
-
Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
-
Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of the front teeth.
-
Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.
Dr. Poole highly recommends electric toothbrushes. They are easy to use and remove plaque efficiently. Some of our favorites are Sonicare and Oral-B.
Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline.
-
Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
-
Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
-
Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.
Back