Brushing and Flossing Instructions | Oral Health and Smoking | Diet

Oral Hygiene Istructions for Brushing and Flossing
You should clean your teeth and gums every day with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. Dental floss should be used between the teeth to assist in the removal of plaque. While it is tempting to avoid cleaning your gums when they are bleeding or inflamed, brushing will help improve the situation.

Our role as professional dental healthcare providers is to assist you in achieving optimal oral health and maintaining your natural teeth for life.

Brushing

	Place the head of your brush beside your teeth, with the brush tip at a 45 degree angle against your gum. Move the brush back and forth in short, semi-circle strokes.
	Brush the chewing surfaces of each tooth, top and bottom, using short back and forth strokes.
	You must also clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth by tilting the brush vertically and make several gentle up and down strokes with the front part of the brush. You should not forget your tongue, brushing it will help keep your breath fresh and clean your mouth by removing bacteria.
Flossing
	Wind roughly 20cm of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Hold each end of the floss between your thumbs and index fingers, leaving about 2cm to 3cm of length in between. You should use your thumbs to direct the floss between your upper teeth. Keeping the 2cm to 3cm length of floss firmly between fingers, use index fingers to direct the floss between the lower teeth.
	Gently guide the floss between the teeth by using a zigzag motion. It is important to remember not to snap the floss between your teeth but using a smooth and flowing motion around each side of the tooth.
	Slide the floss up and down against your tooth surface and under the gum. This may feel awkward but it is important to get underneath the tooth to clean those areas.