How to Brush and Floss
The three main steps in fighting gum disease are brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist regularly. Brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. Ask your dentist or hygienist to show you the correct way to brush and floss. Here are some tips.
Brushing. A toothbrush can only clean one or two teeth at a time. Allow about 3 minutes of brushing to clean all your teeth well.
- Use a brush with soft bristles and rounded ends. Soft bristles are less likely to hurt your gums.
- Angle the brush against the gum line, where teeth and gums meet.
- Move the brush back and forth with short strokes. Use a gentle, scrubbing motion.
- Brush the outside surfaces of the teeth. Do the same for the backs of teeth and chewing surfaces.
- Brush the rough surface of your tongue to remove germs and freshen your breath.
- Get a new toothbrush when the bristles are worn or bent, about every 2 to 3 months.
Flossing. Few people really enjoy flossing. But if you don't floss, you're only doing half the job of cleaning your teeth and gums. Flossing cleans away plaque and bits of food from between your teeth and below the gum line. It gets places your brush can't reach. Floss once a day, preferably before bedtime.
- Break off 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the rest around the same finger of the other hand.
- Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers. Leave about an inch between them.
- Use a gentle sawing motion to get the floss between your teeth. Never snap the floss into the gums.
- When you get the floss to the gum line, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth. Scrape up and down on the sides of each tooth to remove plaque.
- As floss gets worn and dirty, move to a clean section and continue. Don't forget the backsides of your rear teeth.
- When you're done brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth with water.