What is a proper dental hygiene routine to maintain daily?

Proper dental hygiene is an important part of maintaining good dental health. Since gum disease does not discriminate by age, teaching your children proper dental hygiene will help set them up for a brighter dental health future. Since proper dental hygiene is the key to preventing gum disease, let s review the tools and proper procedures to accomplish this.

First and foremost, brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. Since a toothbrush can only clean one tooth at a time, spend at least three minutes brushing your teeth each time. Using a soft-bristle toothbrush, angle the brush along the gum line where your teeth and gums meet. Use a back and forth brushing motion on the outside and inside of all your teeth, paying particular attention to reach all the back teeth and chewing surfaces. Remember to brush the entire gum area as well as the surface of the tongue. Doing so will help to alleviate germ buildup and bad breath. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months. For added protection against germs, run your toothbrush through the dishwasher regularly.

The next step to maintaining proper dental hygiene is flossing. Flossing will help enhance your brushing by removing food and plaque from between teeth and along the gum line where your toothbrush can t reach. Flossing should be done once a day. To floss properly, begin with a strand about eighteen inches long. Wrap the ends of the floss around the middle finger of each hand until there is about one inch of floss between each hand. Gently maneuver the floss in between your teeth using a sawing motion until you reach the gum line. When you've reached the gum line, use the floss to scrape the side of each tooth in an up-and-down motion. As the floss becomes worn, use a new section of the floss that is already wrapped around your fingers. Repeat this process until the gums around each tooth have been cleaned. Follow up your home dental care with regular trips to the dentist office for a professional cleaning.