Oral Hygiene Tips for Brushing Teeth
At Govani Dental, of Oshkosh we know the importance of keeping smiles happy and healthy. Please read our oral hygiene tips to help make brushing and flossing easy and part of your daily routine.
How to properly brush with an electric toothbrush
- Turn on your electric toothbrush once placed inside your mouth with fluoridated toothpaste (make sure it has the ADA seal) on the bristles
- Angle the toothbrush head at a 45 degree angle towards your gums
- Hold the toothbrush handle and let the electric toothbrush bristles vibrate as you move it throughout your mouth
- Brush the outside and inside of your teeth along with the top surfaces
*Most electric toothbrushes will vibrate at the end of the full 2 minutes or pulsate every 30 seconds to move to a new region in your mouth.
How to properly brush with a manual toothbrush
- Place fluoridated toothpaste (make sure it has the ADA seal) on the bristles of your toothbrush
- Angle the toothbrush head at a 45 degree angle towards your gums
- Softly move your toothbrush bristles back and forth with small movements
- Brush the outside and inside of your teeth along with the top surfaces
How to Brush Oral Health Worksheet from ADA.org
Brushing tips and tricks
- To better access your upper back molars on the outside surface close your jaw half way down. For the inside of your front teeth place the toothbrush head vertically.
- Remember to brush each region of the mouth for the same amount of time. Example: outside of your bottom teeth, inside of your bottom teeth, inside of your top teeth, and then outside of your top teeth. Brush the top surfaces of your teeth as well- in each quadrant of the mouth (each region for 30 seconds each)
- Brush 2 times a day for the full 2 minutes with an extra-soft/sensitive toothbrush head.
- Replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head every 3 months or after being sick.
- Don’t brush too hard since this can cause gingival recession and lead to sensitivity to hot/cold.
- Remember to brush your tongue and pink tissues daily as well to remove bacteria with either a toothbrush or tongue scraper.
Oral Hygiene Tips for Flossing Teeth
How to properly floss when using string floss
- Rip off a piece of floss from the container long enough to wrap around your fingers on each hand
- Wrap floss around your middle or ring finger and do the same thing on your other hand
- Hold the string floss between your thumb and index fingers
- Gently put the string floss in-between your teeth
- Once your floss reaches your gum form a c-shape to hug your tooth
- Glide the floss gently up and down against your tooth on each side of the pink gum tissue
- Continue technique until all teeth are completed inside your mouth
- Throw away when completed, do not reuse your floss
How to properly floss when using dental floss picks
- Hold the handle of the floss pick
- Gently put the floss pick in-between your teeth
- Once your floss reaches your gum glide the piece of floss gently up and down against your tooth on each side of the pink gum tissue
- Continue technique until all teeth are completed inside your mouth
- Caution around large fillings and crowns-traditional floss is safer
- Throw away when completed, do not reuse your floss pick
For more information see 5 Steps to a Flawless Floss from mouthhealthy.org
Did you know?
*Do not use a see-saw motion or quick snap the floss in/out of your teeth. Take your time and focus on the proper technique.
*Remember to floss around the back of your last tooth.
*It Doesn’t matter when you floss. Pick a time that works best for you. Either before or after tooth brushing.
*Do not use toothpicks since they can cause gingival trauma.
We Welcome You
Remember we are here to help. Be sure to schedule your routine dental hygiene exam to detect disease and remove tartar that has formed on your teeth. If you have any questions on proper homecare techniques ask Dr. Govani or your hygienist at your next dental visit! Contact us today to keep your smile happy 920-231-1955.
