Saint Paul Highland Park Dentist Shares Brushing and Flossing Tips

Written by Drs. Mark and Rachel Malterud on Sep 13, 2011

Your smile is one of your greatest assets and the first thing that people notice about you. Cosmetic dentistry can transform your smile, but that is only the first step. A proper at-home oral hygiene routine ensures that you will have not only a great-looking smile, but a healthy mouth.

Brushing:
  • Brush at least twice a day; in the morning and before bed.  Unsure of which brush is right for you? St. Paul Dentistry can help you select one that suits your needs.
  • Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle where the gums and teeth meet.
  • Use small circular motions to gently brush gum line and teeth.
  • Don’t apply too much pressure to the teeth – this can damage gums and tooth enamel.
  • Brush every surface of every tooth, cheek-side, tongue-side, and chewing surfaces. Pay special attention to the surfaces of the back teeth.
  • Use back and forth strokes to brush the chewing surfaces.
  • Brush the tongue to remove fungi, food and debris.

 Flossing:

Flossing is a very effective way to remove plaque from between teeth. The flavor and type of floss are unimportant; choose floss that will be easy and pleasant to use.

  • Cut a piece of floss about 18” long.
  • Wrap one end of the floss around the middle finger of the left hand and the other end around the middle finger of the right hand until the hands are 2-3 inches apart.
  • Work the floss gently between the teeth toward the gum line.
  • Curve the floss in a U-shape around each tooth, carefully sliding it beneath the gum line.
  • Carefully move the floss up and down several times to remove inter-dental plaque and debris.

If you still have questions, contact our Minneapolis Dental Office, and we will be more than happy to answer them for you.