American River Dental
Home Care Tips
American River Dental
Brushing
Bacteria lives in your mouth and is the cause of plaque, plaque can then lead to cavities and gingivitis, which can lead to periodontal disease. In order to keep your mouth clean and the bad bacteria down to a minimum you must practice good oral hygiene every day.
Proper brushing of teeth can be done in three steps:
1) Brush teeth gently using a circular motion along the outside and inside of the tooth surface while holding the brush at a 45 degree angle.
2) Make sure to brush each tooth individually and to use the front half of the brush in a circular motion vertically behind the front teeth.
3) Place the brush against the top of your teeth using a gentle back-and-forth motion to brush. After brushing all your teeth, be sure to brush your tongue in order to remove odor-producing bacteria.
Sonicare
Sonicare’s unique, patented combination of high speed bristle motion with extra wide sweeping motion creates effective, yet gentle, dynamic fluid cleaning motion. You get excellent plaque removal, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as between and below the gum line. You can count on naturally whiter teeth and healthier gums.
Sonicare is excellent in battling gum disease, dry mouth, bad breath and tooth sensitivity. Its sweeping motion is very good in cleaning around dental restorations such as implants, crowns and veneers as well as cleaning braces.
How do I use Dental Floss?
Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind some of it around your middle finger (3 turns); this finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Shorten the length between the two fingers to 6 inches and wind some floss (1 turn) around the opposite middle finger. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth as you gently rub the side of the tooth with an up and down motion. Before retrieving it, reverse the C-shape to clean the adjacent tooth surface as well.
As you finish cleaning each tooth, wind the dirty floss once around the first middle finger and slide more new length of floss to proceed to the next teeth
Plaque
Plaque is essentially the start of gum disease problems. Plaque is a build-up from bacteria in the mouth and particles from the foods you eat every day.
Once sugars are introduced to plaque, it turns into a tooth eating acid that sits just above the gum line. If regular oral care isn’t standard, the acid will start eating at the teeth producing cavities and the plaque can cause gum disease.
Plaque that is allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time can cause cavities, gingivitis, and other problems in your mouth. If it’s left longer than that, serious dental procedures may be required to restore your decaying smile.
Perio Protect
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is derived primarily from forest and agricultural products. The dental benefits of using Xylitol to prevent caries were first recognized and published in 1975. Xylitol is available in many forms such as gums, mints, chewable lozenges, toothpastes, etc. The efficacy of these products varies depending on two critical aspects which are the amounts of Xylitol contained, and the frequency of use. We recommend that you consult with your dentist about Xylitol and its benefits towards your oral health.
