At Home Dental Tools
Dental Home Care Basics in Belmont, MA
At Belmont Dental Group in Belmont, MA, we believe home care is an important component of dental health. A beautiful, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime is our ultimate goal when treating patients. Your personal home care plays an important role in achieving that goal and part of that is correctly using various dental aids that help control plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease.
We have assembled some useful information for you here to include in your oral hygiene routine. We’re always happy to speak with you in person about how to address your specific needs. Never hesitate to ask us for more information or to show you how to use a particular device. That’s what we’re here for! We want to make things as easy for you as possible.
Keep Your Teeth Clean At Home
Your oral health depends in no small part on how much effort you put into your home care routine. Here are the items we recommend for our patients, along with some details on how to use them properly.
Toothbrush- We recommend brushing your teeth at least two times a day with a soft bristle toothbrush approved by the American Dental Association (ADA) and toothpaste. Brushing is especially important before bedtime. You can use an electric toothbrush, if you prefer. If you opt for a regular toothbrush, keep the following tips in mind:
- Place the brush at a 45-degree angle to gums and brush gently using small circles. You should feel the bristles on your gums
- Brush all of the surfaces of your teeth
- Use the brush tip to get inside your front teeth
- Don’t forget to brush your tongue too
Dental Floss- You should floss your teeth daily to disrupt plaque buildup. Flossing properly is as important as brushing correctly. You can use a floss holder if you find it helps. If not, make sure you are:
- Using about 12 to 16 inches of floss (wrapped around fingers with 2 inches between hands)
- Using a sawing motion to gently guide floss in-between teeth
- Curving floss into a C shape around the tooth hand under the gum line
Mouth Rinses- Dentists do not necessarily consider some cosmetic over-the-counter rinses beneficial to your oral health. Speak with us about what is right for your oral care needs. We prefer to have patients use FDA-regulated rinses with active ingredients to help reduce bad breath, plaque, and cavities. Mouth rinses should be used after brushing or if you are not able to brush immediately after eating.
Other Basics
Oral Hygiene Items– Besides your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash, there are a number of other oral hygiene items we recommend for additional cleaning and prevention in your home care routine.
Tongue Cleaners- Using a tongue cleaner can help prevent bad breath and fungi and bacterial buildup on your tongue’s surface. Use this tool prior to brushing to prevent ingesting these substances.
Interdental Cleaners- Interdental cleaners are tiny brushes that clean between gums and teeth. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are gentle, effective additions to dental floss.
Teeth Cleaning
Rubber tip Stimulators- Rubber tip stimulators are devices designed to remove plaque from around the gum line. Use it by tracing along the gum line once a day and rinse after using.
Oral Irrigators- Oral irrigators, also known as water jets, have been proven to be effective in getting rid of harmful bacteria and food particles from under the gum line. It’s important to note that they should not be a substitute for regular brushing and flossing.