Oral hygiene care instructions
General oral hygiene
- While we work hard to care for your smile, it’s your job to take care of your teeth and gums.
- Brush twice a day for 2 minutes. Don’t forget your tongue!
- Use a fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. An electric toothbrush is even better because it removes more plaque than a manual one.
- Brush gently in circular motions. Make sure you’re applying enough pressure to your teeth to clean them properly. You should feel the bristles on your gums while you’re brushing.
- Brush all surfaces of each tooth and around any appliances until you’ve cleared any plaque or debris from your mouth.
- Remember to brush the other areas in your mouth, too! Plaque and bacteria can build up on your gums and your tongue. Once you’ve finished cleaning your teeth, carefully brush these areas using the same small, circular motions with your toothbrush.
- Rinse your toothbrush with water after use, and store it upright and uncovered.
- Flossing is an important step. It removes debris and plaque build-up from in between your teeth that your toothbrush cannot adequately clean.
- To floss: Use about 18 inches of floss. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers. Use your thumbs to keep the tension in the floss tight. You can use your index fingers to help direct the floss.
- Place the floss between 2 teeth, and in a teeter-totter (not a sawing) motion, gently work the floss up and down (about 5 to 10 times).
- We recommend starting on one side of your mouth and carefully working your way around, making sure you get between all your teeth on the top and the bottom.
- Use a mouthwash that contains fluoride after brushing and flossing for an exceptional clean!
- You can find more detailed oral hygiene instructions for bridges, dental implants, and fixed full arches on our website.
Oral hygiene: bridge
- Effective oral hygiene is the key to keeping the teeth surrounding your bridge healthy.
- Brush twice a day for 2 minutes. Don’t forget your tongue!
- Use a fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. An electric toothbrush is even better because it removes more plaque than a manual one.
- Brush gently in circular motions. Make sure you’re applying enough pressure to your teeth to clean them properly. You should feel the bristles on your gums while you’re brushing.
- Brush all surfaces of each tooth and around your appliances until you’ve cleared any plaque or debris from your mouth.
- Remember to brush the other areas in your mouth, too! Plaque and bacteria can build up on your gums and your tongue. Once you’ve finished cleaning your teeth, carefully brush these areas using the same small, circular motions with the toothbrush.
- Rinse your toothbrush with water after use, and store it upright and uncovered.
- Flossing is an important step. It removes debris and plaque build-up from in between your teeth that your toothbrush cannot adequately clean. There are several tools that you can use to floss around your bridge:
- Floss threader: This tool is stiff and has a loop to pull your floss through. To use this tool, simply place about 4 to 5 inches of floss through the eye of the threader. Thread the floss threader under your bridge and next to your natural tooth.
- SuperFloss™: This tool has a stiff end dental floss threader, spongy floss, and regular floss. To use this tool, thread the floss under your bridge using the stiff end. Move the spongy end next to your natural tooth.
- To floss with either the floss threader or SuperFloss, use about 18 inches of floss. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers. Use your thumbs to keep the tension in the floss tight. You can use your index fingers to help direct the floss. Put the floss in between the area of your teeth, and in a teeter-totter (not a sawing) motion, gently work the floss up and down (about 5 to 10 times). Slide the floss under your fake tooth (also known as a pontic) and work the floss up and down along your other natural tooth.
- We recommend starting on one side of your mouth and carefully working your way around, making sure you get between all your teeth on the top and the bottom.
- ProxabrushⓇ: This tool has an end that looks similar to a tapered pipe cleaner. To use this tool, place the tapered bush between your natural tooth and fake tooth, but keep close to your gums. Move the brush in and out. When using this tool, look for the fine Proxabrush head for a more comfortable clean.
- Use a mouthwash that contains fluoride after brushing and flossing for an exceptional clean!
Oral hygiene: dental implant
- Just like your natural teeth, effective oral hygiene is the key to keeping the teeth around your dental implant healthy.
- Brush twice a day for 2 minutes. Don’t forget your tongue!
- Use a fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. An electric toothbrush is even better because it removes more plaque than a manual one.
- Brush gently in circular motions. Make sure you’re applying enough pressure to your teeth to clean them properly. You should feel the bristles on your gums while you’re brushing.
- Brush all surfaces of each tooth and around your appliances until you’ve cleared any plaque or debris from your mouth.
- Remember to brush the other areas in your mouth, too! Plaque and bacteria can build up on your gums and your tongue. Once you’ve finished cleaning your teeth, carefully brush these areas using the same small circular motions with the toothbrush.
- When brushing your dental implant, point your toothbrush up to focus on the gums surrounding the implant. Be sure to brush in a gentle, circular motion.
- Rinse your toothbrush with water after use, and store it upright and uncovered.
- Flossing is an important step. It removes debris and plaque build-up from in between your teeth and your implant that your toothbrush cannot adequately clean. Using either regular or SuperFloss, take about 18 inches of floss. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers. Use your thumbs to keep the tension in the floss tight. You can use your index fingers to help direct the floss. Placing the floss in between the area of your dental implant and natural tooth, curve the floss around where it hugs the side of the implant, and pull the floss in a downward motion. This pulls the plaque and debris away from the dental implant.
- Just like flossing your natural teeth, we recommend starting on one side of your mouth and carefully working your way around, making sure you get between all your teeth on the top and the bottom.
- Use a mouthwash that contains fluoride after brushing and flossing for an exceptional clean!
Oral hygiene: fixed full-arch
- While we work hard on creating your smile, it’s your job to take care of your dental implants and gums.
- Use a WaterpikⓇ at least twice a day. To use the Waterpik, place it on its lowest and most gentle setting.
- You can aim the Waterpik tip either at the top of your gums or behind your implant-supported bridge.
- Run the Waterpik from one end of your implant-supported bridge to the other, making sure to pay special attention to where your implants are.
- Floss under your bridge using SuperFloss. Move the spongy end of the SuperFloss between your gums and bridge. When you encounter a dental implant, thread the stiff end of the SuperFloss on the side of the implant and, holding on both ends, gently move the floss from side to side (like a saw).
- When brushing, use a soft toothbrush to clean the prosthesis and remove any heavy debris.
- Use an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash after brushing and flossing for an exceptional clean!