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.  It starts at home by eating balanced meals, reducing the number of snacks you eat, and correctly using the various hygiene aids that help control the plaque bacteria (biofilm) that cause dental diseases; both dental caries (cavities/decay) and periodontal disease (gum disease).

When we eat anything our natural oral plaque bacteria (biofilm) is attracted to it because it's their food source as well and the combination of the food (especially a refined sugar) plus the plaque biofilm produce an acid in our mouth.  The acid that is produced coats our teeth (due to saliva) and when it's left long enough on the tooth structure it can produce the beginning of decay.  With good flossing and brushing after meals we are able to reduce the incidence of the beginning of decay and prevent the acid from getting into the deeper structure of the tooth.  Also, try to reduce the sugary, sticky food products you eat and drink plenty of water during and after meals to help "wash away" some of the plaque biofilm and simple sugars.  Watch out for the soda/energy/electrolyte drinks-- they can be the worst!!  They have a high level of refined sugar in them and they do produce the potential for decay.  Carbonation (even in the diet beverages) still can still cause harm because the bubbles are caused by "carbonic acid" and over time they break down the enamel surface of your teeth (especially the front teeth) and cause decay.  Try to look for beverages that have no or little carbonation, no real sugar, drink with a straw, drink water along with other beverages and if possible try to find beverages that have "Xylitol" in them.  Xylitol is a natural sweetener farmed from birch trees and it's known for it's antibacterial affects in the mouth, so while it sweetens your drink it reduces the chance of decay and there's research to prove it also reduce ear infections and sinus infections.

Tooth brushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.  Optimal brushing is after each meal, even after a snack because once you eat anything the bacteria in the mouth begins it's process of acid formation.

1. Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
2. Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth emphasizing the gumline area--this is where the plaque biofilm enter under the gum to cause gingivitis.
3. Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of the front teeth.
4. Brush your tongue, roof of the mouth (palate), and inside cheeks to remove even more bacteria.  This also helps to fight bad breath (halitosis).  The plaque biofilm on the tongue gets mixed in with the bacteria/mucus from our nasal passages and old, dead cells from the tissues of our mouth and soak into the rough grooves on the top of our tongue, this fermentation process a malodor of sulfuric gas (rotten egg smell).  A tongue scraper is the best hygiene aid to use because of the rigid texture--please ask our hygienists more details about the use of the tongue scraper for best results.

Electric toothbrushes are also recommended.  They are easy to use and can remove plaque biofilm efficiently.  There are many on the market and there are definately ones we prefer, please ask your Hygienist which is the best make and model for your needs.  Simply place the bristles of the electric brush very lightly on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, several teeth at a time.  You still need to use 2-3 minutes to proper remove the sticky film of plaque biofilm--but please be careful--with aggressive use the electric or powered brushes can irritate the gum and cause the cause to receed or move and that is usually a permanent condition and the gum will NOT grow back!

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline.  Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque biofilm colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and permanent supporting bone.

1. Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
2. Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
3. Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline.Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.  If this is uncomfortable, you may have gone too deep, flossing healthy gums is not uncomfortable, be gentle and move the floss vertically several times.  Remove the floss and wind the "dirty" piece onto your middle finger, so you can start with a new "clean" piece of floss.  The entire process shouldn't take more than 90 secs.
4. Ideally, you should floss first before you brush to loosen that food and plaque biofilm that is trapped between the teeth and then your toothbrush will remove the rest.  Remember that just because you don't "feel" anything stuck between your teeth, doesn't mean there isn't any bacterial plaque biofilm there.  There's always some plaque biofilm in our mouth (even if we don't eat) so by reducing the quantity of the bacteria we are reducing the chances of decay and gingivitis.

Floss holders/handles - Are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.  Also, there are some battery-operated flossers in the market place--ask your dental hygienist for a recommendation that best suits your needs.

Oral Irrigator - One of the best ways to remove plaque biofilm, massage the gingiva (gums) and freshen your breath is the daily use of a water irrigator, commonly known as the "WaterPik" machines.  There are specialized tips to use for different needs, additional medicaments you can place in the water reservoir and great tips on the use of the machine, so please ask your dental hygienist.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush.  If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with Dr. Ford or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.  There are some fluoride-based products to help prevent decay and some natural products we recommend if you prefer a non-fluoride product.  There are special products to help prevent gingivitis and freshen your breath and prevent halitosis.

Use other dental aids as recommended by Dr. Ford or your dental hygienist: Interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue scrapers, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., can all play a role in good dental home care.  We custom fit a home care program just for you and your needs.  We need to assess and evaluate the specific concerns and issues you have within your mouth and your family's propesity to have certain oral/dental conditions.  Please give us as much family history as possible and we can create a program best suited to prevention and health maintenance.