Brushing & Flossing

Brushing

Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small pea-sized strip of children’s fluoride-free toothpaste (for children under 5) and children’s fluoride toothpaste (for children over 5). When you brush your teeth, move the brush in small circular motions to reach food particles that may be under your gum line. Hold the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and carefully, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. It will take you 2 minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth and the outside, inside and chewing surface of all of your front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.

Brush your teeth at least 3 times daily to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque:

  • In the morning after breakfast

  • After lunch or right after school

  • At bedtime

As soon as the bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one. Do not swallow any toothpaste; rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish brushing. It is important to carefully floss and brush daily for optimal oral hygiene.

Flossing

For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. Dental floss is a thin thread of waxed nylon that is used to reach below the gum line and clean between teeth. It is very important to floss between your teeth every day.

Pull a small length of floss from the dispenser. Wrap the ends of the floss tightly around your middle fingers. Guide the floss between all teeth to the gum line, pulling out any food particles or plaque. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you finish. Floss behind all of your back teeth.

It is very important to floss preferably at bedtime or after meals. After initial flossing bleeding may occur for the first week. If the bleeding does not go away after a week of flossing, call the dentist.

*Some Information Provided By ADA.Org