Our Highlands Ranch Dental office wants you to maintain your beautiful smile. Your home care routine is the most important factor in maintaining your smile. Not only will it keep your teeth pearly white but will help prevent or minimize oral disease including caries (cavities), gingivitis, and gum disease.
What products should I be using on a daily basis for maintaining a happy and healthy mouth?
- Toothbrush: We recommend the Sonicare toothbrush. It’s vibrating and pulsating action has been scientifically proven to remove more plaque and tartar than manual toothbrushes. Remember to replace the head of the Sonicare every two to three months to keep the brush effective.
- Toothpaste: We recommend toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride is the biggest agent to reduce cavities with its bonding properties to the enamel surface to strengthen and prevent harmful bacteria from penetrating. Toothpaste abrasives and detergents also help reduce plaque buildup, gingivitis, and bad breath.
- Mouthwash: We love ACT fluoride rinse or alcohol-free mouth wash. Make sure to rinse and swish for at least 30 seconds (preferably longer) to help eliminate the bacteria.
- FLOSS! A lot of discussion is out there about the benefits of flossing. Flossing cleans up to 40% of tooth structure that is unable to be reached with traditional brushing. We recommend waxed flossed (like Johnson and Johnson waxed floss). We also recommend using a Water Flosser like Waterpik for deeper pocket cleaning and under gum cleaning 360 degrees around the tooth. We may also recommend floss picks or interproximal brushes.
- Fluoride: Make sure to get your daily dose of fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that was discovered to be an effective way to prevent cavities in Colorado Springs. A low dose in water and exposure in toothpastes and mouthwashes allows the fluoride ion to bind to the enamel structure completing an open bond (in the Hydroxyapatite) which strengthens the structure and helps fight against harmful bacteria. Good sources of fluoride including natural tap water, toothpaste, and mouthwash.
How should I be using these products?
- Brushing: for effective brushing make sure to brush at least two minutes at least two times per day. Move your brush in circular motions throughout your mouth and make sure to brush both your teeth and gums!
- Tongue: Brushing your tongue is a helpful way to remove bacteria that cause bad breath. Bacteria build-up on your tongue and is important to remove the odor-causing bacteria.
- Flossing: we recommend flossing at least one time per day. We have found it most effective to floss prior to brushing and at nighttime. Make sure to wrap the floss around each tooth and slide up under the gums.
- Mouth wash: This is not a replacement for brushing or flossing by any means. This is mainly recommended at night after flossing and brushing. Swish the mouthwash for at least 30 seconds then spit. We recommend avoiding drinking and water for at least 30 minutes after rinsing.
- Gum: chewing sugar-free gum is also an effective way to help prevent or minimize oral disease. Chewing gum stimulates extra saliva flow which helps wash away bacteria and buffer acidity caused by eating and drinking.
Our Highlands Ranch dentist, Dr. Parsons, wants to help you maintain your healthy and beautiful smile while minimizing dental disease. Home care is the most important part of keeping you healthy. Make sure to schedule your routine checkups at our office to help minimize the extent of any oral disease.
Call our office and schedule your appointment today at 303-694-9740. Have other dental questions or need to schedule an appointment? Get in touch with our Cottonwood Dental Group specialists today.
Our family has been proudly handcrafting smiles in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Castle Pines, and Parker area since 1982.
