Teeth Tips

How can you tell if you're hitting the mark when it comes to good oral care? Generally, your 

teeth and gums should not bleed, be painful, or feel rough or sharp to your tongue.  Your breath 

should be fresh for at least a couple of hours after brushing in the morning and after having 

eaten breakfast. One of the easiest ways to prevent gum disease is to clean your teeth properly, 

so try these tricks for a healthier mouth.

1.    Rinse your mouth.

If you use mouthwash twice a day, you'll slash your risk of gum disease by 60 percent. Ideally 

you should aim to rinse for about 30 seconds with a mouthwash that has microbial protection to 

fight plaque and gingivitis, such as Listerine®.                                   

                                                                                                        

2.    Floss first.

You should floss before you brush your teeth, rather than after a recent study showed that helps 

brush away any food that was stuck between your teeth to prevent bacteria from growing. 

3.    Get the right toothbrush.

Soft bristles are best.  A medium or hard-bristled toothbrush literally scratches the tissue away 

over time exposing the root surface underneath and can lead to possible bone loss. 

4.    Brush smart.

Last but most important!!!  To really clean your teeth, aim to brush them for a full two minutes, 

twice a day.  Make sure you brush your tongue and cheeks as well as the chewing surfaces to 

remove all harmful bacteria. To get your kids to brush the full two minutes, sing "Happy Birthday 

To You" or the "Alphabet Song" twice through at a normal speed for each half of your mouth. 

And be sure to replace your toothbrush about every three months.