Dr. Joseph B. Brogdon, DDS
Chattanooga, TN

Brushing and Flossing

Brushing your teeth at least twice daily helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease, the major causes of tooth loss.  Use a soft-bristle brush and a fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and food particles.  Replace your brush every two to three months.

  On the outer and inner surfaces, brush at a 45-degree angle in short, half-tooth-wide strokes against the gum line.

  On chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat and brush back and forth.

  On inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes.

  Brush the tongue in a back-to-front sweeping motion to remove food particles and freshen your mouth.

Flossing daily removes plaque and food particles between teeth and below the gum line.

  Wrap an 18-inch strand around your middle fingers and hold a one-inch section tightly.  Ease floss between teeth.  Clean up and down several times while curving around teeth at the gum line. 

  Always floss behind the last tooth.  Unwind clean floss as you proceed.   Floss around the abutment teeth of a bridge and under artificial teeth using a floss threader.

You may experience sore or bleeding gums for the first several days you floss.  If bleeding continues after the first week of flossing call your dentist.  If you have trouble handling the floss, ask your dentist about the use of a floss holder, or other types of interdental cleaning aids.