Adequate home care is imperative if you want to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile and prevent costly dental treatment in the future. The goal of home care is to regularly remove the sticky film of bacteria called plaque from your teeth.
Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft tooth brush. Gently vibrate the brush in a circular fashion at a 45 degree angle to the gum line. Then gently vibrate the brush back and forth on each tooth surface until you have effectively cleaned the entire mouth. You should also brush your tongue to remove the bacteria that causes bad breath.
You can use any soft bristled, ADA approved tooth brush. We also recommend the use of modern electric tooth brushes such as Sonicare and Braun.
Your child should brush for approximately two minutes to effectively remove plaque that has formed on their teeth. Parents should monitor their child's brushing until the age of six. Your child's hygiene will be evaluated at his/her examination and effectiveness discussed.
Floss daily to remove plaque between teeth that you can't reach with regular brushing. Take 12" to 18" of dental floss and wrap it around the middle finger of each hand. Pull the floss tightly, and then use your thumb and forefingers to slide the floss gently between each set of teeth. Curve the floss around each tooth and move the floss up and down along the tooth, going as low as you can comfortably get under the gum line. Use a fresh section of floss for each tooth until you have flossed the entire mouth. Flossing aids are available to assist children with holding the floss.
Always rinse thoroughly with water after brushing (or after meals if you are unable to brush.) You may occasionally use a mouthwash to rinse. Children may benefit from the use of ACT fluoride rinse, to help prevent cavities from forming in between the teeth. It is not recommended for children to use alcohol based mouthrinses.
Brushing the teeth is only half the battle. What your child eats, and when, are big factors in their risk for dental decay. Frequent snacking is a potential cause for decay. This is especially true if the snacks are high in carbohydrates or are very sticky (ie. Crackers, gummy snacks, fruit roll ups). Juice is another food that can greatly increase your childŐs risk of decay. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children drink no more than 6 oz of juice a day. Juice consumption should be limited to mealtimes only.
Healthy snack ideas include cheese, nuts, whole fruits, peanut butter and celery, cottage cheese.
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Orange Coast
Pediatric Dentistry
23961 Calle de la Magdalena
Suite 417
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Ph: (949) 716-1500
Fx: (949) 305-0551