Woman with healthy smile after oral care in Sunbury–Moonee Ponds

Dental issues such as cavities and gum disease can create discomfort and ill health. The Smile in Style team believes that a proactive, preventive approach is the best way to save you time and money. This allows us to catch any potential problems in the early stages, when they are more easily treated.

With an effective oral hygiene regimen at home, supplemented by regular preventative care appointments for teeth cleaning and examinations, you can sustain optimal oral health and a beautiful smile.

It is ideal to brush teeth twice a day, two minutes each time.

We recommend that teeth be cleaned at home by a regime of twice-a-day brushing, followed by flossing one of those times. Ideally, our recommendation is to floss every night before bed, so that tiny food particles and collections of bacteria or plaque are removed before sleeping. Just as important as the completion of brushing, is the technique in which teeth are cleaned. Although you may keep to a regular routine with brushing and flossing, the wrong technique can leave you susceptible to plaque and tartar. We have collected some tips for successful brushing.

Hold a soft-bristled toothbrush at a 45-degree angle from the gum line. From this starting point, gently move the brush in short strokes along the gum line and up onto the chewing surface of the tooth. Move along this surface with short strokes, tipping the bristles of your brush back and forth to ensure all pits and crevices are reached. Brush the inside surfaces of teeth, making sure to address the gum line here as well. The back of front teeth can be reached by turning the brush vertically, and brushing back and forth gently. The tongue, especially near the back of the mouth, can harbor bacteria that cause bad breath and affect oral health, and should also be brushed.

Children will need help from their parents during their early years. Until your child can spit out toothpaste, teeth can be brushed with water. Fluoride toothpaste can lead to stains on teeth if not adequately rinsed off. As your child grows, you can begin using toothpaste gradually, about the size of a pea to start.

Next to brushing, flossing is the best way to preserve healthy teeth and gums.

Brushing your teeth, gums, and tongue removes foot particles and plaque that collect on these surfaces. However, about 35 per cent of a tooth is not easily accessible. Flossing is the way to reach in between teeth and clean this surface so that bacteria do not collect.

Man practicing oral hygiene by brushing teeth in Sunbury–Moonee Ponds
Patient undergoing dental care for oral health in Sunbury–Moonee Ponds

Gently guide floss between teeth using a slow back and forth motion. The floss should be moved to the gum line, but not below. After curving the floss around the tooth in a “U” shape, slide the string upwards and downwards a few times.Using a new length of floss, approximately 7-10 cm, this process should be repeated between all teeth and along the back surface as well. Flossing may take some time to get right, but is an optimal way to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Children also benefit greatly from regular flossing. Learning this habit from an early age also creates lifelong oral care that is above average! Your child can begin to learn how to floss around the age of three.

We want our patients to enjoy healthy, attractive smiles. Contact us if you have questions regarding oral health, or to schedule your dental check-up.