Mastering Your Dental Routine: A Guide to At-Home Care

While professional dental care and preventative dentistry are essential to maintaining good oral health, how you care for your teeth and gums in between appointments is also vital to preventing tooth decay, cavities, periodontal disease, and other preventable oral health problems. That's why our team at CHS Dental emphasizes patient education and personalized oral hygiene recommendations to help patients maintain optimal health in between their dental examinations.  

Oral Care at Home: How to Master Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Use the Right Tools and Products

Always choose oral care products (toothbrushes, dental floss, and toothpaste) that are approved by the American Dental Association. These products are proven to be both safe and effective.  

We recommend brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush because firmer bristles can be overly abrasive and do more harm than good. Electric toothbrushes that use vibrations from sound waves are the most effective at breaking up plaque and tartar deposits to clean the teeth.  

When it comes to deciding whether or not to use mouthwash in your routine, we recommend talking with our dentist first. While it can be beneficial for some patients, mouthwash isn't always helpful or effective, as it kills the healthy bacteria inside the mouth as well as the harmful bacteria. If you do use mouthwash, be sure to choose an alcohol-free version to avoid regularly exposing your mouth to carcinogens.  

Maintain Your Tools

Manual toothbrushes should be replaced about every three months, and toothbrush heads for electric toothbrushes typically require replacing about once a month (depending on the manufacturer). Anytime the bristles appear worn, frayed, or bent, they will not be effective and should be replaced.

Use Effective Techniques

Using proper techniques will ensure your oral hygiene tools are effective.  

Proper Tooth Brushing Technique

To safeguard your gums, brush using gentle pressure. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth to effectively remove plaque from the pockets between your teeth and gums.  

Proper Flossing Technique

When flossing, you should pull the floss into a "C" shape around both sides of each tooth. Dip it gently in between the teeth to avoid hurting your gum tissues. Be sure to floss on either side of the triangle-shaped wedge of gum tissue that pops up between each tooth. Rub the floss along the sides of the teeth to break up and remove plaque, bacteria, and debris.  

Timing Is Everything

The American Dental Association recommends flossing at least once a day (but flossing more frequently is okay, too) and brushing at least twice a day for two minutes (30 seconds per quadrant of teeth: upper front, upper back, lower front, and lower back of arches).  

If you like to floss and brush after meals, be sure to wait at least 30 minutes after eating for your teeth to effectively remineralize after exposure to sugars. Otherwise, you could damage your tooth enamel.  

Good Health Starts Inside

Eating a balanced diet with proper nutrition can also help promote good oral health. Limit your exposure to sugary and acidic foods such as candy and soda. Be sure to eat plenty of calcium, vitamins, and other minerals to promote good oral health from the inside.  

Tools for Specialized Care

We might recommend specialized oral hygiene tools such as a water flosser or interdental brushes for patients with dental restorations or orthodontic appliances.  

Personalized At-Home Oral Hygiene Recommendations with Our Dentist in Mt. Pleasant

At CHS Dental, we care about our patients in and out of our office, and that's why we place a strong emphasis on patient education and dental care at home. To learn more about avoiding oral health problems, we welcome you to contact our office to request a preventative dentistry appointment with our general dentist in Charleston.

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