Oral Hygiene Aids are tools to help maintain good oral hygiene at home. There are many available to choose from.
Toothbrushes are an excellent tool for use at home. Although they come in firm, medium and soft, we recommend only soft brushes for your teeth. Medium and firm bristles are too harsh for your gums and can create problems. When cleaning teeth, a gentle circular motion is best. Avoid back-and-forth scrubbing across your teeth. Save scrubbing for cleaning your bathroom grout!
Toothpaste containing fluoride helps strengthen the enamel on your teeth and helps prevent dental caries (cavities). There are many toothpastes to choose from, so ask your dental team for their recommendation.
Dental Floss is used to clean between teeth. It is a must for healthy teeth and gums. We recommended you floss daily. Flossing helps remove food that your toothbrush missed. Flosses come in many forms from waxed to unwaxed, and they are often flavored to make the task more enjoyable. Studies suggest that flossing can actually add years to your life as well as prevent gum disease. Please, floss regularly.
Mouthwash is a staple in many households. Mouthwash can be used to tackle a plethora of problems. There is a large variety of mouthwashes on the market. Use mouthwash to help with bad breath, gum disease, plaque and even teeth whitening. An anti-bacterial mouthwash is usually a sound choice.
Interdental Brushes are small brushes used to clean between your teeth. They help remove food, plaque and bacteria between teeth.
Oral Irrigators are oral hygiene tools that shoot a stream of water into your mouth to clean hard-to-reach areas. They are especially useful for patients with braces, as they allow water to clean the area around and between the braces.
Tongue Scrapers (or tongue cleaners) are used to help lessen bad breath (halitosis). They are devices that scrape bacteria and food particles from the tongue. Fungi and bacteria that live on the tongue have been linked to systemic diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.