Most of the plaque we remove at a cleaning builds up in the same few places: along the gumline, between the back teeth and behind the lower front teeth. A good daily routine reaches all three. Here is what Grace, our hygienist, shows patients in the chair.
Brush for two minutes, twice a day
Use a soft brush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Tilt the bristles at 45 degrees toward the gumline and use small, gentle circles. Scrubbing hard does not clean better; it wears enamel and pushes gums back. An electric brush with a two-minute timer makes this easy.
Spit, don’t rinse
After brushing, spit out the extra toothpaste but skip the rinse. Leaving a thin film of fluoride on your teeth gives it time to strengthen enamel.
Clean between your teeth once a day
A brush can’t reach the tight spaces between teeth, which is where most cavities and gum problems start. Pick the tool you will actually use:
- Floss: curve it into a C-shape around each tooth and slide it gently under the gumline.
- Interdental brushes: great for wider gaps, braces and bridges.
- Water flossers: a good option if floss is hard to handle, though best used alongside one of the above.
Replace your brush every three months
Splayed bristles clean poorly. Swap your brush or brush head every three months, and after any cold or flu.
When to book a visit
A little bleeding when you start flossing usually settles within a week or two. If your gums still bleed after that, look swollen, or you notice bad breath that won’t go away, book a checkup and cleaning. Caught early, gum disease is easy to reverse.
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