Taking Essential Care of Your Pearly Whites – Are You Brushing Correctly?

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A beautiful smile starts with the essentials of a healthy foundation. When it comes to your pearly whites, nothing is as vital as brushing! If you desire a confident smile, you will want to make sure that you are taking the best care of your mouth as possible. Along with a healthy diet and seeing your dentist regularly, your daily oral hygiene routine will keep your smile healthy and bright for years to come.

Your toothbrush is a tool, and how you use it determines your success. Make sure to find one you enjoy using and then use it. Your goal is to remove harmful plaque from your teeth and along the gum line every single day. You will want to aim for brushing at least 2-3 times a day, for two minutes each session. We recommend brushing your teeth after every meal. So let’s begin!

You can use a soft manual toothbrush or an electric one to brush your teeth. Dr. Gorelik recommends using the Sonicare electric toothbrush. These toothbrushes come in a variety of styles to fit every budget and even one for kids. Sonic technology has been proven effective for up to 10 times more removal of dental plaque, up to 7 times healthier for your gums, and up to 100% fewer stains on your teeth after only 3 days use.

Brushing Tips:

-Squeeze a pea-sized drop of toothpaste onto the toothbrush head. We advise using a soft-bristled toothbrush to protect enamel.
-Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and up to the gum line.
-Start brushing the teeth, one tooth at a time, letting the bristles reach into the tooth crevices.
-As you clean, use the tips of the bristles to scrub the top of the chewing surfaces for each tooth. Don’t be shy about getting into the grooves of each tooth.
-Clean the back side of each tooth, (top and bottom) using small, circular motions.
-As you clean the inside of the bottom front teeth, angle the toothbrush head up.
-For the inside of the front top teeth, brush up and down.
-Don’t skip cleaning your tongue! Brush from the back of your tongue and move forward with gentle strokes to clear away bacteria.
-Once you have attended to each tooth in your smile, rinse well with water. Followed by flossing & ending with an all-natural mouth rinse.
-Replace your toothbrush every 3 months.

After you clean your mouth, Dr. Gorelik recommends using an oral rinse called TRIOLOGY® to remove any harmful bacteria lingering in the mouth that can result in bad breath and gum disease.  This product contains over 20 antioxidants to support your oral health and consequently, your overall health. Dr. Gorelik prescribes this for patients who have dry mouth, an oral infection, or for general oral protection. 

As you can see, your smile is only as strong as your tools and your willingness to use them. After you brush, you will want to floss your pearly whites. We will share with you some flossing tips in our next blog. So tune in for more.

If it is time for your next professional cleaning and checkup, please call Gorelik Dentistry at 704-553-1627. Dr. Julia Gorelik and our team in Charlotte, North Carolina, are here to support all of your smile care needs!