First off, I'd like to thank you all for the comments and questions. And for next week's post I'd very much like to address Kristin's request to give tips on getting a toddler/child to participate (or even let mom/dad) brush their teeth. But seeing as how each child is soooo different and all of us Mom's has had to deal with this in different ways, I'd like to hear from YOU! So would you take a moment and email me and share with me how you've gotten your kids to brush. What worked? What didnt? Are you still struggling or have you settled into a good brushing routine? You can leave a comment here but i'd prefer that you just email me your suggestions to: forddygirl@yahoo.com
Thanks in advance!!! I'll be posting on this next saturday so please try to get suggestions in by then!
Ok, my fellow flossing friends! If you're coming back each week looking to continue to improve on your oral health, I must say, I'm proud! Or if this is your first week, keep coming back. I guarantee that your hygienist will be proud at your next cleaning visit and you may even earn a trip to the treasure box or a "most improved" sticker :-)
The second most often piece of advice that i give patients is this: you must brush your gums!
As i said in the "flossing... the why" post, plaque accumulates at the gumline.
The problem is that most people bite their teeth together and make an attempt to brush both top and bottom teeth at once by scrubbing back and forth. But we dont ever really get to the gumline... so we dont remove the plaque. So, then when we head to our every six month hygiene visit and we're all proud that we've been brushing twice a day but still get "fussed at" by our hygienist, we're discouraged. And rightfully so!
I could write for days about brushing. Seriously. But i'll give the most important tip right here.
Angle your bristles towards your gumline. So for the top teeth, you'll angle the bristles just slightly up. Not straight in on your teeth and not straight up. Split the difference... approximately a 45 degree angle. Then brush in small circles focusing on brushing EACH tooth for 2-3 seconds.
Think of your gum tissue as a nice ripe tomato that you just picked from the garden. It may have a little dirt on it that you'd like to get off, but you certainly need to be gentle. But thorough. You dont want to bruise the tomato or cut the skin, but you do want to remove all the dirt. So you clean it gently and take as long as you need in order to get it clean.
Take the same care with your gums!
Brushing should take 2 minutes minimum in order to be thorough. But on average, people brush for 30-45 seconds. So, get out your ipod and play your favorite song and get to brushing. And dont stop till it does! (side note: if you're a rock and roller or heavy metal lover, make sure that your brushing doesnt reflect the style of music you choose! ha!)
Most people fall into the "fast and furious" category of brushing which leaves their gums abraded, swollen and a little tender. Slooooooowww down if this is you!
And then many others tell me that they NEVER see pink in the sink. But as I look at their gums and see how much inflamation they have, I can only come to one conclusion: they're not brushing the gums!
So, impress your hygienist and get those gums! Remember that you may see some bleeding for 7-10 days when you first start being a great brusher. But stick with it! And smile as you see results of all your diligent work!
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