Teeth Care Guide in Northern Virginia

To help fight cavities, bad breath, and the growth of disease-causing bacteria, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day—before breakfast and before bed—for at least 2 minutes per brushing.

Why 2 Minutes?

Based on research statistics from the American Dental Association, brushing your teeth for a duration of two minutes achieves clinically significant plaque removal. Additionally, the use of fluoride toothpaste enhances fluoride concentration levels in your mouth, facilitating the effective remineralization process.

If you don’t take two minutes, you may not remove as much tooth-damaging plaque, and the fluoride won’t have proper time to help protect your teeth.

Why brush before breakfast and before bed?

Brushing before breakfast helps prepare your teeth for the day. The fluoride strengthens your enamel, and the brushing removes plaque and bacteria that built up during the night.

You need to brush your teeth before you go to bed at night (or whenever you do most of your sleeping) to remove food debris and lower the amount of bacteria in your mouth before sleep.

When you sleep, you’re not drinking water or consuming food, which can allow bacteria to thrive and build up plaque.

Plaque, a sticky film that develops on your teeth when bacteria interact with sugars and starches, poses a risk to your tooth enamel. If not addressed, this sticky substance can harden into tartar, which acts as a barrier against harmful plaque accumulation overnight.

When left to build up, plaque can also cause gingivitis or severe periodontal (gum) disease. When it becomes tartar, the bacteria can cause bad breath (halitosis) and stain/discolor your teeth.

Brushing your teeth stimulates your gums, too, helping to remove bacteria at the gum line, and promoting blood flow and circulation.

Have you ever experienced a white film on your tongue when you wake up in the morning? This condition, known as “white tongue,” occurs due to the excessive growth and inflammation of the small projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue.

Bacteria, dead cells, fungi, and food debris can get lodged between the swollen papillae. This is usually harmless, and can be brushed away to remove a bacterial paradise, and to freshen breath.

Maintaining a clean tongue not only helps prevent potential issues like thrush from prolonged irritation but also serves as a vital aspect of overall oral health. It is important to note if you keep your tongue clean but white spots persist, that could be a sign of more serious concerns, such as cancer.

At our office, we offer cancer screening services using a procedure called Velscope. This advanced screening technique allows us to detect and evaluate any potential signs of cancer, ensuring that your oral health is comprehensively monitored and protected. Incorporating tongue brushing into your oral care routine alongside brushing your teeth is crucial for comprehensive oral health.

Using a soft-bristle toothbrush, brush the front, back, and top of each tooth.

When brushing your teeth, it’s important to be gentle and avoid scrubbing them vigorously. Gently brush up and down in short strokes, allowing the brush to also stimulate your gums. While you can use back and forth strokes during brushing, it is most effective to use up and down motions for thorough cleaning between the teeth and on the front and back surfaces.

If you’re using a powered toothbrush, follow the instructions that came with it, but remember to touch the front, back and top of each tooth, and make sure you brush for at least 2 minutes.

Flossing between your teeth removes trapped food and debris, especially that which your toothbrush can’t reach. It also does the important job of loosening and removing plaque.

You should floss at least once per day. We advise to our patients the importance of flossing at night o remove food and debris from between and around their teeth overnight. This practice can also contribute to reducing the intensity of “morning breath” and promote fresher breath overall.

However, flossing in the morning or afternoon is also a positive, preventative measure. And be sure to floss when you feel like there’s something caught or stuck between your teeth.

Pull out a piece of floss that’s around 18 inches long, and wrap the ends around your middle fingers. Using your thumbs and forefingers, guide the floss between two teeth and wrap it around one tooth in a C shape. The pressure on the tooth should be snug, but not like you’re trying to saw your way through it.

Then, use about 10 up and down strokes. Note that this isn’t a back-and-forth movement. Running the floss back-and-forth too much can create grooves in your tooth’s enamel, creating food traps and homes for bacteria to damage your teeth.

After the 10 up and down strokes, wrap the floss around the other tooth and repeat the process. Continue this throughout your mouth, including cleaning the back of your end molars.

If you prefer, you can utilize a Waterpik® or a similar water-propulsion device for flossing. These devices are highly effective in removing food particles and debris from tight spaces between your teeth and under dental bridges. However, it is important to note that while water flossers can eliminate some plaque, they may not be as effective as traditional dental floss in terms of plaque removal. Flossing with dental floss remains the gold standard for plaque control and overall oral hygiene.

You can use both to great advantage. But if you only choose one route for flossing, use dental floss.

At GoSmilesDentistry, we recommend dental visits every 6 months for the best protection of your teeth and best detection of possible issues affecting oral health.

Routine dental exams can spot dental health issues early on, before they’ve caused extensive damage. This not only can save you much time and money, it saves your wonderful smile.

You’ll also be able to assess the effectiveness of your home teeth care, and get professional tips on how to improve your self care if needed.

It’s also nice to know when you’re doing great! As you develop your partnership with GoSmiles Dentistry for your oral health, we can evaluate and adjust how often you need to come see us.

We’ve gone over the big 3 for your at home teeth and oral health care:

1. Brush your teeth twice per day, for at least 2 minutes each time.

2. Floss between your teeth at least once per day.

3. Visit your dentist every 6 months.

There are also choices you can make in your life that will help you keep your smile bright and strong for years to come.

Sugar is like bacterial jet-fuel. It helps bacteria crank up the plaque production, which in turn eats away at your tooth enamel.

The World Health Organization recommends that “free sugars”—the simple sugars added to food, not already present as starches—should make up 5% or less of your daily calorie intake. That’s about 30 grams, or 8 teaspoons of sugar.

A 12-ounce can of non-diet Coke® has 35 grams of sugar! It’s easy to race past recommended amounts. Be aware of how much you’re taking in, because not only does it affect your overall health; it’s bad for your teeth.

Beyond the other health consequences of tobacco usage, smoking or chewing tobacco can cause or greatly aggravate:

• Gingival infection/gum disease

• Tooth discoloration

• Enamel erosion

• Oral cancer

They may be advertised as cheaper and easier to use, but DIY orthodontia devices can cause serious issues for your oral health.

When you order teeth straightening kits directly from a supplier, they require you to supply either the dental impression, or self-taken photographs of your teeth.

These patient-supplied impressions may be more likely to result in an improper fit of orthodontic appliances. This can cause your gum tissue to be impinged or stripped. It can also increase the chances of tooth loss or misalignment, and/or cause problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), making chewing and other mouth movements very painful.

Orthodontic treatment should always be guided in-person by an experienced, licensed dental professional.

When you come to GoSmiles for your routine teeth cleaning and exam, it’s not just about how well you’ve brushed and flossed. We look closely for tooth decay and gum disease, check for changes in bone and ligament structure, and check for signs of cancer in the oral cavity. Plus, we have the latest tools and techniques to safely and effectively address issues, from cleaning and tarter removal, to X-rays and oral cancer scanning devices.

Plaque can cause cavities because it is a sticky film that can coat your teeth. It’s made out of food, saliva, and bacteria. When sugar or starches remain on your teeth, the bacteria present ingest that and create acids that eat into your tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. This decay creates holes in your teeth known as cavities.

Both choices for brushing your teeth are good when used correctly for the full 2 minutes. However, studies show that electric versions decrease more plaque and gingivitis than regular toothbrushes. Ask us about our professional recommendations for the right electric toothbrushes for your family.

For adults and children over six years old, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is recommended.

However, you don’t need to use large amounts of toothpaste. A pea-sized dollop of fluoride toothpaste is really about all that’s required. But you do you, because we’re proud you’re doing your dental care at home!

It is generally recommended to avoid rinsing your mouth immediately after brushing. By not rinsing, you allow the fluoride in the toothpaste to continue its protective effects on your teeth. Spitting out the excess toothpaste and leaving a small amount of fluoride residue in your mouth can be beneficial for your oral health. However, if you prefer to rinse, it is best to use a small amount of water and swish it around gently before spitting it out.

You’re not alone. Some patients don’t have the dexterity for wrapping and using dental floss. That’s okay! We can recommend alternatives that get the job done, so that your at-home dental care keeps your smile healthy and strong.