April 2009 Patient Page from the American Academy of

Brush and Floss for Healthy ! One of the easiest ways to help short strokes. Use this method to prevent gum disease is to brush clean the front of your teeth, then and floss every day, so therefore move to the back of your teeth, it is very important to know the then the biting surfaces, and then correct way to take care of your your tongue, using the same teeth and gums. It does not gentle movements. Be sure you matter if you brush first or floss are constantly moving the brush first, as long as you do both head to avoid damaging your (twice a day!). gums!

Equipment How to Floss The most commonly used Using about 18 inches of floss, is the manual wrap the floss around your middle Don’t Forget your Checkup! toothbrush. Another option is the finger. Wrap the rest around your electric toothbrush, which uses other middle finger, leaving 2-3 Daily brushing and flossing is one of electrical power to move the brush inches of floss between your the best ways to help prevent gum disease because it keeps the head. The resulting vibrations that fingers. While tightly holding the formation of bacteria-rich plaque to a are created gently clean the teeth. floss between your thumbs, insert minimum. However, you should be It is important to always choose a it between two teeth. Curve the sure to visit a dental health soft brush head when using either floss into a “C” shape against the professional, such as a periodontist, a manual or electric toothbrush, tooth, and gently slide it up and at least twice a year to have your and to replace the toothbrush down. Then, with the floss still in teeth professionally cleaned and to when the bristles begin to bend between the two teeth, switch screen for signs of periodontal (or every two to three months). the “C” shape against the adjacent disease. tooth, and repeat the sliding According to a recent study in the motion. Move to the next tooth Money may be tight in the current Journal of Periodontology1, all over, and repeat the process, economy, but preventing gum dental flosses are equally unwrapping fresh floss from your disease can be less expensive than effective. This means that it does middle finger as you go. treating gum disease. Additionally, not matter which type of floss you research2 has found that people with choose to use. There are many For more information on brushing gum disease can have higher health different varieties of floss, and flossing techniques, to learn care costs than people without gum including waxed, unwaxed, other ways to prevent gum disease! Take the time now to flavored, and shred-resistant, so disease, or to find a periodontist regularly brush and floss to help there is a type of floss out there in your area, visit perio.org. prevent gum disease and avoid for everyone! higher health care costs! 1G Terézhalmy, R Bartizek, A Biesbrock. Plaque- Removal Efficacy of Four Types of . How to Brush Journal of Periodontology. February 2008, Vol. 79, Position the toothbrush at a 45 No. 2, Pages 245-251 degree angle where your gums 2R Ide, T Hoshuyama, K Takahashi. The Effect of on Medical and Dental Costs in a and teeth meet. While applying Middle-Aged Japanese Population: A Longitudinal slight pressure, gently move the Worksite Study. Journal of Periodontology. November 754 South Main St., STE 7 2007, Vol. 78, No. 11, Pages 2120-2126 brush in a circular motion using Saint George, UT 84770 (435) 652-1605 The American Academy of Periodontology Patient Page is a public service of the AAP and should not be used as a substitute for the care and advice of your personal periodontist. There may be www.gumexpert.com variations in treatment that your periodontist will recommend based on individual facts and cir- [email protected] cumstances. Call 1-800-FLOSS-EM or visit perio.org for more information on periodontal disease. AAP Patient Page April 2009