17 Mar True Dental Brushing & Flossing Techniques for Kelowna Kids
Instilling some positive dental habits in your home will help your family enjoy a healthy and happy smile. While it can be time consuming (and sometimes exhausting) to help your kids brush and floss every time while they are young; it is important. Simply sending them off unsupervised to brush their teeth may lead to more bathroom shenanigans and less sugar bug removal than one hopes for. Correctly brushing and flossing are life skills that your child needs to protect the health and well being of their mouth which extends to the rest of their body. True Dental is West Kelowna’s favourite family dental clinic. Remember…a family that brushes and flosses together is simply healthier and happier!
45 Degree Brushing Angle
If you crave that fresh from the dentist feeling in your mouth after a hygiene appointment, you are not alone. Dental scaling to remove plaque along the gum line really expands your oral health. Many clients are motivated to step up their brushing, flossing and swishing routine at home in order to undergo less scaling in the future. Adequately angling your toothbrush and teaching your kids the value of a 45 degree angle will help to sweep sugar bugs and food particles away from settling into the sulcus and turning into hard calculus.
Expanding Floss: See and Feel the Difference
While traditional dental floss and floss picks are often convenient, they are not necessarily doing the best job. Waxed floss especially can glide easily in between your teeth; yet, how much dental plaque is actually sticking to this kind of floss? Try using regular floss and then afterwards, use some expanding floss. You will notice that there is much more yellowish plaque stuck to your expanding floss immediately after you just utilized the “regular” stuff. Once you see and feel the difference expanding floss makes, you will be hooked! This filament is of similar thickness when you first place it between your teeth and then it expands slightly to successfully trap the plaque for removal from your mouth. Conduct an experiment with your kids with both types of dental floss and prepare to be amazed! (and perhaps slightly grossed out in a positive way…!)
Don’t Forget To Floss Behind Your Back Molars
It can be tricky learning to correctly wrap floss around your fingers. The good news is you will perfect your technique with plenty of practice. True Dental reminds you not to forget flossing behind your last molars and between your back gums. This is an easy spot to miss when we are conditioned to floss between the teeth. However, this back pocket can be a superior hiding place for food and sugar bugs so be sure to make clearing it out a regular part of your flossing routine!
Timing Is Everything
The sooner you can encourage your family to brush and floss after a meal, the better chance everyone has of removing the invisible plaque biofilm before it hardens into tartar. Many families encourage positive brushing habits as an extension of meal time clean up. Once the dishes are done and the table is cleared it may be time to brush teeth prior to the next activity starting. Others include it on their chore list. Some families do not let the TV or video games be turned on after supper until this integral step is completed. Set a positive example and join your child during brushing and flossing time. Establishing a successful oral health routine will positively impact everyone for life.
True Dental Visits in West Kelowna are Exciting!
Maintaining your regular dental checkups is important to monitoring your family’s oral health. The caring and professional team at True Dental in West Kelowna has clients visit from all over the Okanagan. Our fun and positive atmosphere will leave you full of smiles and completely comfortable. Our expansive dental team specializes in treating clients of every age and ability. We strive to make each dental visit fun and educational for the entire family. Creating a positive atmosphere and providing an excellent experience is something we are passionate about. After all, the happier your child and family is visiting the dentist, the more proactive and less fearful they will likely be. This translates to a lifetime of positive oral health.