How to Clean Your Teeth At Home
Help Protect Your Oral Health Between Dental Visits
Taking care of your teeth at home between dental visits is important for self care.
The Waterpik® Water Flosser helps protect your oral health with a clinically proven at-home solution.
How to Clean Your Teeth at Home
For daily home care, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends:
1. Brushing your teeth 2x a day with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste
2. Replacing your toothbrush or brush head every 3-4 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed
3. Cleaning between your teeth once a day with an interdental cleaner (like floss)
Let's take a closer look at these daily brushing and flossing recommendations.
Why Brushing Is Not Enough
No doubt you know that brushing your teeth is an essential part of oral care. But did you know that just brushing your teeth only cleans the tooth surfaces, leaving plaque and debris between your teeth and below the gumline?
If you just brush and don’t floss or clean between your teeth, the plaque and debris left behind can lead to tartar buildup. This is what the dental hygienist scrapes away during a routine teeth cleaning.
Over time, tartar buildup can result in different forms of gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis. If you have gum disease, your teeth may need a deep cleaning in a dental office or other gum disease treatments.
Flossing Is Not Routine
If you are not cleaning between your teeth daily with floss, you are not alone.
Research shows that most of us are highly interested in finding ways to help prevent tooth decay and future dental work, but only 16% of Americans actually floss daily.
Your current at-home flossing experience may sound similar to these patients of Dr. Chris Strandburg:
At-Home Solution
The Waterpik® Water Flosser helps protect your oral health between dental visits by thoroughly cleaning between your teeth and below the gumline, using a unique combination of water pulsation and pressure.
It's easy to use and effective because the Waterpik® Water Flosser:
- Cleans areas that are hard to reach with a toothbrush or string floss
- Removes up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas
- Improves gum health and is up to 50% more effective for gum health vs. string floss
- Takes just a minute a day
When you have the right tool for the job, it's easy to establish a daily at-home routine for cleaning your teeth and helping to prevent gum disease.