April 11, 2019 Lisa Sanchez

DHY 126 Periodontology

Keep them pearly whites

clean!
Patient education presentation
 Why oral hygiene is important?

Practicing good oral hygiene can have several beneficial results.

It helps prevent tooth decay, bad breath, and diseases.
(medicalnewstoday.com)

Some ask how do I practice good oral hygiene?

One can brush his or her teeth at least two times a day with a soft
bristle brush. Brushing too hard can result in gum recession and
sensitivity. Also, one can floss at least once a day, preferably at
night and by using mouthwash like Listerine with flouride.
What happens when one does not brush his
or her teeth?

 Bacteriacan stick to the teeth and build up a film known

as plaque, which if it is not brushed daily, can turn into
calculus. Don’t worry, plaque can be removed simply by
gentle brushing. Calculus requires scaling.
 Brush. Brush. Brush your teeth!

 Everyone should brush their teeth at least twice a day. It

helps prevent diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis away.
Brushing is easy! For good results, one should tilt the
toothbrush towards the gums and really clean underneath
them. By also, brushing in little circles for at least two
minutes. This helps from build up know as plaque. If it is not
brushed off, it can harden and form calculus which is
harder to remove.
 Don’t forget to floss!

 Flossing helps by reaching where no brush bristles dares to

enter. It cleans between the teeth because food or other
substances can get trapped there. If it does not get
flossed, the substances can help grow bacteria which can
develop cavities. Of course, no one likes those! One can
floss by inserting floss between each tooth, at least once a
day, and creating a C-shaped curve in between the teeth
and going underneath the gums to successfully remove
what is trapped there.
 Swish, swish, and more swishing!

Mouth rinse helps keep your mouth smelling fresh and clean.
The only known mouth rinse know to actually kill bacteria is
Listerine. It is approved by the ADA (American Dental
Association). It also helps clean where the toothbrush
cannot reach. One should use mouth rinse at least once a
day, preferably at night for 30 seconds. There are different
types of mouth rinse that benefits different patients. For
example, Listerine Zero helps with patients who are have
sensitive gums.
 Work Cited

 McNamee, David. "Beyond tooth decay: why good dental

hygiene is important." Medical News Today. MediLexicon
International, 08 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2019.
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283649.php
>.
 “BrushingYour Teeth.” Mouth Healthy TM. N.p., n.d. Web 11
Apr 2019. <http.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-
topics/b/brushing-your-teeth>.
"Mouthwash (Mouthrinse)." Home - American Dental
Association. Web. <http://www.ada.org/en/member-
center/oral-health-topics/mouthrinse>.