An effective at home oral hygiene routine is one of the most important things you can do to help maintain your general and oral health between your checkup appointments with the Smile Dynamics team. To maximise the effectiveness of your daily brushing and flossing, we have outlined a few handy hints.

Brushing - You should brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day. An effective oral hygiene routine keeps your teeth clean, breath fresh and contributes to the prevention of gum disease.

• Select a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head so you can access hard to reach places and your back teeth.

• Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle where your teeth and gum meet. Gently brush from the gum-line to the chewing surface in short strokes. Brushing too vigorously can lead to receding gums, tooth sensitivity, and over time loose teeth.

• With a short sweeping action, clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth, by tipping the bristles you can get into the pits and crevices of your back molars.
• Hold your brush almost vertically and use a forward and back motion to clean the inside surfaces of your top and bottom front teeth and gums

• Bacteria cause bad breath, so brush your tongue and roof of your mouth. Use a forward-sweeping motion from back to front; it may take a little time to get used to, but it is an important part of total oral cleaning.

Flossing - Is just as important as brushing. Flossing, especially before bed to remove any food accumulated from daily meals and snacks is the most effective time. Floss is able to get between teeth where your toothbrush cannot reach. Our tips will help you maximise your flossing effectiveness:

• Using approximately 40cm of floss, wind it loosely around your index fingers. Carefully insert the floss between teeth using a back and forward sawing action. Curve the floss around the side of your tooth to make a rounded “V” shape. Slide the floss up and down the side of each tooth.

• Use a new length of floss of approximately 7 centimetres for each tooth, repeat the process for all your teeth. Don’t forget to floss the back and sides of your back teeth. Although it can take some time to master, it’s an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

• Children's teeth also need flossing. You should help your child brush and floss until they are around 8 years old as younger children are not able to do this effectively on their own.