Hello Murray! Your overall oral health depends not only on healthy teeth but also healthy gums. Proper oral hygiene helps keep both your teeth and gums in good shape.
When brushing, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle aiming the bristle tips at the gumline. The bristles of a soft toothbrush can clean the food particles in the pockets in front and in back of the tooth, but you need floss to clean between the teeth. Be careful to (gently) get the floss down into the pocket between the tooth and gum. Scrape food particles up and out of the pocket.
Back to toothbrushing: if the toothbrush is not held at the correct angle, the bristles can’t get in the pockets to clean out the bacteria before it turns into enamel-damaging plaque. If plaque accumulates in the gumline pockets, the gums can start receding.
Eventually, the pockets will become too deep for your toothbrush bristles to reach. Unfortunately, the part of the tooth below the gumline can decay easier than the visible portion.
There is more than one way to damage your teeth—even if the visible parts of your teeth are cavity-free, gum disease can cause issues with the parts you can’t see.
We work with our patients of all ages to establish essential oral hygiene habits.
If you haven’t had a check-up in a while, or are experiencing gum soreness or recession, call Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS today at 801-938-8855 to schedule a thorough tooth and gum examination.
During your exam, Dr. Blackwood will measure the depth of the pockets around each tooth. If you already have gum disease, we will help you restore gum health.
At Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS in Murray, we provide comprehensive general and cosmetic dental services including wisdom teeth removal and Invisalign. If your teeth are dull or stained, ask us about teeth bleaching.
Contact Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS:
801-938-8855
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
279 E 5900 S Ste 202
Murray, Utah
84107
