Home Care Tips
Brushing

Proper brushing of teeth can be done in three steps:

1) Brush teeth gently using a circular motion along the outside and inside of the tooth surface while holding the brush at a 45 degree angle.

2) Make sure to brush each tooth individually and to use the front half of the brush in a circular motion vertically behind the front teeth.

3) Place the brush against the top of your teeth use a gentle back-and-forth motion to brush. After brushing all your teeth be sure to brush your tongue in order to remove odor-producing bacteria.

How do I use Dental Floss?

A proper flossing method is vital to ensure the time you are spending flossing is actually cleaning your teeth. First, begin with about 18 inches of total floss; leave approximately 6 inches to floss with, and wind the remainder around one of your middle fingers.

As you begin, rather than bringing the floss down in a straight line, be sure to create a ‘C’ shape with the floss by curving it around the tooth; this ensures you are cleaning the entire surface as opposed to just the side. Gently move the floss up and down the surface of the tooth, and then reverse the C-shape to repeat the process with the adjacent tooth. Prior to moving onto the next set of teeth, unwind your clean floss from your first middle finger and transfer the dirty floss to your opposite middle finger by winding it. Repeat until all teeth have been cleaned, and be sure to use clean floss each time to avoid simply transferring bacteria and debris.

Plaque
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Plaque is essentially the start of gum disease problems. Plaque is a build-up of particles from the foods you eat every day. Once sugars are introduced to plaque, it turns into a tooth eating acid that sits just above the gum line. If regular oral care isn't standard, the acid will start eating at the teeth and gums. Plaque that is allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time can cause cavities, gingivitis and other problems in your mouth. If it's left longer than that, serious dental procedures may be required to restore your decaying smile.

Fluoride
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Fluoride is an important part of healthy tooth development and will help prevent cavities.

Fluoride can provide protection from tooth decay in a couple ways:
1) It helps to strengthen the tooth's enamel so it can repel the acid that is formed by plaque.
2) Teeth that have been damaged by plaque can repair and re-mineralize themselves with the help of fluoride.

Fluoride is incapable of repairing already-formed cavities, but it does assist in reversing low levels of tooth decay and helps in preventing new cavities from forming.

Sonicare
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Sonicare's unique, patented combination of high speed bristle motion with extra wide sweeping motion creates effective, yet gentle, dynamic fluid cleaning motion. You get excellent plaque removal, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as between and below the gum line. You can count on naturally whiter teeth and healthier gums.


Sonicare is excellent in battling gum disease, dry mouth, bad breath and tooth sensitivity. Its sweeping motion is very good in cleaning around dental restorations such as implants, crowns and veneers as well as cleaning braces.

Xylitol
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Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is derived primarily from forest and agricultural products. The dental benefits of using Xylitol to prevent caries were first recognized and published in 1975. Xylitol is available in many forms such as gums, mints, chewable lozenges, toothpastes, etc. The efficacy of these products varies depending on two critical aspects which are the amounts of Xylitol contained, and the frequency of use. We recommend that you consult with your dentist about Xylitol and its benefits towards your oral health.

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Centre & 12th Dental would love to meet you and your family and provide you with the dental care you deserve! Our office is easily accessible to those living near Calgary to get the care they deserve.

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