Dr. Brennan’s Oral Hygiene recommendations:
1. Brush 2-3 times per day with a power brush for 2 min each time with a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste. With a gentle touch, scallop each tooth focusing on the cheek side, the tongue/palate side and the biting surface of the teeth.
2. Floss 1-2 times per day with traditional wrap around your finger floss. Floss piks or floss holders are better than nothing but not as good as traditional floss
3. Proxabrush 1-2 times per day. A passive, small brush movement between the teeth. GUM Proxabrushes especially the yellow and green sizes and GUM Soft piks (straight and curved handle) are available in most stores.
4. Additional oral hygiene methods such as a waterpik, a fluoridated mouthwash, antimicrobial mouthwash or pulling can be helpful but should be done in addition to recommendations #1-3, not in place of.
We recommend any of the Oral B oscillating/rotating small-headed power brushes. These brushes come with a small electrical outlet countertop charging base.
The brush heads are removable and replaceable. We recommend replacing your brush head every 3-6 months.
The Oral B Pro 1000 is a quality brush at a reasonable value ($45-70). All of the Oral B Pro series brushes are recommended. The Oral B Pro 3500/7000/8000 etc..have the same mechanism of action with additional “bells and whistles” such as timers and lights.
The Oral B i/O brush series is a newer design that costs more and has a slightly different mechanism of action but is also a recommended brush.
Technique for Flossing:
Unspool approx. 12-15” of floss
-Loop one end of the floss 2x around the middle finger of your non-dominant hand.
-Loop the remaining floss around the middle finger of your dominant hand, spooling it around until 1-2” of floss is suspended between your middle fingers.
-Using your index fingers and thumbs, guide the floss between two teeth snapping through the contact point. Curve the floss in a C shape bringing it in tight contact with the tooth surface. Plane up and down from just below the contact point to approximately 1-3mm below the gum tissue. Be careful not to cut the gum tissue. Proceed with this up and down motion 3-10 times then move the floss to the adjacent tooth in the same space and repeat the planning motion 3-10 times. Pull the floss back out through the contact point. Roll your non-dominant middle finger to advance a clean piece of floss between your fingers (approx. 1-2” suspended between your middle fingers.) Repeat with the next two teeth advancing around the arch of both the upper and lower teeth until done.
