Harbor Dental

General - Cosmetic Dentistry & Orthodontics

2112 Soquel Avenue - Santa Cruz, CA 95062 - (831) 458-3368

Frequently Asked Questions

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ABOUT HOME MAINTENANCE

What kind of toothbrush should I use?
If you control the formation of dental plaque, you can control 90% of the disease that is commonly found in the mouth. Conventional soft toothbrushes can do the job if used properly.

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Step 1
Place bristles along the gumline at a 45 degree angle. Gently brush using a circular motion along the outer and inner tooth surfaces.

Step 2
Brush each tooth individually! Tilt brush vertically behind the front teeth. Using the front half of the brush use the same circular motion.

Step 3
Place the brush against the biting surface of the teeth and use a gentle back and forth motion. Brush the tongue to remove odor producing bacteria, or use a tongue scraper.

Mechanical Tooth Brush
As a courtesy to our patients we provide two mechanical tooth brushes for purchase. Mechanical tooth brushes are especially effective for people who have difficulty reaching places within the mouth with a conventional tooth brush.

Rotadent - Very effective for tooth by tooth execution. Rotadent is very effective for people who have periodontal disease or have braces.
Sonicare - An effective tooth brush for excellent routine care.

Why do I need to floss?
Brushing alone, no matter how good of a job you do, can not reach all of the areas between the teeth or just under the gum line. Flossing removes the soft deposits of plaque and food from between the teeth and decreases damage to the enamel (cavities) and irritation of your gums due to bacterial build-up.

Directions:
Wind 18' of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving 1" - 2" length in between. Use thumbs to direct floss between upper teeth. Use index fingers to guide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.

Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion. DO NOT SNAP FLOSS INTO THE GUM. Slide floss up and down against the tooth surface and under the gumline. Floss each tooth thoroughly with a clean section of floss.

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