Cleaning your TEETH and GUMS

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of brushing your teeth.

• Clean between teeth with floss or an interdental cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still linger between teeth where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. This helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gums.

• Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.

Antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes reduce the bacterial count and inhibit bacterial activity in dental plaque, which can cause gingivitis, and early, reversible from of periodontal (gum) disease. Antimicrobial mouth rinses and toothpastes have substantiated these claims by demonstrating significant reductions in plague and gingivitis. Fluoride mouth rinses help reduce and prevent tooth decay. Clinical studies have demonstrated that use of fluoride mouth rinse and fluoride toothpaste alone. Fluoride mouth rinses is not recommended for children age six or younger because they may swallow the rinse. Consumers should always check the manufacturing label for precautions and age recommendations and talk with their dentist about the use of fluoride mouth rinse.