GO TEAM!
At Tewksbury Dental Associates we believe it takes a team approach between patient, hygienist and dentist to optimize your oral health care outcomes. It is impossible to remove all of the build up on your teeth at home. Plaque, which is a sticky deposit that is a breeding ground for bacteria and causes tissue inflammation and cavities, needs to be removed by your hygienist typically every 3-6 months in our office. Your home care is also a critical part of the equation.
All of the clinicians and doctors at TDA agree that a Waterpik Water Flosser is an excellent adjunctive tool you can use at home to keep your mouth and gums healthy. It can clean deeper than floss can, it cleans 360 degrees around the tooth and you don’t have to shove your hands in your mouth to use it.
Flossing does two things:
1. When you snap it in it removes plaque from where teeth touch to prevent cavities.
2. When you bring the floss down under the triangle of gum tissue it cleans out plaque and helps to prevent inflammation.
The Waterpik does not replace flossing, which removes plaque and debris from between your teeth, but it does a better job of keeping your gums healthy. It should be used in addition to string floss, or floss sticks, to better reduce tissue inflammation.
We recommend Waterpik to a variety of patients: elderly people who have trouble holding traditional floss, patients who have had a lot of restorative, patients with areas of deep pocketing and bleeding in their gums, and patients who have a lot of plaque build up. The Waterpik is especially effective for cleaning braces which can limit your ability to floss between teeth.
Be sure to make, and keep, regularly scheduled hygiene care visits. Floss your teeth every day and consider adding another level of clean to your daily routine! Ask us about your home care routine and we can give you tips and recommendations like Waterpik to achieve optimal oral health!
Jen Cunningham,
TDA Clinical Manager
