Dry Brushing
http://www.drsklar.com/ptinfo/drybrush.htm

Why

apple    Bathroom brushing is for getting food off your teeth, dry-brushing is for getting the plaque germs off your teeth.  It is not possible to completely remove plaque brushing as usual in the bathroom.  Plaque is what causes decay and gum disease, removing plaque from your teeth is the most important reason for brushing.

What

toothpaste tube    Dry-brushing doesn't mean using a dry toothbrush, but rather it is a method of brushing without using toothpaste, not in the bathroom, by feel and not by time

Who Should Do It  people
Everyone!

How, When

    It is not done in the bathroom, it is to be done sometime during your day that you normally have a free hand - like watching the news, reading the paper, listening to music, even while drinking coffee.  The key is to feel your teeth with your tongue, and when they are really smooth (like when you had your teeth cleaned), you are done brushing.  If they are not smooth, then you're not done brushing.  It will take 10-20 minutes to get your teeth completely smooth.

arrows    Brushing is most effectively done side-to-side (the modified Bass method). It used to be taught to brush up and down, circular, rolling - but none of these is effective.  It used to be taught that brushing side-to-side would damage the teeth and/or gums - it will not, but that is what was taught.  The brush should be at a forty-five degree angle towards the gums - half on the gums, half on the tooth.  To effectively clean behind your upper and lower front teeth, it is easier to use a pencil grip.

    Continue to use toothpaste in the bathroom.  Toothpaste is effective in helping to prevent decay (fluoride), kill bacteria (baking soda), remove bacteria from teeth (peroxide), prevent the formation of tartar (tartar control).

Benefits

smile    The only reason professional cleaning is required is to remove what you do not completely clean yourself.  If there is no plaque or tartar on your teeth, they do not require professional cleaning (checkup yes, cleaning no).  Without plaque on your teeth, you cannot have cavities or gum disease.  Tartar is hard old plaque, and tartar is what stains on teeth >> without plaque, there can be no tartar >> where there is no tartar, there is no stain >> dry-brushing removes plaque completely where your brush reaches.

limitations

    Brushing is only part of the battle to keep teeth and gums healthy, cleaning between teeth is equally, if not more important.

Review dry tooth brushing:   checkbox
You don't need to be in the bathroom - you can "dry brush" your teeth wherever you have time!Done by feel, not by time - until your teeth are smooth.
No toothpaste needed!Daily - removing the plaque completely prevents tartar from even forming.
Andrew M. Sklar, DDS, PC
http://www.drsklar.com
Family and General Dentistry
4901 Seminary Road, Suite 120
Alexandria, VA 22311
Tel: 703-931-3141
Fax:703-845-1512
email: office@drsklar.com

Send mail to webmaster@drsklar.com with questions or comments about this web site.  Copyright© Andrew M. Sklar, DDS, PC. All rights reserved. Privacy policy   Last modified: Tuesday April 23, 2002 04:05:32 PM -0400
Contents of 
http://www.drsklar.com
Main Web Pages:


25yrs.htm

address.htm

amsbio.htm

appointment.htm

arch00.htm

arch97.htm

arch98.htm

arch99.htm

archive.htm

clockfaq.htm

copy.htm

feedback.htm

finance.htm

frbanner.htm

frconten.htm

frmain.htm

hours.htm

index.htm

index2.html

logo.htm

map.htm

ncdhm.htm

nonjava.htm

one.htm

philos.htm

premed.htm

privacy.htm

ptinfo.htm

service.htm

sitemap.html

snow.htm

who.htm

 wow.htm		Contents of
ptinfo.htm
Patient Information Web Pages:


ptinfo.htm

ptinfo/biteadj.htm

ptinfo/crown.htm

ptinfo/ disclose.htm

ptinfo/ dry.htm

ptinfo/ drybrush.htm

ptinfo/ erupt.htm

ptinfo/ extraction_postop.htm

ptinfo/ firstaid.htm

ptinfo/ gumhealth.htm

ptinfo/ homecare.htm

ptinfo/ implants.htm

ptinfo/ micro.htm

ptinfo/ products.htm

ptinfo/ rctprocess.htm

ptinfo/ rootcanaltest.htm

ptinfo/ safe.htm

ptinfo/ sealant.htm

ptinfo/ specialists.htm

ptinfo/ waterpik.htm

ptinfo/ whiten.htm

ptinfo/ xrays.htm
What brought yuo to our web site? If you can't find waht's you're after in our many, many pages here, call us at 703-931-3141, but here are a few of the many descriptors contained here - dentist, Alexandria, Virginia, 22311, Sklar, sedation, cosmetic, dentistry, orthodontics, toothache, cavity, braces, toothbrush, teeth, tooth, brush, afraid, dentist, doctor, dr, sklar, fix, restore, sore, gums, brighten, smile, discomfort, appointments, treatment, http://www.alexandriasedationdentist.com/, safe, comfortable, care, air, abrasion, intraoral, camera, strict, infection, control, standards, relax, relaxing, fear, emergency, digital, x-ray, radiography, laser, surgery, disease, computer, administered, anesthetic, positive, experienced, hiding, pain, busy, change, safe, oral, techniques, technique, years, quickly, mirror, healthy, porcelain, restorations, veneers, whitening, state-of-the-art, implants, natural, bridge, bridges, permanent, permanently, anchor, anchored, jaw, replace. denture, dentures, ill-fitting, missing, TMJ, symptoms, head, neck, aches, ache, popping, clicking, open, bite, guard, guards, muscle, relaxers, exam, problem, braces, overbite, underbite, wide, spaces, between, child, eveluate, evaluated, improve, replace, worn, younger, whitening, color, coffee, cigarette, cigarettes, cigar, cigars, tabaco, medication, old, older, brighten, periodontal, disease, unhealthy, loss, stroke, heart, assessment, family, design, perfect, amazing, amazingly, easy, preview, look, feel, better, yourself, about, children, infant, important, decision, quality, perfect, problem, problems, chip, misshapen, alexandria, virginia, northern, va, washington, dc, maryland, west virginia, deleware, metropolitan area, falls, church, arlington, springfield, fairfax