How to Clean Your Teeth At Home

Help Protect Your Oral Health Between Dental Visits

November 25, 2020

Waterpik Product Support

Taking care of your teeth at home between dental visits is important for self care.

The WATERPIK water flosser helps protect your oral health with a clinically proven at-home solution.

How to Clean Your Teeth at Home

For daily home care, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends:

1. Brushing your teeth 2x a day with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste
2. Replacing your toothbrush or brush head every 3-4 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed
3. Cleaning between your teeth once a day with an interdental cleaner (like floss)

Let's take a closer look at these daily brushing and flossing recommendations.

Why Brushing Is Not Enough

No doubt you know that brushing your teeth is an essential part of oral care. But did you know that just brushing your teeth only cleans the tooth surfaces, leaving plaque and debris between your teeth and below the gumline?

If you just brush and don’t floss or clean between your teeth, the plaque and debris left behind can lead to tartar buildup. This is what the dental hygienist scrapes away during a routine teeth cleaning.

Over time, tartar buildup can result in different forms of gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis. If you have gum disease, your teeth may need a deep cleaning in a dental office or other gum disease treatments.

Flossing Is Not Routine

If you are not cleaning between your teeth daily with floss, you are not alone.

Research shows that most of us are highly interested in finding ways to help prevent tooth decay and future dental work, but only 16% of Americans actually floss daily.

Your current at-home flossing experience may sound similar to these patients of Dr. Chris Strandburg:

At-Home Solution

The WATERPIK water flosser helps protect your oral health between dental visits by using technology to create an effective combination of water pressure and pulsations, cleaning deep between teeth and below the gumline where brushing misses.

It's easy to use and effective because the WATERPIK water flosser:

• Reaches up to 6X deeper than brushing alone for a more thorough clean
• Removes up to 99.9% of plaque bacteria that causes gingivitis, cavities, and bad breath from treated areas
• Clinically proven up to 2X as effective as string floss for removing bacterial plaque and improving gum health
• Takes just a minute a day

When you have the right tool for the job, it's easy to establish a daily at-home routine for cleaning your teeth and helping to prevent gum disease.

With a WATERPIK water flosser, you can choose from a range of options that best fits your needs and lifestyle. Use our product selector to find the best WATERPIK water flosser for you:

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