Offering family dentistry to patients from the Greater Los Angeles area, we work as a team to promote healthy teeth and gums. In addition to providing excellent in-office care and cleanings, it is important to us to empower our patients to care for their teeth with the same degree of excellence at home.

Oral hygiene is an incredibly important task. We know that brushing and flossing does more than keeping the smile attractive. With daily activity, it becomes more possible to avoid problems such as cavities and gum disease. Each of these common dental problems is quite subtle, and can progress before the patient is even aware of a problem. Dr. Elzayat, in addition to providing preventive dental treatments such as exams, cleanings, and dental sealants, discusses the importance of home care, and even demonstrates effective brushing and flossing technique for optimal results. Every person is different. If you are facing a problem such as gum disease, or are prone to cavities, we may make specific suggestions for oral care.

Most of us will benefit a great deal from twice a day brushing, followed by flossing. Brushing teeth is easy, but requires attention to detail in order to be most effective. When brushing teeth, it is important to clean each tooth surface with gentle motion, making sure to address the gum line. This task should take no less than two minutes to complete. Excessive pressure when brushing your teeth is not necessary to remove bacteria and plaque. In fact, aggressive brushing can damage delicate gum tissue, leading to recession.

Caring for teeth at home must include flossing if you wish to prevent the onset or progression of gum disease. Don’t worry if you see nothing on floss. The point of this task is not to remove food, but to remove bacteria that lie between the teeth and at the gumline. Essentially, brushing without flossing is not sufficient for the prevention of cavities and gum disease. If you find flossing a challenging chore, we encourage you to discuss oral care with your dentist or your hygienist. You may find there are options for successful oral care that you have not considered.

At A-Dental Center, we treat patients of all ages, providing individualized care tailored to your needs. In our office, we will work together to help you avoid the dental problems that affect your smile. Contact us in North Hollywood to schedule your next dental appointment.