Woolbert Dental in Shreveport helps patients build and maintain dental hygiene habits that prevent cavities, gum disease, and costly restorative treatment. Dr. Michael Woolbert and our hygiene team provide professional cleanings, personalized home care coaching, and early detection exams — so small issues never become big problems. Schedule your hygiene visit or call 318-868-8276.

Dental home care Flossing Brushing Fluoride and rinses Benefits of good dental hygiene Frequently asked questions
Close-up of a healthy smile after dental cleaning
Preventative Care

Dental Home Care

No treatment will be effective unless you follow it up with routine and proper home care. This means you should brush and floss regularly after every meal and at a minimum twice a day. The key is not only to do it regularly but also to do it right.

Our Clinical Approach

Every hygiene visit at Woolbert Dental includes a personalized home care assessment. We evaluate your brushing and flossing technique, identify areas you may be missing, and recommend specific products — from electric toothbrush heads to interdental brushes — based on your unique oral anatomy.

For patients with braces, implants, bridges, or dexterity challenges, we tailor a modified hygiene routine that accounts for these factors. The goal is a realistic daily routine you can actually maintain.

Reviewed by Dr. Michael Woolbert · Woolbert Dental, Shreveport

Transcript
hi everyone my name is whitney and i'm a dental hygienist and i'm going to show you how i floss my teeth as a dental hygienist first things first i wash my hands you have to wash your hands before you floss your teeth if you don't wash your hands before you put your hands in your mouth i don't know that's just not i'm not into that i do the whole 20 seconds good good hand washing getting little crevices you're about to put your hands in your mouth y'all i have a personal towel over here peace loving towels we don't mess around with infection control and cleanse cleanse the cleansing cleanseliness oh boy hold on i'm sorry my lips are kind of chilled oh good thing i just used up that that's a good amount of floss i have a whole video that shows how to hold floss properly which i'll link in the bottom or below but quick tip is i wrap it around my middle fingers and then using my thumb and then i use a my thumb and then i use my thumb and my pointer finger you want to make a c shape because you're going to be wrapping this floss around your cheek all right so what i do i start in the midline i've got a go up that's the only time you use the saw motion is to get up there once you're up [Music] up and down to the left up and down to the right you can kind of see what i just i'll do it on the next one see i'm wrapping the floss around that's how you get it [Music] and then you move see how i just like naturally i move to a new strand of floss each time too and a tip for the back teeth is to not open too wide if you open too wide it can't reach back there so i have a video all about that as well but you let me get back back hold on i'll show you this is weird because i'm like standing on my tippy toes maybe you could see from this angle i like put the put the camera away too high out so i'm like standing right there just like a double workout okay now i'm going to go back teeth notice how i don't open too wide oh i couldn't move my lip my cheek out of the way [Music] you could still do a very good job wrapping the wrong okay so i did the bottom or i did the top now it's time for the bottom for the bottom for my teeth specifically notice how much space there is you can't just go that's not going to do anything i you you can't it's this see you gotta wrap it around the tube think about when i started thinking about how i have to clean the sides of the teeth i'm not just popping food out cleaning the sides of teeth that's when i became a good flosser all right now i go the other way [Music] so i used this one strand of floss i just used different sections of it throughout for each part of my mouth and you're done with this floss you don't want to use it again you're done and then you can follow with brushing if you're already brushed then you could rinse i'm going to rinse right now i can't stress enough how important it is to wrap it around the tooth think about it as a shape like a c that's going around your teeth you're not just going up and down i hope this video helped you please like and subscribe and turn on notifications if it did and until next time i'll see you on instagram at teeth talk girl peace love teeth and floss [Music]
Daily Routine

Flossing

To properly floss you should wind the floss around both of your index fingers and push it between each of your teeth in your mouth. Make sure to freely move the floss upwards, downwards and even sideways to remove any food particles or plaque that may be lodged between your teeth or under the gums.

Transcript
I'm sure you're brushing your teeth but are you doing it correctly I always recommend electric toothbrushes but I've been coming across lots and lots of patients who absolutely love their traditional regular manual toothbrush and they are not like ready or willing to give it up give up using that so this videos for you all and having said that both manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes according to the a DA are equally effective in plaque removal however often times manual toothbrushes are just not used correctly so let's not have you be one of those people who's doing the user error which is most people so let's talk about the correct technique one of the most universal brushing techniques is to place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle toward the gum line do not put your brush like straight like this you want to make sure you're actually going up toward the gums or if you're in the bottom down toward the gums now you should gently move the brush back and forth and strokes notice I'm doing gentle circles because you never want to use the scrub brush method it's a fine line between wanting to clean your teeth really good but also hurting the gums you do want to gently stimulate the gums but you don't want to stimulate them and brush them so hard that you're causing gum recession hence another reason I love electric toothbrushes they are generally designed to not allow you to press too hard you just want your bristles to slide gently under the gum line here I'm showing the bristles doing their job right but if you press too hard the bristles are flat like this and that's they're not doing their job when they're like this so to recap there are two main important reasons that you should not brush too hard one the bristles become splayed and the toothbrush is literally not doing its job and two you can actually hurt your gums if you're pressing too hard and you could cause gum recession so be gentle using the proper technique with a gentle touch make sure you brush all surfaces including the fronts all the backs of the teeth and then all the chewing surfaces of the teeth the chewing surfaces are the only areas you can kinda scrub brush a little if you really are feeling the urge but I repeat do not do this on the gums so for a healthy mouth and smile the a DA does recommend that you brush with a soft toothbrush at least two times a day the size of the toothbrush you should use is one that fits your mouth and reaches to every single tooth and make sure you replace your toothbrush every three months I actually have a video all about why we do replace our toothbrush every three months which I'll link that video below if you're interested but yeah this all goes along with the dental one-two-three rule one clean in between your teeth at least one time a day whether it's using floss interproximal brushes or a water flosser to which this video is all about is brush your teeth at least two times a day and three is to replace your toothbrush every three months lastly it's super important don't forget to brush your tongue thank you all for watching I hope this video helped you if it did please like and subscribe and don't forget to check out my website teeth talk real calm where you can actually search for a keyword of a video title if there's something you want to see if I made and you don't know if I made it and you're scrolling through YouTube and you're like I can't find it you just go to teeth rock are calm and you could search for it and then you'll find it right away peace love and teeth
Proper Technique

Brushing

Many people these days use an electric toothbrush such as a Sonicare. Whether you use an electric or still prefer a manual brush you should hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth. Gently but thoroughly rotate the bristles across your teeth and under your gums with a backward and forward motion.

Be sure to also get the top surfaces of your teeth where you bite or chew on food. Your tongue can also be cleaned with your toothbrush, which will help reduce bad breath. Lastly it is important to brush the inside surfaces of your teeth with the same rotating motion.

Dental hygienist with young patient at dental office
Extra Protection

Fluoride and Rinses

When brushing, it is important to use toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride helps harden the outer layer of the tooth, called enamel, which will prevent cavities and also reduce bacteria in the mouth. It can also reverse the formation of smaller cavities.

Antibacterial rinses can also help reduce bacteria in the mouth. Please check with your dentist or dental hygienist if you have any additional questions about dental hygiene.

Why It Matters

Benefits of Good Dental Hygiene

Practicing good dental hygiene daily helps protect your teeth and gums for a lifetime:

Cavity Prevention

Daily plaque removal through brushing and flossing deprives cavity-causing bacteria of the environment they need to produce enamel-eroding acid.

Gum Disease Prevention

Removing plaque from the gumline daily prevents the chronic inflammation that leads to gingivitis and, if untreated, irreversible periodontal disease.

Fresh Breath

Consistent brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning eliminates the bacterial sources of chronic bad breath that mouthwash alone cannot address.

Stronger Enamel

Fluoride toothpaste remineralizes early enamel damage from acid exposure, strengthening your teeth against future decay with every brushing session.

Better Overall Health

Oral bacteria have been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications, and respiratory infections. Good dental hygiene protects far more than your smile.

Your mouth is the gateway to your body. The habits you build around brushing, flossing, and professional care today directly influence your oral health — and your systemic health — for decades to come. Our team at Woolbert Dental is ready to help you optimize every part of your routine.
Step By Step

What to Expect During Your Dental Hygiene Visit

Here is what a typical hygiene appointment looks like at Woolbert Dental. Most visits take 45–60 minutes.

  1. 1. Medical history review. Your hygienist reviews any changes in medications, health conditions, or concerns since your last visit.
  2. 2. Oral exam and charting. Gum pocket depths are measured, existing restorations are checked, and any areas of concern are documented.
  3. 3. Professional cleaning. Plaque and tartar are removed with ultrasonic and hand instruments, followed by polishing and flossing.
  4. 4. Home care coaching. Your hygienist identifies areas you may be missing and demonstrates proper technique with your specific toothbrush and floss type.
  5. 5. Exam with Dr. Michael Woolbert. Dr. Michael Woolbert reviews findings, discusses any recommended treatment, and answers your questions.
Common Concerns

Common Questions About Dental Hygiene

These are the concerns patients raise most often. Dr. Michael Woolbert addresses each one at your visit.

"I brush twice a day — why do I still get cavities?"

Brushing alone reaches about 60% of tooth surfaces. The remaining 40% — the spaces between teeth — can only be cleaned with floss or interdental brushes. Cavities between teeth (interproximal cavities) are among the most common types we see, and they're almost entirely preventable with daily flossing.

"Should I use an electric toothbrush or manual?"

Both can be effective when used with proper technique. However, studies consistently show that electric toothbrushes — particularly oscillating-rotating models — remove more plaque than manual brushing. They're especially helpful for patients with limited dexterity, braces, or a history of aggressive brushing that causes gum recession.

"How often should I replace my toothbrush?"

Replace your toothbrush or brush head every 3 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. Worn bristles remove significantly less plaque. You should also replace your brush after recovering from any illness to avoid reintroducing bacteria.

What to Know

Risks of Poor Dental Hygiene

Understanding the consequences of neglecting dental hygiene helps put the value of daily care into perspective.

  • Plaque buildup leads to cavities, which can progress to infection and tooth loss if untreated
  • Chronic gum inflammation (gingivitis) can advance to periodontitis — causing irreversible bone loss and tooth mobility
  • Aggressive brushing with a hard-bristled brush can cause gum recession and enamel wear — use a soft brush with gentle pressure
  • Research links untreated oral infections to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications, and adverse pregnancy outcomes
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Hygiene

You should brush and floss regularly after every meal and at a minimum twice a day. The key is not only to do it regularly but also to do it right — using proper technique for both brushing and flossing.

Wind the floss around both of your index fingers and push it between each of your teeth. Make sure to freely move the floss upwards, downwards and even sideways to remove any food particles or plaque that may be lodged between your teeth or under the gums.

Whether you use an electric or manual brush, hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth. Gently but thoroughly rotate the bristles across your teeth and under your gums with a backward and forward motion. Be sure to also clean the top surfaces, inside surfaces, and your tongue.

Fluoride helps harden the outer layer of the tooth, called enamel, which will prevent cavities and also reduce bacteria in the mouth. It can also reverse the formation of smaller cavities, making it an essential ingredient in your daily dental care routine.

Yes. At our Shreveport dental office we provide comprehensive dental hygiene services including cleanings, exams, and guidance on proper home care. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment.

No. Mouthwash is a helpful supplement but cannot replace brushing and flossing. It does not physically remove plaque or food debris from tooth surfaces. An antibacterial rinse can reduce bacteria counts temporarily, but the mechanical action of brushing and flossing is what prevents cavities and gum disease.

Brush for a full two minutes each session — 30 seconds per quadrant of your mouth. Most people significantly underestimate how long they brush. Using an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer or a phone timer helps ensure you reach the full two minutes.

Water flossers are effective at reducing gum inflammation and are especially helpful for patients with braces, implants, or bridges. However, traditional floss is better at physically scraping plaque from tooth surfaces. Ideally, use both — or use whichever method you will actually do consistently. The best flossing tool is the one you use every day.

Medical Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute dental or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Aggressive brushing can cause gum recession and enamel wear. Consult Dr. Michael Woolbert or a qualified dental professional regarding any questions about your oral health. Individual results may vary.

Clinical detail

Before, during and after your dental hygiene appointment

This is the part that happens at home. What we do in the chair only holds if brushing and flossing are done right, twice a day.

How to prepare

  • Bring the brush you actually use to your next appointment. What is worn down on it tells us more than a description does.
  • Tell us where you find flossing impossible — around a bridge, behind a back tooth, with arthritic hands. There is a tool for each of those.
  • If your gums bleed, do not stop cleaning the area. Bleeding is inflammation, and inflammation settles when the plaque comes off.
  • Bring your list of medications; several cause dry mouth, which changes everything about home care.

How it is carried out

  • Wind the floss around both index fingers and push it between each of your teeth.
  • Move the floss upwards, downwards and even sideways to remove food particles or plaque lodged between the teeth or under the gums.
  • Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and gently but thoroughly rotate the bristles across the teeth and under the gums with a backward and forward motion.
  • Brush the biting surfaces, the inside surfaces with the same rotating motion, and the tongue.
  • Use a toothpaste containing fluoride, and an antibacterial rinse if we recommend one.

Afterwards, and long term

  • Brush and floss regularly after every meal and at a minimum twice a day. The key is not only to do it regularly but also to do it right.
  • Cleaning your tongue with the toothbrush will help reduce bad breath.
  • Fluoride hardens enamel, prevents cavities, reduces bacteria and can reverse the formation of smaller cavities.
  • Check with your dentist or dental hygienist if you have any additional questions about dental hygiene.
Materials and technology

What we use, and why it matters to the result

The whole list is home-care equipment — what to brush with, what to floss with, and what reaches the places a brush cannot.

Fluoride toothpaste

Fluoride helps harden the outer layer of the tooth, called enamel, preventing cavities, reducing bacteria and reversing the formation of smaller cavities.

Electric toothbrush

Many people these days use an electric toothbrush such as a Sonicare. Whether electric or manual, the 45-degree angle and the rotating motion are the same.

Dental floss

Wound around both index fingers and moved upwards, downwards and sideways to clear food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under the gums.

Antibacterial rinse

Can also help reduce bacteria in the mouth. Check with your dentist or hygienist whether one is right for you.

Floss threaders and superfloss

For cleaning under a bridge or around an implant, where ordinary floss cannot be threaded through.

Dental sealants

Clear plastic applied to the chewing surfaces to fill grooves that are difficult for a brush to clean.