Aquafresh Science Academy

So how should patients be guided in proper plaque prevention at home to help reduce the chance of gingivitis? Recommendations include eating a balanced diet, brushing twice daily with a fluoride dentifrice and cleaning between the teeth each day with an interdental cleaner or floss.

It should also be noted that while recent studies have indicated that using a therapeutic antimicrobial mouth rinse can be an effective way for patients to reduce the plaque build-up that causes gingivitis [Barnett, 2003; Sharma, 2004] at this time, the professional organisations do not recommend that patients use such a rinse in place of flossing.