Brushing Your Teeth Is More Than Just Technique
Brushing your teeth plays a vital role in maintiaing a healthy smile and your overall dental health. It helps prevent cavities and makes routine dental exams go smoothly as well. The American Dental Association recommends the following steps to good brushing habits.
- Ensure you use an ADA recommended toothpaste such as Colgate, Crest or Aquafresh.
- Be sure to brush your teeth twice daily. Your toothbrush should have soft but sturdy bristles and should fit your mouth comfortably.
- Replace your toothbrush every three to four months. An old toothbrush with frayed bristles doesn’t clean the teeth as well and can leave behind bacteria harmful to your teeth.
What Is The Proper Technique For Brushing Your Teeth?
Brushing your teeth is more than just scrubbing them. There is a right way to help you get the most out of this basic dental habit.
- Your toothbrush should sit at a 45 degree angle to your gums.
- Don’t scrub vigorously. Instead move your toothbrish back and forth in short strokes that are as wide as the tooth itself.
- Be sure to brush all chewing areas of the teeth. Clean the outter and inner areas of your teeth as well as on top of your back molars.
- Don’t forget to clean the inside of the front teeth. To get at these areas, turbn your toothbrush vertically and make several short up and down strokes to clean these back areas.
- Apply this technique for at least two minutes each time your brush.
Common Mistakes When Brushing Your Teeth
For many of us, we don’t have to think much about brushing teeth. However, many don’t brush their teeth as well as can be done because of a few simple mistakes we tend to overlook.
Picking The Wrong Toothbrush
When picking a toothbrush at the store, we are assaulted with options. How do you pick the right one? The one thing that we along with most family dentists insist on is to select a toothbrish with soft bristles. The reason for this is because you need a brush with bristles that bend easily to get under the gumline to remove bacteria and prevent periodontal disease.
Avoid Vigorous Scrubbing
Many think that the harder you scrub your teeth, the more clean they will get. That is not necessarily true. Cleaning your teeth isn’t the same as cleaning the grout in your bathroom tile. Plaque is soft and a gentle brushing is all that is needed. Hard vigorous brushing, especially if you use baking soda on your teeth, can actually injure your teeth by wearing away the enamel and causing sore bleeding gums.
Don’t Rush
Be sure to brush your teeth using the technique above for at least two minutes twice every day. Even if you are running late, don’t cut corners on brushing your teeth. Two minutes is the time needed to adequately remove harmful bacteria from your mouth.
Change Your Toothbrush
Your toothbrush is not meant to be a permanent fixture to your home. Once those bristles look frayed, bent and discolored, it’s time to chuck the brush. Experts agree that a toothbrush should be swapped out about every three months.
Brush In Circles
When you scrub your teeth in a straight back and forth manner, you can actually cause damage to the tooth. Insteasd you want to be sure to brush in small gentle circles.
Brush Below The Gumline
While making sure the surface of our teeth are clean, keep in mind that most harmful bacteria hangs out around the gumline. It is important to use a soft bristled brush to clean the area just below the gumline to remove that bacteria.
Talk To Us About Proper Brushing Techniques
A visit to your Spring Hill family dentist for your checkups and teeth cleaning is a perfect opportunity to ask questions about brush techniques and the types of dental accessories that are right for you.
Brushing your teeth is the foundation to good oral hygeine. According to the American Heart Association, good oral hygiene can help prevent other health conditions including heart disease. If it is time for a checkup, please call The Dental and Denture Care Center at (352) 848-1050 or contact us through our website here to schedule your appointment today. Our team of dental experts are here to give you the best smile of your life.
