How to Brush Your Teeth The Right Way
You many think that brushing your teeth is a very simple task since you’ve been doing it daily since you can remember! However, many people do not brush their teeth the proper way or make the common mistake of brushing their teeth too hard. See our tips below to ensure that you keep your teeth happy and healthy!
How often should you brush?
You should be brushing your teeth a minimum of at least two times a day. Once in the morning and once before bed. However there are many factors that can change the frequency of brushing. For example if you have ClearCorrect you will need to brush after every meal before putting your aligners back in. Talk to you dentist to find out if you should brushing more than twice per day.
How long should you brush?
You should be brushing your pearly whites for a minimum of two minutes each time. Electronic toothbrushes with built in timers are a great way to ensure that you are brushing for the full two minutes. Many people who use a manual brush don’t get anywhere near the two minute mark. If this sounds like you try using a timer or stopwatch to see how long two minutes while brushing really is.
How to correctly brush your teeth:
- Start with outer and inner surfaces holding the brush at a 45 degree angle. Use gentle, short, tooth wide strokes against the gum line. Make sure to pay attention to your back teeth as these are all to commonly overlooked.
- Next brush the chewing surface of your teeth. Hold the toothbrush flat and gently brush back and forth.
- For the inside surfaces of your teeth hold the brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes with the tip of the toothbrush.
- Finally brush your tongue to remove food particles and old taste buds. This will remove odor causing bacteria and help keep your breath fresh.
Issues with brushing to hard:
As you can tell from above brushing your teeth in a gentle manner is very important. Brushing your teeth too hard, know as “toothbrush abrasion” can cause multiple issues.
Loss of enamel
You may think that the harder you brush the cleaner and whiter your teeth are going to look. Unfortunately you are actually doing the exact opposite! Brushing too hard can lead to loss of the white glossy enamel that protects your teeth. When you lose enamel your teeth will look darker and more yellow. Not only will they not look as good without enamel you run the risk of developing sensitive teeth.
Receding gums
Brushing your teeth too hard can also lead to a receding gum line. This can expose the sensitive root area of the teeth. Receding gums can even lead to gingivitis, where the gums become red, swollen, and bleed easy, or periodontitis. Periodontitis breaks down the bone that supports the teeth, gums separate from teeth, and form pockets that become infected.
