Did you know that having a healthy mouth is key to living a happier, overall healthy life? After all, the mouth’s health can affect not just the body but the brain, too.
So, it’s no wonder that poor oral health and lower quality of life appear to go together. For starters, unhealthy teeth and gums can lead to pain, low confidence, and poor sleep. These conditions, in turn, can make people unable to live the best of their lives.
However, brushing your teeth won’t do you a lot of good if you don’t use proper brushing techniques. To have healthy teeth, you need to use the right kind of brush, apply the right pressure, and brush for more than a minute.
We’ll discuss all these crucial toothbrushing techniques in this guide, so be sure to read on!
1. Flossing Before Brushing
Flossing before brushing can help remove more plaque from within the teeth crevices. This is especially crucial for interdental plaque, which forms between the teeth. Brushing alone will only remove surface plaque and not as much interdental plaque.
Flossing first also helps dislodge tiny food debris stuck between the teeth. This then makes cleaning with your toothbrush easier and more effective.
By contrast, brushing right away can push the debris deeper into these tight areas.
2. Using a Soft, Tapered-Tip Toothbrush
Soft, tapered-tip toothbrushes can eliminate three-quarters of plaque in just one session. They can also reduce the severity index of plaque by over 40%. That’s because their tapered-tip bristles can reach all the way to the underside of the gums.
By contrast, very soft, non-tapered bristles are prone to over-bending. As a result, they may bend against the harder surface of your teeth and gums. In this way, they’re not as effective in cleaning as soft, tapered-tip brushes are.
3. Waiting For 60 Minutes After Meals Before Brushing
Studies suggest that brushing less than one hour after meals can lead to more tooth tissue loss. They believe that meals already expose the tooth enamel to erosive insult. Brushing right after this exposure may then aggravate erosion.
For that reason, you should at least wait for an hour after every meal before you brush your pearly whites. This is especially important when you eat acidic food and beverages.
4. Brushing For at Least Two Minutes
A previous study found that, on average, people in the US only brush their teeth for about 30 to 60 seconds. Unfortunately, this short brushing time removes only a small portion of plaque. By contrast, brushing for at least 120 seconds can remove 26% more plaque than brushing for 45 seconds.
So, to achieve a cleaner smile, make it a habit to count up to 120 whenever you brush your teeth.
5. Brushing Your Teeth and Gums Gently
Harsh toothbrushing can abrade your gums and cause them to recede or pull back from the teeth. This bad practice can also promote the loss of tooth structure. Moreover, applying a brushing pressure of more than 150 grams can damage the gums.
If the bristles of your toothbrush fray just after a few weeks of use, that’s a sign you brush too hard. The same goes for if your gums often bleed while you brush or if your teeth feel sensitive. The longer this goes on, the more likely you will experience toothaches.
So, for a healthier, brighter smile, pay attention to how much pressure you place on your teeth and gums. For reference, 150 grams is about the weight of one apple and half a banana. If the pressure you feel on your teeth gums is heavier than that, ease up until it feels light but firm enough.
Do note that a toothache can also be a dental emergency, though, as noted by a post from this Boise family dentist. If you have gum bleeding, extreme sensitivity, and mouth pain, get in touch with your dentist ASAP.
6. Applying Circular Brushing Strokes
For optimal oral health, use a circular motion when brushing your teeth. Elliptical strokes allow toothbrush bristles to reach the area under the gum line.
Also, position your toothbrush in a way that its bristles point toward your gums at a 45° angle. This way, the tapered-tip bristles can go under the gums to clean the area underneath.
Keeping in mind the 120-second mark, brush only two to three of your teeth at a time. This translates to about 10 seconds per section if you have a full set of teeth (32 adult teeth).
7. Brushing Your Entire Mouth
There are at least 1,000 species of bacteria that call the mouth home. Many of these are in and on the tongue, while others cling to the sides of the cheeks and the palate. The palate, by the way, is the medical term for the roof of the mouth.
Because these parts of your mouth also harbor germs, you need to clean them, too. You can use your toothbrush on all of them or use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue. Be as gentle as you can, especially with the sides of your cheeks, as these consist of sensitive tissues.
8. Using a Toothbrush No Older Than 4 Months
Proper oral care also involves replacing your toothbrush after three or four months. After all, bristles wear down over time, becoming less effective by the fourth month. So if you keep using the same brush after four months, you won’t be able to clean your teeth and gums properly.
Apply These Proper Brushing Techniques Starting Today
There you have it, your ultimate guide on all the brushing techniques for optimal oral health. Following all these can help you keep your teeth not only white but strong and cavity-free too. They also help prevent gum disease, which in turn, is key to keeping your pearly whites for as long as possible.
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