You might think that you’ve nailed the art of perfect tooth brushing. Chances are though, you have not. We all tend to think we know what we’re doing just because we had a brightly-colored timer as a child, and we were regularly rewarded with stars on our chart.
The truth is that our parents were doing the best that they could and unless your parents were dentists or in the field of dentistry, you probably got praised for a shoddy job.
Here are five great professional tips to ensure that you are giving your teeth the best brushing:
- Don’t Brush Straight After Meals
Brushing your teeth straight after meals is good, right? Wrong! The American Dental Association recommends that you wait between thirty to sixty minutes after a meal before you brush your teeth.
That gives your saliva a fighting chance to naturally wash away bits of food from between your teeth, which will help your mouth to return to its proper pH level.
- Brush Twice Daily
Brushing your teeth twice a day is the bare minimum to maintain good mouth hygiene and healthy teeth. Brushing your teeth is necessary for removing food particles and plaque – if you ignore these then your teeth will start to erode.
That will lead to cavities and bad breath – two things you most certainly do not want.
- Keep Your Brush Clean
If you keep your toothbrush next to your basin, which is next to your toilet, please take some time to think about the gross implications of that. Instead of doing that and picking up hoards of bacteria, store your toothbrush in a holder. Your dentist in downtown Seattle will tell you the same thing.
In addition to rinsing your toothbrush after every brush, you should also soak it in a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water – mouthwash will also work. If you like, you can pop it in the dishwasher once a month too.
- Don’t Forget To Floss
Even the best toothbrushes cannot perform miracles. Instead of expecting your bristles to reach every nook and cranny in your mouth, spend a few dollars on some good quality dental floss.
Flossing helps to reach between your teeth where food, tartar, and bacteria are often lurking. Floss before or after brushing – it doesn’t matter.
This dentist who does dental implants in Syracuse NY also adds that you can use interdental brushes as an alternative.
- Brush For Long Enough
Brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle for at least two minutes per session. That might seem like a long time, but if you divide your mouth into quarters, you’ll realize it is only thirty seconds for each quarter.
Try to not start in the same place every time you brush – that can get you into the bad habit of over brushing some areas and skipping others. Don’t forget to brush the inner sides and chewing surfaces of all of your teeth; it’s not just the front of your teeth that counts!
To End
The best way to guarantee that you have a healthy and bright smile well into your old age is to develop healthy oral hygiene habits from a young age. Getting into the correct routines can help protect your teeth and keep them strong and healthy for years to come.
