5 Techniques You Should Be Using to Brush Your Teeth

 

It’s common knowledge that brushing your teeth daily is an essential part of proper oral hygiene. However, some people don’t realize that the techniques they use while brushing are just as important as the frequency of their brushing.

 

Harder Isn’t Better

Many people make the mistake of brushing their teeth abrasively, feeling that this will provide better cleaning. However, roughly running bristles over your teeth and gums can actually be quite damaging. Brushing over-zealously can wear on enamel and irritate the tissue of the gums, leading to recession. When gum recession and wearing of enamel occurs, this leaves your mouth more vulnerable to diseases like gingivitis.

 

Brush in the Right Direction

Many people fall into the habit of brushing teeth side-to-side, horizontally. However, this is actually not the healthiest or most effective way to brush. Brushing in small, gentle circles is the best way to get a complete cleaning.

 

Take Your Time

Does your dentist rush through a cleaning? No—so neither should you. Experts recommend brushing for at least two minutes during each session to maintain oral health. Colgate notes that while some people worry they may be “over brushing” if spending too much time with their bristles, the truth is that timing is not an issue in regard to erosion. Rather, applying too much pressure while brushing is what can cause detrimental issues.

 

Brush At Least Twice a Day

People are encouraged to brush their teeth at least twice a day, every day. Ideally, people can brush three times a day to rid their mouth of food and particles after each meal. A Glendale Heights dentist suggests carrying a travel toothbrush when you’re away from home so you can brush whenever and wherever you need to.

 

Choose the Right Brush

Just as the techniques you use to clean your teeth are important, so is the brush itself. Despite being a bit pricier, electric toothbrushes are a great investment. Electric toothbrushes are set at a pace that is optimal for oral health and also works in circular motions, which offers a massage to the gums and encourages healthy tissue. Don’t forget to clean your brush with hot water after use. Remember that once the tool you use ends up housing the germs you just eliminated, without proper cleaning, the brush’s effectiveness can become null.

 

Alongside these techniques, it is integral to practice other oral hygiene techniques to keep your mouth healthy. Don’t forget to floss during each session, to brush the surface of your tongue as well as your teeth, and also to rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash as a final step in the process.

 

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Categories: brush, Brushing, electric toothbrushes, nbsp, nbsp brush, oral health, oral hygiene, techniques, teeth

5 Techniques You Should Be Using to Brush Your Teeth

 

It’s common knowledge that brushing your teeth daily is an essential part of proper oral hygiene. However, some people don’t realize that the techniques they use while brushing are just as important as the frequency of their brushing.

 

Harder Isn’t Better

Many people make the mistake of brushing their teeth abrasively, feeling that this will provide better cleaning. However, roughly running bristles over your teeth and gums can actually be quite damaging. Brushing over-zealously can wear on enamel and irritate the tissue of the gums, leading to recession. When gum recession and wearing of enamel occurs, this leaves your mouth more vulnerable to diseases like gingivitis.

 

Brush in the Right Direction

Many people fall into the habit of brushing teeth side-to-side, horizontally. However, this is actually not the healthiest or most effective way to brush. Brushing in small, gentle circles is the best way to get a complete cleaning.

 

Take Your Time

Does your dentist rush through a cleaning? No—so neither should you. Experts recommend brushing for at least two minutes during each session to maintain oral health. Colgate notes that while some people worry they may be “over brushing” if spending too much time with their bristles, the truth is that timing is not an issue in regard to erosion. Rather, applying too much pressure while brushing is what can cause detrimental issues.

 

Brush At Least Twice a Day

People are encouraged to brush their teeth at least twice a day, every day. Ideally, people can brush three times a day to rid their mouth of food and particles after each meal. A Glendale Heights dentist suggests carrying a travel toothbrush when you’re away from home so you can brush whenever and wherever you need to.

 

Choose the Right Brush

Just as the techniques you use to clean your teeth are important, so is the brush itself. Despite being a bit pricier, electric toothbrushes are a great investment. Electric toothbrushes are set at a pace that is optimal for oral health and also works in circular motions, which offers a massage to the gums and encourages healthy tissue. Don’t forget to clean your brush with hot water after use. Remember that once the tool you use ends up housing the germs you just eliminated, without proper cleaning, the brush’s effectiveness can become null.

 

Alongside these techniques, it is integral to practice other oral hygiene techniques to keep your mouth healthy. Don’t forget to floss during each session, to brush the surface of your tongue as well as your teeth, and also to rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash as a final step in the process.

 

The post 5 Techniques You Should Be Using to Brush Your Teeth appeared first on .

Categories: brush, Brushing, electric toothbrushes, nbsp, nbsp brush, oral health, oral hygiene, techniques, teeth

5 Techniques You Should Be Using to Brush Your Teeth

 

It’s common knowledge that brushing your teeth daily is an essential part of proper oral hygiene. However, some people don’t realize that the techniques they use while brushing are just as important as the frequency of their brushing.

 

Harder Isn’t Better

Many people make the mistake of brushing their teeth abrasively, feeling that this will provide better cleaning. However, roughly running bristles over your teeth and gums can actually be quite damaging. Brushing over-zealously can wear on enamel and irritate the tissue of the gums, leading to recession. When gum recession and wearing of enamel occurs, this leaves your mouth more vulnerable to diseases like gingivitis.

 

Brush in the Right Direction

Many people fall into the habit of brushing teeth side-to-side, horizontally. However, this is actually not the healthiest or most effective way to brush. Brushing in small, gentle circles is the best way to get a complete cleaning.

 

Take Your Time

Does your dentist rush through a cleaning? No—so neither should you. Experts recommend brushing for at least two minutes during each session to maintain oral health. Colgate notes that while some people worry they may be “over brushing” if spending too much time with their bristles, the truth is that timing is not an issue in regard to erosion. Rather, applying too much pressure while brushing is what can cause detrimental issues.

 

Brush At Least Twice a Day

People are encouraged to brush their teeth at least twice a day, every day. Ideally, people can brush three times a day to rid their mouth of food and particles after each meal. A Glendale Heights dentist suggests carrying a travel toothbrush when you’re away from home so you can brush whenever and wherever you need to.

 

Choose the Right Brush

Just as the techniques you use to clean your teeth are important, so is the brush itself. Despite being a bit pricier, electric toothbrushes are a great investment. Electric toothbrushes are set at a pace that is optimal for oral health and also works in circular motions, which offers a massage to the gums and encourages healthy tissue. Don’t forget to clean your brush with hot water after use. Remember that once the tool you use ends up housing the germs you just eliminated, without proper cleaning, the brush’s effectiveness can become null.

 

Alongside these techniques, it is integral to practice other oral hygiene techniques to keep your mouth healthy. Don’t forget to floss during each session, to brush the surface of your tongue as well as your teeth, and also to rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash as a final step in the process.

 

Categories: brush, Brushing, electric toothbrushes, nbsp, nbsp brush, oral health, oral hygiene, people, teeth

10 Mistakes You May Be Making When Brushing Your Teeth

By Erika Remmington

 

You’ve been brushing your teeth at least twice a day since you were a toddler. So it’s hard to imagine that you could still be making mistakes. But when things get routine, we stop paying attention to how we do them. Here is a quick list of mistakes that easily crop up in brushing habits.

 

1.    Too Much Brushing

Brushing allows you to scrub away layers of plaque and harmful bacteria, but you can scrub away tooth enamel as well if you aren’t careful. To avoid brushing too hard, grip your toothbrush like a pencil. Brushing too often has the same harmful effect—limit your tooth brushing to 2-3 times a day.

 

Toothpastes with whitening beads or baking soda are especially abrasive. Using a whitening toothpaste for a while is fine, but rotate back to a regular fluoride paste when it’s gone.

 

 

2.    Not Enough Brushing

At the other end of the spectrum, not brushing enough is equally as harmful to your dental health. Brush at least twice a day, preferably right after waking up and right before going to bed (source: smithfamilydental.com).

 

 

3.    Cutting it Short

How much brushing is enough brushing? When you’ve swept over every surface? When your mouth feels adequately minty? The ADA would say no—it’s all about time. A person should spend two minutes brushing, they say. Here are three techniques to help you brush for the full two minutes:

 

• Hum a song to yourself—one you know is at least 2 minutes long.


• Keep a timer or stopwatch in the bathroom next to your toothbrush.


• Divide your mouth into four parts and spend 30 seconds on each section

 

 

4.    Missing Surfaces

Even if you brush with the right pressure for the right amount of time, it’s still possible to miss surfaces. In fact, if brushing is your only dental-hygiene strategy, you are certainly going to miss surfaces. Floss after or before you brush, or use a small dental brush to scrub the surfaces between your teeth.

 

 

5.    Sticking to Routine

It’s easy to fall into routine when brushing your teeth and always start in the same place in your mouth. If you start in the same place, you could be unevenly cleaning. Brushing takes time, and by the end, we just want to finish the job and be on our way. So whichever parts of your mouth you brush last might not get adequate attention. Try to mix up your brushing pattern every few days.

 

 

6.    Brushing Right After Eating

It seems like a good idea at first—you’ve just eaten and you want to clean your teeth before any bacteria has a chance to grow. However, sugary or acidic foods weaken your enamel;if you brush immediately after eating them, you could be brushing precious enamel away.

 

Don’t brush your teeth any sooner than about 30 minutes after eating. The role of saliva in your mouth is not only to break down food particles—it also helps re-calcify and strengthen enamel. Waiting to brush gives your enamel time to re-harden so it can withstand toothbrush bristles.

 

 

7.    Using a Dirty Toothbrush

Several factors will make your toothbrush a breeding ground for germs—storage in a warm, moist, dark place, cross-contamination, and improper cleaning.

 

Let your toothbrush air dry in an upright position if possible. Don’t share toothbrushes, and don’t store toothbrushes together in the same spot unless you have a way to separate them. Always rinse the brush out thoroughly after you use it, and put it through a cycle in the dishwasher every once in a while—especially if you use it while you are sick.

 

Next time you pull out your toothbrush and squeeze that pea-size dollop of whatever toothpaste you found in the drawer, pay attention. Notice your brushing technique, identify any mistakes you might be making, and alter your routine accordingly.

 

 

Categories: Brushing, Mistakes, teeth

Sparkly Whites Done Right: How to Brush and Floss Your Teeth

Oral health concerns seem like small fry in the grander scheme of overall wellbeing, but having healthy teeth and gums is a key component in your wellness, as well as in your dazzling smile. Simple dental care habits, such as brushing and flossing, can be all you need to protect your oral health, but are you getting it right? Let’s take a look at the best tips for preventing gum disease and staving off cavities:

 

1. Brush twice a day: This seems simple but so many people neglect a night-time brushing. When you are going over those pearly whites, make sure you take the time to do a thorough job. Remember; don’t rush that brush.

 

2. Use the right tools: These days, there seems to be a myriad of different toothpastes and brushes, but all you need to do is ensure your toothpaste contains fluoride, and your toothbrush has soft bristles and fits your mouth comfortably. Although an electric or battery-operated toothbrush isn’t vital for oral health, it may be a good thing to consider. These kinds of brushes are better at reducing plaque and mild forms of gum disease, such as gingivitis, than manual brushing, as well as being beneficial if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush effectively.

 

3. Sort out your brushing technique: When you brush, your toothbrush should be held at a slight angle so that the bristles are aimed towards the area where your tooth meets your gum. Make sure you brush gently – so you don’t wear away the enamel – and use short back-and-forth motions. You should brush the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well as your tongue.

 

4. Take care of your equipment: After brushing, it’s important to make sure your toothbrush is kept clean by rinsing it and storing it in an upright position. This allows your brush to air-dry before you use it again. Don’t get in the habit of covering your toothbrushes or storing them in closed containers, as this can encourage bacteria to grow – do you really want to be putting that in your mouth?

 

5. Replace your toothbrush when needed: You know it’s time to replace your toothbrush when the bristles become frayed. However, as a general rule, you should invest in a new toothbrush or a replacement head for your electric or battery-operated toothbrush every three to four months.

 

6. Don’t forget to floss: Daily flossing is important because you can’t reach the tight spaces between your teeth and under the gum line with a toothbrush. It doesn’t matter if you brush first or floss first; the main thing to ensure is that you do a thorough job. However, if you floss before you brush, you might enable more fluoride from your toothpaste to reach between your teeth.

 

7. Use the right flossing technique: Don’t forget you need to be gentle on your gums, so you should be guiding the floss between your teeth using a rubbing motion. Don’t snap the floss into your gums but gently guide it towards the gum line, and then curve it against one tooth at a time. You should unwind fresh floss as you progress to other teeth, so make sure you have a decent amount of floss to start with, like 18 inches or so. You should wind most of the floss around the middle finger on one hand, and the rest around the middle finger on the other hand. Grip the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers before you proceed.

Categories: battery operated, brush, Brushing, floss, Flossing, Gum Disease, gum line, middle finger, operated toothbrush, oral health, Toothbrush

Why Your Oral Health Should Be at the Top of Your Priorities

In the hubbub of life, it is extremely easy to forget about your own health when there are so many different things to worry about. Even lower on the list of priorities for many people is their oral health. While life might be busy, taking proper car of your teeth only takes a few minutes every day, and this regular care can prevent a variety of different problems and issues. Here is a quick look at 5 reasons why you should probably bump up oral care on your list of priorities.

 

Reason One: Preventing Gum Disease

Proper brushing and flossing at least twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste not only keeps your teeth healthy and clean, it also helps to prevent a variety of different problems that can occur in your gums. The foods we eat tend to collect below the gumline in tiny pockets around each tooth. When these debris are not removed, they will begin to collect bacteria, which can then penetrate into the open spaces between your gums and teeth. This can lead to large amounts of pain, as well as swelling and bleeding. It is extremely important to visit a Colorado Springs Periodontist if your gums are red and swollen, since it might also be possible that you have cancer, which often has symptoms that are similar to gum disease.

 

Reason Two: Keeping Breath Fresh

When meeting other people, one of the first things we can notice is if they have bad breath. Foul breath can lead to a variety of different social issues, which can ultimately have an effect on your own mental health. While there are plenty of different ways to get fresh breath, such as by using mints and gum, these methods will usually only cover the odor instead of removing it. Bacteria is usually the main cause of bad breath, though, these foul smelling creatures can usually be removed with proper brushing and flossing especially if you take the time to clean your tongue. You can also use mouth wash, but this product can cause other oral issues, since it also kills the good bacteria in your mouth

 

Reason Three: Eating Nutritious Foods

If your teeth and gums are in poor condition, then you more than likely will have a difficult time eating a wide range of different foods. Everyone knows that vegetables and fruits are full of nutrients to keep your body healthy. However, individuals with bleeding gums and loose teeth will more than likely have issues eating these foods that can be hard and crunchy. This can lead to them having a poor diet, which has been linked in some way or another to just about every serious disease. Thus, poor oral care can ultimately lead to the suffering of your entire body as it struggles without the nutrients that it needs.

 

Reason Four: Avoiding Alzheimer’s Disease

Inflammation from gum disease and infected roots may lead to various types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. While the link between poor oral health and Alzheimer’s is relatively new, and there have only been a few studies on the subject, it is something that is worthy of concern. Who wouldn’t spend a couple minutes every day with their toothbrush and floss instead of suffering years upon years with a faulty memory, which will not only cause your pain and confusion, but they can cause your family an immense amount of pain and suffering.

 

Reason Five: Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention

The bacteria that develop on teeth and gum tissue can also invade the body by entering the throat. Eventually, these infectious pathogens have the potential to enter into vital organs and blood vessels. Poor oral cavity care can lead to individuals having clogged capillaries and arteries that lead to a higher incidence of strokes or heart attacks. While poor oral health might cause a minimal increase of risk for these serious conditions, it is still a risk, and one that is easy to completely remove.

Categories: Brushing, Gum Disease, healthy teeth