The foundation of good oral hygiene is teeth brushing, but there are plenty of ways to get dental care right and plenty of ways to get it wrong. Take time to “brush up” on the best methods for keeping your teeth clean and you won’t have to worry about oral health problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and procedures like root canal therapy or extractions.
What Does “Brush Twice a Day” Really Mean?
The instruction to brush your teeth twice a day is the bare minimum for any oral hygiene plan. When you wake, your teeth are covered with dried saliva and bacteria and morning breath is a real thing – you want to brush that all off and start the day clean. At night, your mouth is peppered with the remnants of a day’s worth of food particles and plaque. It needs to be eliminated to protect your teeth before a long night of sleep.
How Long Should You Brush Your Teeth?
To effectively remove plaque from your teeth, two minutes of brushing is the recommendation. It’s important to take extra time to tend to things like braces, a permanent retainer, or a dental bridge, and to address pesky areas where food particles always get trapped.
Are You Brushing Too Hard?
The quality of brushing matters too. If you brush aggressively for two minutes, you’re cleaning your teeth but you’re also doing your mouth a disservice. Heavy-handed brushing can lead to gum recession and enamel erosion, both of which can develop into painful oral health complications. Repetition and consistency form the backbone of effective teeth cleaning.
Do You Use the Right Tooth-Brushing Technique?
Believe it or not, there is a right way to brush your teeth. Simply getting in there with some bristles isn’t enough. Some people focus on cleaning their visible teeth – they’re the easiest to reach, after all, but don’t forget about your molars. The ideal method is to use small, gentle, circular motions on each tooth, moving from one to the next, front and back, top and bottom jaws, and don’t neglect any chewing surfaces.
Do You Prioritize Flossing?
Teeth-brushing and flossing go hand-in-hand. You cannot have one without the other if you want your teeth to be completely clean and eliminate plaque, bacteria, and food particles. With flossing, you miss all the places your toothbrush can’t reach – and that brush, no matter how hard it works, can’t get everywhere. Find your favorite floss, stock up, and use it as an essential piece of daily dental care.
Do You Visit Your Red Bank Dentist Regularly for Dental Care?
No matter how great your oral health efforts are at home, it’s still essential to visit your Red Bank dentist every six months for a thorough teeth cleaning and dental exam. This dental care contributes to overall good oral health and helps prevent problems from developing. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Carole Sherrod Jewell and her team at Red Bank Dentistry and don’t hesitate to ask questions about the best tools you can use for your teeth, the best ways to use them, and how to store your oral health supplies.
