Brushing your teeth is a must to practice habit to keep your teeth healthy. It is critical to maintaining good oral hygiene, hence, you need to brush regularly. You remove debris, plaques, and stuck food particles from your mouth while brushing. But, most of the time, people follow the wrong brushing methods and end up with many dental problems. Go through this article, and you will find out why brushing teeth appropriately is essential. So, let’s begin with understanding the right techniques to brush your teeth.
What is the proper way to brush teeth?
Brushing teeth requires proper techniques to prevent tooth decay or any other dental problems. Do you know proper brushing takes at least 2-3 minutes? Most of the time adults do not get close to this time. However, follow the below-mentioned techniques that will take around the right amount of time to clean your teeth correctly.
Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the gum line with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
Now, gentle circular motion along with moving the brush back and forth.
In this step, brush the outer surfaces. Then the inner surfaces followed by the chewing surface.
Clean the inward surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically, and make some up-and-down strokes. This will easily clean the inner side of the teeth.
It is always fun to brush your tongue. It will not only cleans the tongue but also aids for a fresher breath.
Spit out the toothpaste after brushing. And, rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.
The most effective way to brush your teeth
You need to follow the right technique to effectively brush your teeth. Also, you need to consider some other factors that contribute to effective ways to brush your teeth. First and foremost, use a good toothbrush that has soft nylon bristle along with the small head that easily reaches your mouth. It should also fit conveniently in your hands. Follow the above-mentioned techniques and gently brush your teeth that remove debris and plaque from your teeth without gum irritation.
Moreover, you need to regularly change your toothbrush before it loses its effectiveness or flexibility. As a rule of thumb, replace toothbrush every 3 – 4 months, as soon as the bristle loses its shape. When you want the most beneficial effect while you brush, use the fluoride toothpaste. It helps to strengthen tooth enamel. (Note: Do not swallow fluoride toothpaste. Too much-ingested fluoride toothpaste can cause severe health consequences.)
Gum recession is the condition when the gum tissue surrounding teeth pulls back with exposing teeth roots. It usually causes dental problems such as tooth decay, gingivitis, Periodontal disease, etc. So, as mentioned the right brushing techniques, follow the proper way to brush teeth to prevent gum recession.
How to heal gums from brushing too hard
Usually, in a hurry, we try to brush quickly. And, unknowingly we brush hard that damages the gum. Brushing too hard often results in swollen, bleeding gums. So, first of all, you need to practice the proper ways to brush your teeth. It will help you to prevent any oral injuries and leaves with proper cleaning. Nonetheless, if you get an injury from brushing, follow the remedies;
- Gently brush your teeth without hurting your affected gums.
- Use a toothbrush that has a resilient head specially designed to prevent the pressure on gums.
- Use fluoride mouthwash and gargle 3-4 times a day. It will help to prevent infections.
- Floss at least once a day to remove stuck food particles and debris. Make sure to use a fresh section of floss for each tooth in order to prevent plaque moving one tooth to another.
Can over brushing damage teeth
Definitely Yes! Over-brushing damages your teeth and leads to sensitive teeth, receding gums, and many other dental problems.
Vigorously brushing your teeth tear down the enamel and damage the teeth. It pushes back the gums with exposing the sensitive root area. Receding gums can also lead to dental problems including periodontal disease, and cavities on the roots of teeth. The people who over brush frequently are at the most at risk for tooth or gum damage. And, often this habit results in severe dental problems that require treatments like root canals, fillings, and tooth extraction.
Besides, over brushing or hard brushing does not require to remove plaque, it only needs proper techniques. So instead of damaging your gums with over brushing, regularly brush your teeth twice a day. Further, gargle after each meal or use a fluoride mouthwash to remove food particles.
How many times should you brush your teeth daily
According to the American Dental Association, brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two minutes each time to maintain good oral hygiene.
In general, you should brush in the morning before breakfast, and at night after your last meal. However, also consider your diet while choosing when to brush your teeth. For instance, when you have consumed an acidic food or drink, do not brush your teeth right away. These acids damage tooth enamel severely.
Besides brushing your teeth, you can follow the following practice to maintain oral hygiene;
- Floss every day.
- After brushing and flossing, use mouthwash.
- Drink plenty of water daily.
- Eat a healthy balanced diet.
- Limit intake of sugary food and drinks.
- Avoid frequent snacking.
- Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
- Schedule regular dental checkups.
Toothbrush irritation on gums
When you apply a lot of pressure or use a hard-bristled toothbrush, you are not cleaning your teeth but creating irritation to your gums. Mostly, people think that they need to brush hard to remove plaque from teeth, but it is not true. You need to brush your teeth gently to prevent mouth injuries. Also, the hard-bristle toothbrush generates irritation on gums and leads to many other dental problems. Still wondering how to choose a brush that best suits your teeth structure or it reduces the irritation to gums? Click here.
Hence, as mentioned earlier, change your toothbrush or change it if you find the bristles are hard. Also, gently brush your teeth twice a day. Moreover, while choosing the toothbrush, make sure it has soft bristles and a flexible head. It will help to reduce the irritation on gums while brushing.
If you are facing any dental problems or not sure how to maintain good oral hygiene, contact us at Trucare Dentistry. We will be happy to assist you in delivering the best dental treatment in Roswell, GA.