What if one small mistake was jeopardizing your health?
Brushing your teeth is something that you do every day. Unfortunately, many people are not brushing their teeth the right way. This leads to health problems that only become worse over time, with adults 50 to 64 having the greatest prevalence of tooth decay.
By learning how to brush the right way, you can protect your teeth in the here and now. And you can also protect yourself from major health problems later in life.
Ready to take control of your oral health? Keep reading to discover our top tips for brushing your teeth the right way!
1. Brush For At Least Two Minutes
Some of our tips for brushing your teeth the right way are simpler than others. For example, one of the best things you can do for your dental care is to brush for at least two minutes twice a day.
That may sound obvious, but once you start to brush your teeth, it’s easy to lose track of time. You may end up rushing the process, especially if you are getting ready to head out to work.
To make sure you hit two minutes, you may want to add a stopwatch app to your routine dental care. That way, you won’t shortchange your teeth brushing each day.
2. Get a Better Brush
Sometimes, the problems with routine teeth brushing have nothing to do with the routine. Sometimes, the issue is with the toothbrush itself.
It may be time to upgrade your brush to something better. Make sure you pick out a brush approved by the American Dental Association. And in this case, size does matter: make sure the handle is comfortable in your hand, and the brush head is comfortable in your mouth.
Are you willing to splurge a bit on your dental care? In that case, you may want to invest in an electric toothbrush. While the price is a bit hefty, it does a much better job of brushing your teeth than a standard brush.
3. Brush the Right Areas
When brushing, many people focus on the front of their teeth. However, this is not the area that usually develops cavities. Instead, cavities occur when food gets stuck inside the places that you chew.
Because of that, you should focus on all chewing surfaces, including the front, back, and bottom of each tooth in your mouth. It’s also important to brush along the gumline because this is where plaque tends to end up.
Speaking of your gums, it’s good to brush them as well as your tongue and other areas of your mouth. Not only does this help to clear the bacteria out, but it also gives you fresher breath.
4. Replace Those Old Brushes
Earlier, we touched on the fact that it may be time to replace your old brush. But do you know how long you should use a brush before replacing it?
At the bare minimum, you should replace old brushes every three months. However, if the bristles start looking frayed or worn, you should replace the brush sooner rather than later.
If you do end up investing in an electric toothbrush, most of those come with replaceable heads. This allows you to simply change out the head rather than replace an entire expensive brush!
5. Don’t Brush After Eating/Drinking Anything Acidic
Normally, it doesn’t matter what you eat or drink before brushing your teeth. There is one exception to this, though: you shouldn’t brush after eating or drinking anything with a high acid content. This includes red wine, carbonated sodas, and various citrus fruits and juices.
This doesn’t mean you must avoid these foods and drinks. It just means you should wait at least an hour after consuming them before you brush your teeth.
Why is that, though? Simple: brushing right after consuming something acidic can break down your teeth’s enamel. Considering that enamel cannot be replaced, brushing after consuming something acidic means you’ll need to find a good local dentist sooner rather than later.
6. Brushing Your Teeth: Change Up Your Brushing Patterns
Here’s an interesting fact: you are far less likely to develop cavities in the areas you brush on a frequent basis. Instead, cavities are likelier to occur in parts of your mouth that you accidentally overlook.
One way to keep that from happening is to change up your brushing patterns from time to time. For example, consider starting in a different position each time. And if you brush in a typical pattern (say, clockwise around the mouth), try going in different directions from time to time.
Changing up your brushing patterns can make the process a little less boring. And best of all, it means you are less likely to overlook any areas when you brush your teeth.
7. Clean That Brush
What if you followed all of our tips above and still developed tooth decay? That’s exactly what can happen if you don’t clean your toothbrush on a regular basis!
The whole purpose of your toothbrush is to help remove bacteria from your mouth. However, if you brush again without properly cleaning the brush, you may end up spreading more harmful bacteria around the interior of your mouth.
A simple way to keep your brush clean is to thoroughly rinse it off after each use. You should also store the brush upright rather than lay it in front of the sink, where it may get even dirtier.
Keep in mind that replacing your brush often enough, also helps keep things clean. Conversely, not throwing out your old brushes on time means they may be both dirty and ineffective.
Get the Best Dental Care Today!
Now you know the best tips for brushing your teeth the right way. But if you still encounter dental issues, do you know who you can rely on?
Here at Webster Family Dental, we specialize in keeping your mouth clean and healthy. To discover more about what we can do for you and your family, all you have to do is contact us today!