Tooth Talk with Brinkley Dental Group – Technique, Timing and Your Teeth

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Despite all the blogs we’ve done it recently occurred to us that actually addressing the issue of HOW to brush your teeth has never been discussed. Is there a “how?” You betcha! Just like with many other areas of life, there’s a right and a wrong way to get something done and when it comes to brushing teeth “Yes Virginia…” it does make a difference.

Let’s start by being clear that any brushing is better than no brushing at all. Trying to round up small children, lead them to water and encourage brushing, any brushing at all, can be a difficult task. We applaud your efforts and encourage you to keep at it! Forming lifetime positive oral hygiene habits is the goal and focusing on technique can develop along the way. If however, you are past that formative stage and now looking to ensure you are getting the job done right, here are some helpful tips:

First, make sure you have the right toothbrush for the job. Bristles come in “soft,” “medium” and “firm.”  A soft-bristle brush will get the job done just fine. Remember toothpaste is already an abrasive and using a hard-bristled brush too vigorously could actually lead to damage of teeth and gums. You might be scratching away at enamel not just plaque. For most, a soft-bristle brush is the least abrasive.

Next, you want to work on actual technique. Do you brush “up and down” or “side to side?” Are you sweeping across your front teeth and jabbing forcefully at the back molars? Here is what you should be doing. You probably already know that you should be brushing teeth for two minutes. Yes, two minutes! While doing so, you want to hold the brush at a 45 degree angle and start at the gum lime, sweep the brush either up (lower teeth) or down (upper teeth) in a motion that sweeps debris away from the gum line. You want to concentrate on each tooth and be gentle as you do so. Be sure to focus on both the outside of your teeth and then the inside. When you have done this, go over the surface of your teeth gently in a circular motion (again, upper and lower) to give them a final touch up. If it won’t make you gag and/or you suffer from halitosis, give your tongue a brush too. Don’t forget to rinse and floss for overall excellent results.

If you are looking for ongoing support in helping both you and your family develop great oral hygiene habits, consider giving our friendly staff a call. Brinkley Dental is located in north Brampton and caters to Brampton, Caledon and the surrounding communities. We are a full service Dental office and our team is ready and waiting to meet you. Thanks for stopping by our site – now come visit us in person! Finally, as always we remind you, ”don’t forget to be a BFF with your mouth and Brush that SMILE!”

 

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