Brushing My Teeth: Tips and Techniques to Keeping Your Smile Perfect and White

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Your dental care is an extremely important part of your overall health and hygiene. A clean mouth is one of the first safeguards against infection and disease. Brushing your teeth properly is a crucial factor that influences oral hygiene.

In this article, you will learn each of the steps to brushing your teeth well to keep your smile white and your body healthy.

Brushing Basics: What You Need

The first step to proper brushing is having the correct tools to brush with. This may seem elementary, but having the wrong toothbrush or toothpaste could make all the difference.

Toothbrush

Toothbrushes come in all shapes and sizes, and it can be confusing to navigate through the firmness of the bristles, the contours of the handles and whether you should be using a standard toothbrush or an electric. 

We suggest using a toothbrush most conducive to reaching and polishing each tooth. For most, the difference between a standard toothbrush and an electric is one of preference. The standard brush may be more familiar and cost-efficient. However, the electric brush may be easier to use, as it does much of the tedious brushing for you.

When it comes to the firmness of your toothbrush, we suggest using softer, gentler bristles. Your teeth and gums are sensitive, and can be damaged by overly-rigid bristles.

Toothpaste

This is your actual cleaning agent. Similar to the variety you will find with toothbrushes, there is an equal diversity of toothpaste in the market. 

We suggest using a toothpaste with fluoride in it. Fluoride not only helps clean your teeth; it also helps strengthen and protect them from bacteria build up and tooth decay.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash is a key ingredient to one’s oral hygiene, with powerful antibacterial solutions that help kill germs and prevent gum disease.

Proper Brushing Procedures and Techniques With a Standard Toothbrush

When using a standard toothbrush, follow these steps to brush your teeth correctly:

  1. Rinse your toothbrush with water.
  2. Add a pea-sized dollop of toothpaste to the head of your brush.
  3. Insert the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and gently brush the gum line and each tooth in a circular motion.
    1. Pro Tip: Make sure to cover the entire front surface area of the tooth.
    2. Pro Tip: Make sure you reach all of your back molars.
    3. Pro Tip: Apply light pressure to the head of your toothbrush.
  4. Continue your short, circular strokes over the chewing surfaces of your teeth, including the back molars.
  5. Flip the toothbrush upside down to brush the back (inside surfaces) of your teeth.
  6. Once every surface of every tooth has been brushed and polished, brush your tongue and the walls of your cheeks.
  7. Spit ALL water, toothpaste and saliva out.
  8. Rinse your mouth with about 20ml of mouthwash, by swishing for 30 seconds.
  9. Spit mouthwash into the sink.
  10. Rinse your mouth with water.

Dentists recommend that you brush for 2-3 minutes.

Brushing Procedures and Techniques With an Electric Toothbrush

When brushing your teeth with an electric brush, the same steps apply as brushing with a standard brush.

In this case, the best technique for brushing with an electric toothbrush is to allow the brush to do all the work, while you focus on guiding the brush head over the gums and surfaces of each tooth.

Brushing Procedures and Techniques with Braces

Braces obviously create a new obstacle to properly cleaning your teeth. Fortunately, brushing with braces is actually a lot easier than it might seem.

  1. Prep your braces for brushing by removing any rubber bands or other removables from your braces.
    1. Pro Tip: Rinse and clean these objects as directed by the individual product instructions before replacing back in mouth
  2. Gently brush your teeth around the braces by angling the brush under the wires and around the pins.
    1. Pro Tip: Use up and down / back and forth motions as you brush. Avoid circular motions.
    2. Pro Tip: Focus on gently brushing your gums and gum line.
  3. Brush the actual wires and braces with very light pressure. 
  4. After brushing every tooth, brush your tongue.
  5. Spit out all remaining toothpaste and saliva and swish with mouthwash as normal.
  6. Rinse mouth with water.

Improve Your Oral Hygiene Today

A clean mouth can positively affect your overall health. That’s why your oral hygiene should be one of your greatest health priorities. To maintain strong oral health, visit Summer Dental in Las Vegas every six months for a thorough cleaning and examination. Same day appointments are available today by calling (702) 852-2829.

 

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