Are You Making These Mistakes When Brushing Your Teeth?

To maintain your healthy smile, be sure to practice good daily oral hygiene. At Long Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we encourage eating a balanced diet and attending all bi-annual dental checkups in College Station, Texas along with a strong daily oral hygiene routine to promote your healthiest smile.

Today we’re going to review the brushing mistakes you should avoid when cleaning your teeth, such as:

• No matter what kind of toothbrush you prefer, manual or powered, don’t use a hard-bristled head. Choose a soft-bristled brush to loosen oral debris and plaque from beneath the gums and your pearly whites. Using a small toothbrush head instead of a large one will also fit better in your mouth, especially when trying to reach the molars in the back.
• Are you keeping your toothbrush around longer than 3-4 months? Don’t! Brushes are only as effective as the condition of their bristles, so replace your toothbrush when the bristles start fraying or lose their shape.
• Avoid scouring your teeth and gums when you clean. Hard brushing damages soft gum tissue and wears down tooth enamel. Aim to massage your teeth instead to remove oral debris and dental plaque.
• Don’t rush your brushing time. Brush for at least two minutes, 2-3 times daily.
• Sharing your toothbrush is a no-no. To avoid contamination, your toothbrush is for you only, and be sure to store it upright to air dry in between uses. This helps limit bacterial growth and mold.
• Brushing from left to right is not ideal. Work your brush up and down, using tiny, circular motions and start at the gumline. Clean all your tooth surfaces, back, top and front, angling your toothbrush.
• Start by holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gumline and moving on from get rid of bacteria in the gum crevices. Bacteria tend to hang around on your tongue too so finish by brushing your tongue from back to front and rinsing well.
• Brushing right after you eat can harm your tooth enamel after eating acidic foods. It is preferable to wait 15-20 minutes after eating so that the saliva can neutralize the acids beforehand. If you just can’t wait, rinse your mouth with water first to dilute the acids before you commence brushing.

And finally, at least once a day, do the big three–brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash to rid your mouth of bacterial accumulation.

To schedule your next dental examination, we invite you to call 979-846-0082. Our dentist, Dr. Parker Long, and our dental team look forward to helping you create the beautiful smile you deserve!