Most people tend to spend very little time on brushing their teeth. They basically squirt on some toothpaste and scrub back and forth. But if you closely listen to your dentist, how you brush your teeth is an important deal.
Brushing plays a crucial role in removing plaque, that causes tooth decay and gum diseases. The thing is, you’re probably aware of this fact but still not brushing correctly or as frequently as necessary.
The basic requirement is- brushing twice a day for at least 2 minutes. However, most people only manage to brush their teeth hurriedly, while being distracted or in middle of some pressing task.
The Airlie Smile Care team infers that the time you take to brush your teeth is just a small part of the things you need to follow to have a clean and healthy oral health.
Let’s delve into the intricacies.
Tools required for the trade
Dr Cormac Farrell at Airlie Smile Care recommends you use a soft-bristled toothbrush equipped with a flexible neck and small head as these variants are best suited to remove debris and plaque from your teeth effectively.
You can also opt for a powered toothbrush if your hand mobility is limited. In such cases, you also enjoy the advantage of programming them to function for 2 minutes. However, if you are still not sure, it’s best to check in with your dentist.
Dr Cormac Farrell also advises you to replace your brush whenever the bristles start spreading apart, or in normal cases, every 3 months.
Choosing the right toothpaste
With so many options available in the market, we recommend going for the one containing fluoride. Fluoride strengthens teeth, increasing their resistive power against acids and sugar, subsequently mitigating decay. It also works wonders in healing or reversing early decay. However, again it’s best to consult your dentist as they will be more equipped to understand what type of toothpaste suits you the most.
Perfect Timing
Airlie Smile Care’s mantra for you – brush your teeth for a minimum of 2 minutes every morning and night and spend roughly 30 seconds concentrating on each quadrant. Here’s a secret, fire up your music player and play your favorite songs. All you need to do is make sure you brush until the end of the song.
Brushing Techniques
Here’s what you need to do:
Start systematically cleaning from the back of your mouth, placing the toothbrush bristle on a 45° angle to the gumline. Gently brush in a circular motion, as scrubbing too hard might cause the gums to recede. This will also create the risk of damaging the enamel of your teeth.
Make sure to cover every part of your teeth, including the inner and outer chewing surfaces. Another important part is the inner areas of the front of your teeth, which we tend to miss out often.
Our hygienist, Carolyne Garland, advises you to also brush your tongue, as it effectively reduces the bacteria count in your mouth and aids in creating a fresh breath. Just place the bristles on your tongue and scrape gently.
Pro tip: After you have completed brushing, try to spit out the toothpaste instead of rinsing it off completely with water. Toothpastes offer a mini-fluoride treatment and leaving some of it on your teeth will only result in a continuous protection.
Airlie Smile Care is the answer to your tooth problems and strive to provide a service like none other! Get in touch today at 0749467600!
You don’t need to brush all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep.
