The Best Way To Brush Your Teeth

The Best Way To Brush Your Teeth

We hardly go a day without seeing a patient who is damaging their teeth and gums by brushing way too hard. Some dentists report that as many as two out of three patients brush their teeth far too hard. This problem is compounded with stiff bristled toothbrushes. Over time, this can cause some very serious periodontal problems including gum disease and sensitive teeth. It is because of this that we think it is necessary to talk about the best way to brush your teeth.

What happens is that people think that if they brush hard that they are doing a more efficient job of cleaning their teeth. But the fact is that overzealous brushing can cause severe damage
to the periodontal tissues and bones that support your teeth. Think of it is this way, if you were to do that to the back of your hand, you could take off your skin.

So here is the best way to brush your teeth. We suggest a soft toothbrush that has rounded bristles which are far less abrasive to the teeth. It is also important how you hold your toothbrush. You do not want to hold it with your fist but rather between the thumb and the forefinger. Also, you do not want to scrub your teeth with horizontal back and forth motions.

Instead of that, you will want to start at the gum line and angle the brush at a 45-degree angle brushing both the teeth and the gums. Push hard enough to get the bristles under the gum line but not so hard as to have the bristles flare out. Also, keep in mind that toothpaste is very abrasive so use no more than a pea size.

The idea is to brush longer not harder. Keep in mind that it takes 3 to 5 minutes of brushing to effectively remove plaque. Brush at least twice a day.