How to Brush Your Teeth Properly

Brush at Least Twice a Day

No matter how poor your current brushing technique might be, you need to go at it at least twice a day to keep your teeth in top shape. Ideally, you would brush after every meal, but most people frown upon the idea of taking a toothbrush to work and having a scrub in the employee washroom. Despite the best marketing campaigns by Colgate and Crest, the toothpaste you use can vary widely. In fact, there is growing evidence that you may want to avoid fluoride toothpastes altogether, or you could always make your own at home. Some scientists believe that the overall affects of fluoride on the body can be overwhelmingly negative and far outweigh the benefits to your teeth. You probably also want to go with a toothpaste that has been approved by your local dental association, but you don't need one with the sparkles, bright colours or authentic bacon flavour.

Know Thy Brush

Before you lift brush to mouth, you want to make sure that you are using a soft bristled brush. In fact, every dentist since the beginning of time has told every patient they have ever had that they should use soft bristled brushes, so it remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time as to why toothbrushes even come in any other style. Using a hard bristled brush can result in microscopic cuts, scrapes and abrasions on your gums which can hurt like the Dickens and also get infected.

Toothpastes contain abrasives, detergents, and foaming agents. Fluoride, the most common active ingredient in toothpaste, is what prevents cavities. So you should always be sure your toothpaste contains fluoride.

About 1 person in 10 has a tendency to accumulate tartar quickly. Tartar is plaque in a hardened form that is more damaging and difficult to remove. Using anti-tartar toothpastes and mouthwashes, as well as spending extra time brushing the teeth near the salivary glands (the inside of the lower front teeth and the outside of the upper back teeth) may slow the development of new tartar.

Place the head of your toothbrush against your teeth, then tilt the bristle tips to a 45 degree angle against the gum line. Move the brush in small circular movements, several times, on all the surfaces of every tooth.

Brush the outer surfaces of each tooth, upper and lower, keeping the bristles angled against the gum line.

Use the same method on the inside surfaces of all your teeth.

Brush the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several small circular strokes with the toe (the front part) of the brush.

Brushing your tongue will freshen your breath and clean your mouth by removing bacteria.