Ultimate Guide to Brushing Your Teeth Properly | Cheeeese

Most people know the first step to maintaining good oral hygiene is to brush your teeth twice per day. Brushing teeth is one of the things we do every day naturally, like eating and sleeping. However, it’s a common misconception that we know how to properly brush teeth. This happens among adults in many cases. Some do it in the wrong direction, and some do not pay attention to their gums. Brushing teeth with improper techniques might cause gum tissue recession or damage teeth permanently.

Some people have sensitive gums. Some wear braces for a confident smile. Unfortunately, some might need a tooth extraction. It can be pretty challenging for people to properly brush their teeth in any of these situations. For better gum care, types of toothbrushes should also be considered in each case.

We have summarized dentist-recommended techniques here:

Things you should know for better brushing.

·         How enamel and gum tissues work:

As we know, our teeth are protected by a hard substance called enamel. Enamel is an inorganic material—the hardest tissue in our body, covering the tooth’s dentin and forming the outer layer of the tooth’s crown.

As a result, enamel plays an essential role in daily teeth protection from decay. Although it’s the hardest part of human body, enamel can degrade very easily for several factors, from the foods you eat and the liquids you drink to how you brush your teeth.

Unlike other tissues, enamel doesn’t contain nerves, so it can’t regenerate itself when it breaks or chips. So, one of the goals of brushing teeth properly is to prevent enamel loss. Brushing our teeth with the wrong techniques could damage our enamel.

Another major goal of brushing teeth is to reach the gum line as well as the backside of your teeth. Gum, also known as gingiva, is a critical barrier to preventing dental disease in adults. Our gum condition has a direct impact on our dental health. And our dental health is the gateway to our overall (mental and physical) well-being. According to the NHS, gum problems can be the signals of physical health problems, including heart disease and heart attacks, diabetes and its control, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis. That is to say, proper gum care is vital to maintaining your dental and physical health. And remember, taking care of your gums is as important as your enamel.

·         Rinse your mouth with cold water:

Before brushing your teeth, you should rinse your mouth with cold water. It’s better to rinse your mouth with fresh water because salt from the mouth rinses away the bacteria from your teeth. Oral bacteria may cause plaque and early gum diseases. When dental plaque remains on teeth for a prolonged period of time, it forms tartar which may cause many dental issues.

The best way to avoid bacteria remaining on teeth is to rinse your mouth with fresh water after meals.

Furthermore, you shouldn’t brush your teeth immediately after eating. The acids created by food soften the protective layer—enamel. You will brush the enamel away before your body naturally returns the high acid levels to a proper Ph level in your mouth.

Waiting an hour after meals before you brush your teeth is recommended by the American Dental Association.

·         Get rid of bad habits:

Many people, including adults, brush their teeth in the wrong direction, which causes them to never reach the hard-to-reach areas of the teeth, such as the corners of the mouth.

Brushing our teeth with the wrong angles is another common bad habit which most people are unaware of. This may hurt your gums and wear away the enamel on your teeth. A dentist-recommended step-by-step brushing guide will be explained in the following sections.

Getting rid of these bad habits is the first step to maintaining healthy teeth and gums by removing bacteria, plaque, and tartars on your teeth. Brushing your teeth properly helps minimize the risk of tooth loss caused by major dental issues, such as gum diseases and tooth decay.

How to brush your teeth properly with a manual toothbrush?

Brushing our teeth with a manual toothbrush has been a traditional way to prevent dental problems. Here’s the step-by-step guide to brushing your teeth properly:

• Pick the right bristles for your gums. Choose a soft brush head if you have sensitive gums and teeth.
• Rinse your mouth with fresh and cold water.
• Add a small amount of toothpaste onto the brush head.
• Gently start with the upper gum lines cleaning at a 45-degree angle and then the lower gums. Don’t rush yourself, especially when your gums are sensitive.
• Move the bristles to your upper teeth and then the lower teeth from the outer surfaces. Brushing slowly one tooth at a time ensures you won’t miss any spots.
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• Hold your toothbrush with the angle that could best remove the plaque on the teeth of inside and chewing surfaces. Gently brush all inner teeth back and forth.
• Tilt the bristles vertically to brush the inside of your front teeth. This is one of the spots most people would easily miss.
• Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove odor-causing oral bacteria.
• Rinse your toothbrush or sterilize it with a brush head sterilizer to kill odor-causing bacteria on the bristles.
• Floss your teeth at least once per day! This helps remove the food particles left over in the gap of your teeth.

In general, dentists recommend brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes each time. However, if some critical spots need special attention, you may slow it down to fit your needs.   

In addition to the proper brushing techniques, it requires extra attention to every corner of your teeth as a manual toothbrush doesn’t have a smart sensor to tell you where and when you need to brush.

How to brush your teeth properly with an ultrasonic toothbrush?

Firstly, it’s safe to brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Both manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes are effective at plaque removal, which helps reduce the risk of tooth decay and gum diseases.

In general, powered toothbrushes provide more convenience for people with limited mobility or wear dental appliances (braces or spacers). Micro-vibration usually does a better cleaning job on removing food particles, tea of coffee stains, oral bacteria, and dental plaques from your teeth.

Overall, the general brushing guide with an electric toothbrush is the same as a manual toothbrush.

However, there are a few critical things you should know when brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush.

• Choose the right bristles for certain needs before brushing your teeth. For example, choose a soft bristle toothbrush if you have sensitive gums.
• An electric toothbrush’s head rotates or vibrates on its own. Hold it steadily gently start from the bottom row of your teeth. Apply light pressure on one tooth at a time when cleaning stains away from your teeth.
• With a rotating brush head, you need to brush your teeth one by one as it vibrates vertically.

How to brush your teeth properly if you wear braces?

If you are wearing braces, you take care of your teeth. Braces shouldn’t be a barrier to a healthy, confident, and fresh smile. It can be annoying when your oral care routine needs extra work.

For a brighter smile, the following extra care is worth doing:

• Always rinse your mouth with fresh water after eating.
• Take the brushing technique given above as a general guide.
• Choose nonabrasive toothpaste.
• When brushing the outer surfaces of your teeth, you need to be more careful with the angle so that the bristles can thoroughly clean the plaque under the brackets and wires.
• Get yourself a water flosser. Floss every corner of your teeth after brushing, especially where the brackets and wires are attached.
• Use a floss threader and an interdental brush to remove debris.
• Rinse your mouth again.
• Look into a mirror and check if your teeth need any further work.
• Practice your new routine and get used to it!

How to brush your teeth properly after tooth extraction?

It’s not recommended to brush your teeth the first 24 hours after tooth extraction. However, you shouldn’t skip your dental care.

There’re a few things you can do:

• Avoid sour, spicy, chewy, sticky foods, or snacks. Instead, choose soft foods in the first few days.
• Clean your mouth with warm saltwater: It kills oral bacteria and relieves pain. You shouldn’t swish water as it could rinse away the clot. The safe option is to leave the saltwater in your mouth for a while and then carefully pour it out of your mouth.
• Floss your teeth with a floss threader.
• Remove plaque with an interdental brush.

Pick up your daily brushing routine the next day:

• Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater.
• Use a floss threader and an interdental brush.
• Brush your teeth with extra care.
• Don’t let the bristles get close to the extraction areas.

Key Takeaways:

The protective layer—enamel—won’t regenerate itself, so it is vital to take care of this barrier.

Gum health is a significant indicator of your overall wellness. Therefore, gum care shouldn’t be ignored in your daily oral care routine.

Brushing your teeth properly, including choosing the right toothbrush, is the best way to prevent tooth loss from tooth decay and gum problems.