Your pearly whites are your first introduction to anyone, well except you don’t speak! Even if you do not speak, you smile, don’t you? The appearance of your teeth, and your general oral hygiene can either reflect favourably or not-so-favourably on you, and as the adage goes “You do not have a second chance to make a first impression.” So, it’s important that we get it right from the get-go, wouldn’t you agree?
Let’s start with the basics, and progress from there.
How Do You Brush Your Teeth?
Perhaps you:
- Just brush your teeth in circles
- Put the toothbrush in your mouth and just scrub randomly for a couple of minutes, then rinse!
What the Experts Say
Brushing is not simply a scrubbing motion – it does not involve scrubbing back and forth. The best technique for brushing is to:
- Hold your toothbrush at an angle of 45° (this might be a bit tricky!), move back and forth, and gently sweep down.
- Start with the back and outside, the front, upper right and upper left sides – this motion should be a gentle sweeping, NOT scrubbing. Do this until the 45° angle goes all the way round. Don’t also forget the areas on the inside of your teeth too.
- Brush your palate also (the roof of your mouth). This may tickle a bit at first, but if it’s done frequently this sensation will go away.
- Ensure to brush your tongue too especially the back part, because food particles can also be trapped in the grooves of the tongue. A clean tongue is usually pink, that’s how you know.y
Should You Brush Really Hard For a Clean Teeth?
No, you shouldn’t. Reason is that:
- Scrubbing real hard can damage the enamel of your teeth.
- It can also cause the gum fibres that connect where the tooth meets the gum to recede, causing gum recession.
- There is no need to scrub hard back and forth at the gum line, go gently toward the gum at a 45° angle and sweep down.
How Long Should You Brush?
- Brushing for 2 minutes is sufficient
- Brushing twice a day – morning and night – is generally sufficient. But, you can also brush after you’ve had a sticky, and sugary meal.
What About Electronic Brushes?
They do not make your teeth any cleaner than manual brushes. They are only helpful for those who have special needs, have trouble handling a toothbrush in their mouth, and for those who do not enjoy brushing manually.
Do not the words of the wise man ring true when he said “If you are true to your teeth, they will never be false to you!”
Watch the video here
