Brush, paste and understanding how to brush your teeth properly will help you improve your smile and dental health.
In addition, it is not only about the teeth, but also about the health of the whole body.
Why is it important to brush your teeth?
Every time you eat or drink, food particles can stick to your teeth and gums. Debris and bacteria turn into a sticky film called plaque. If it is left on the teeth for too long, it becomes calcified.
Hardened plaque is called tartar and cannot be removed with a toothbrush. Inside tartar are bacteria that secrete acids that lead to caries and destroy tooth enamel. A kind of “tunnel” is formed in the middle of the tooth to the nerve and jawbone. From there, the bacteria can travel to other parts of your body, including the brain, heart, and lungs.
Bacteria associated with plaque can also irritate and infect the gums and jawbone, leading to tooth loss.
In addition, poor dental health is linked to diseases such as hypertension, heart problems, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and pneumonia.
How to choose a good toothbrush
Currently, there is a very large selection of toothbrushes in stores: from simple plastic sticks with bristles to high-tech tools that rotate or vibrate.
However, you should not expect that a “smart” expensive toothbrush will do all the work for you. If you don’t know how to brush your teeth, you will miss plaque even with an electric toothbrush.
Buy a toothbrush that you like and that you will be happy to use regularly. If your gums are sensitive, you’ll want a soft brush that won’t cause irritation. If you don’t have gum problems, you can use a brush of medium hardness.
Change your toothbrush every few months. If the bristles on the brush look worn and no longer stay upright, or your teeth don’t look clean after brushing, it’s time to buy a new brush.
If you’re choosing a modern electric toothbrush, check the settings to make sure they’re comfortable before you buy.
Use the correct brushing technique
No matter which toothbrush you use, brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Fluoride protects teeth from caries. However, very young children should not brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste.
It is also advisable to use dental floss and brushes for interdental spaces before or after each cleaning.
It is recommended to brush your teeth for 3 minutes. The mouth can be conventionally divided into 4 sections: left upper teeth, left lower teeth, right upper teeth and right lower teeth. Allocate approximately 30 seconds for each section. Do not forget to also clean the tongue, which collects a lot of bacteria.
Wet the brush with water, squeeze a little toothpaste on it, about the size of a pea, and for children – a grain of rice.
When cleaning, the brush should be tilted at an angle of 45 degrees. The bristles should be directed towards the gums, where they come into contact with the teeth and where plaque accumulates.
Thoroughly, but with gentle movements, clean the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of the teeth.
After cleaning, you should rinse your mouth and brush with water.
How to brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush
Brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush is a little different because the brush head rotates or vibrates on its own.
Start brushing your teeth with an electric brush from the back of the lower row. Polish each tooth with light pressure.
How to brush teeth with braces
Brushing your teeth with braces is easy enough, but it does require a few extra steps. Begin by removing any elastics or removable parts of the braces. They should be washed before wearing braces again.
- Clean carefully around the braces and under the arch.
- Clean the wires of the braces so that they are free of food particles that can cause plaque or bacteria to build up.
- Brush your teeth as usual, moving from one side of your mouth to the other and spending at least 3 minutes brushing.
How to brush your teeth after tooth extraction
After removing a tooth, particularly a wisdom tooth, several additional precautions must be taken when cleaning:
- brush your teeth more carefully than usual;
- bypass the place where your tooth was removed;
- do your best not to dislodge the blood clot or damage the sutures at the removal site.
- in no case should you rinse your mouth on the day of tooth extraction to avoid dislodging the thrombus.
How to brush children’s teeth
Baby teeth can begin to decay as soon as they emerge from the gum line, so it’s important to teach children good dental habits.
Here are some tips on how to brush children’s teeth:
- use a soft children’s toothbrush;
- slowly brush the back, front and sides of the child’s teeth;
- brush the gums where the teeth have not yet appeared;
- be sure to clean the child’s tongue;
- will teach the child to rinse the mouth and spit out the toothpaste.
We can say with confidence that there are no circumstances in life to skip brushing your teeth. A toothbrush and toothpaste can be used in various conditions and always be with you: at home, on a business trip or on vacation. Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least 3 minutes should be your daily habit.
If you want your smile to be perfectly snow-white, the Yarema Dental clinic in Kyiv can offer you safe and painless professional teeth cleaning and whitening.