Oral hygiene. It’s something of a buzzword in health articles. That’s because people get busy dealing with other things in their lives that are “more important,” and often neglect dental health. Some people don’t even consider oral hygiene a part of taking good care of their health. Teeth are just teeth, right? Wrong! Our elders didn’t yell at us for not brushing our teeth for no reason! Today’s article will shine some light on the topic and hopefully help you realize the importance of taking good care of your teeth. Also, you will learn how to brush your teeth the correct way!
How to brush your teeth in the correct way?
Okay, before you learn how much time you should spend on your teeth and how often you should brush, let’s find out what your technique should look like. Don’t laugh yet! Did you know that if your brushing technique isn’t correct most of the bacteria will still remain on your teeth after you are done brushing them?
Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s see what the big deal is:
- First of all, you should place your toothbrush so that it makes a 45-degree angle with the gums.
- Remember to work the toothbrush into the spaces between the gums and teeth! The movement should be nice and easy.
- Cover your outer surfaces first, then move to the inner ones and at last, move to your chewing surfaces.
- The insides should be cleaned by tilting your toothbrush and going up and down, slowly!
When you read it like this there is not that much to it, however, brushing your teeth like this does make a significant difference. If you have questions about how to brush your teeth or need any dental guidance give your Chestermere Dentist a call today.
How often should you take care of your oral hygiene and what for?
According to American Dental Association (ADA), you should be brushing your teeth twice a day. They also advise use of fluoride toothpaste. Other dentists advise you to brush your teeth after every meal, meaning at least three times a day. To be honest, it all comes down to what you prefer, however, brushing your teeth too much is not the way to go! By brushing your teeth way too often, you are actually damaging them. Remember, the toothpaste isn’t natural! Although toothpaste can clear bacteria off of our teeth, using it more than you should is dangerous. If you want it precise, 2 – 3 times per day is okay; there is no need for more than that. All of that is good, but why do we need to do it?
Well, after every meal/drink that we have, bacteria are “gathering their troops” on the surfaces of our teeth. If they gather with no interruption for a long period of time, they will secrete acids and byproducts that damage your enamel. This will mean that your teeth will pay the price with cavities and possibly infections.
By brushing your teeth you are removing food that the bacteria can feed on and plaque. Plaque is that white, sticky film that covers your teeth and that contains bacteria.
I hope that you have learned something new after reading this and that you will never overlook your oral hygiene again. Happy brushing!