Are you worried that your brushing technique isn’t very effective? If you find that plaque is constantly building up or that your teeth are getting stained, it is best to act sooner rather than later – so they aren’t permanently damaged.
Improving your brushing technique may seem difficult at first, but there are actually a few simple yet essential tips that you should start with:
- Keep track of the time that you spend brushing
Ideally you should spend at least 2 to 3 minutes brushing your teeth, and if you are spending less than that odds are you aren’t being thorough. By keeping track of the time that is spent brushing, you can make a conscious effort to be more thorough.
All that you need to do is set a timer on your smartphone (or just use an egg timer if you have one). If you are spending less than 2 minutes, try to evaluate whether you are covering all the key tooth areas – and maybe add in extra strokes for each area.
- Brush the front and back of your teeth using a circular motion
One of the most important brushing techniques that you should try to use is using small circular motion to brush the frontal and rear surfaces of your teeth. It is far better than using a back-and-forth motion that runs the risk of damaging your gums.
Try to move your brush in small circles or ellipses that cover 2 or 3 teeth and repeat the stroke several times over each tooth. That will ensure that most of the plaque and food particles are removed from your teeth.
- Angle the brush at 45-degrees near the gums
People often tend to be less thorough when brushing the area near their gums, and the technique that you use can make a big difference. The best way to make sure you get plaque out from near the gums is to angle your brush at a 45-degree angle when brushing near them.
- Brush your tongue (and clean other areas of your mouth)
It may seem counterintuitive, but cleaning other parts of your mouth can help keep your teeth clean too – as it will get rid of bacteria that is building up in those areas.
To be more specific you should get into the habit of brushing your tongue a little to remove bacteria that is accumulating there. Additionally using antibacterial mouthwash to rinse after you brush can help take care of bacteria in the rest of your mouth.
If you find that you consistently have issues brushing your teeth, try consulting London dentists in Harley Street or near your location. During your checkup a dentist will be able to identify any potential issues and provide you with more specific advice on how to improve your brushing technique.
At the end of the day the sooner you start to improve your technique, the better off that you’ll be. Once it becomes habitual, you should find it much easier to keep your teeth clean.