What if I tell you that even though you brush your teeth regularly, may you be doing it wrong? According to one study, only 1 in 10 people may be brushing their teeth properly to prevent tooth decay. The secret to a beautiful smile and dental longevity lies in perfecting the art of brushing your teeth. Stay with us to learn more about the subtle nuances and effective techniques of preserving your pearly whites for a long time.
What Is the Importance of Proper Tooth Brushing Techniques?
Knowing how to brush your teeth properly prevents residual food particles from staying in the oral cavity for long periods. Combined with the bacteria, acid, and saliva in the mouth, food residue turns to plaque and eventually solidifies to form calculus. Once formed, calculi may not be cleaned by brushing, leading to enamel damage and the formation of dental caries.
What Are the Tools for Brushing Teeth Properly?
Proper brushing technique with a suitable toothbrush and toothpaste is the best combo for dental hygiene. Dentists advise using dental floss to remove the food particles trapped between the crevices of teeth before proceeding with teeth brushing.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste comes in a gel, paste, or powder form and manually cleans and polishes the teeth and prevents plaque formation.
Fluoride Toothpaste
This is the most widely available and used toothpaste type. It contains extra fluoride and helps in remineralization of the enamel.
Whitening Toothpaste
A whitening toothpaste removes surface stains on the teeth. It contains ingredients like charcoal and mild bleaching agents.
Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth
Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold occurs when the enamel is thin and the underlying dentin is exposed. This toothpaste contains desensitizing ingredients that block nerve endings or form a protective coating around the tooth.
Toothpaste for Tartar Control
Tartar is a hardened plaque also referred to as calculus. Toothpaste that contains pyrophosphates or zinc citrates prevents tartar formation.
Toothbrush
The type of toothbrush is important because using the wrong size, shape, and bristle type may end up causing more harm than good to the teeth and gums. Although there are many types of toothbrushes available (interdental, end-tuft, chewable, mouthpiece, etc.), the two basic types include the:
Manual
This is the standard toothbrush available everywhere. It provides effective dental cleaning, but the force, speed, and direction of brushing are specific to the individual.
Electric
This type of toothbrush is chargeable or battery-operated. The force, speed, and pressure are always constant. Electric toothbrushes cover more surface area and are suitable for people with disabilities as well.
How Many Types of Tooth Brushing Techniques Are There?
There are four types of tooth brushing techniques for proper teeth cleaning, whether you are using a manual or electric toothbrush. These include:
Bass or Sulcular Technique
This technique recommends brushing teeth back and forth or in a circular motion while holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth. Each quadrant is brushed 15 – 20 times. The technique is repeated for the back of the teeth as well.
Circular Brushing
This technique is most suitable for small children. Small circular motions are made with the brush against the tooth surface at a 45-degree angle.
Stillman Brushing Techniques
The Stillman and Bass techniques are quite similar. The only difference is that rather than circular strokes, the toothbrush is moved back and forth in short strokes at a 45-degree angle.
Charter Brushing Technique
The charter brushing technique is only for people with gum recession associated with root exposure or people wearing dentures. The brush is angled downwards, towards the crown of the teeth and not towards the gum.
What Are The Steps of Brushing Teeth Properly?
Follow the following steps to properly brush your teeth and ensure optimum dental health and hygiene:
- Hold the brush against the tooth surface at a 45-degree angle.
- Brush your teeth by dividing the area into quadrants or sections.
- Spend 25-30 seconds in each quadrant or section.
- Make circular motions with the bristles to clean properly.
- Don’t brush too violently or apply excessive pressure.
- Bruch both the front and back of the teeth.
- Brush your teeth two times a day.
- Spend at least 2 minutes to brush your teeth properly.
- Floss before brushing.
- Use a tongue scraper for maximum benefit.
- Keep your oral hygiene tools clean.
What Are Common Mistakes in Tooth Brushing Technique?
The common mistakes that people make while brushing include using the wrong toothbrush, brushing for a short duration, applying too much force, not flossing, not using a tongue scraper, or brushing immediately after eating.
Keep your smile brilliant and your teeth healthy and durable by learning and applying proper brushing techniques.
