Have you been doing it wrong?

Brushing twice a day is important to remove plaque and keep your gums and teeth healthy.

It’s equally important to know how to brush your teeth, how long to brush for, how much force you use and what type of toothbrush you use not only to ensure efficient cleaning but also to avoid trauma to your teeth and gums.

Brushing twice daily spending half a minute on each quadrant is usually enough to get the best results. Two minutes out of our busy schedule every day and night is all it takes to keep the pearly whites clean and healthy. Listening to a two minutes song of your liking is a good way to monitor your brushing time.

The correct technique is equally important to utilise your two minutes efficiently. If you use an electric toothbrush its important to let the brush do the work while you try your best to reach all accessible surfaces of your teeth. Try to follow the shape of your gums and teeth by moving the brush head slowly. Try to avoid scrubbing back and forth vigorously in an effort to finish quickly or thinking you may be cleaning better.

With a manual toothbrush, you only need to express a pea-sized toothpaste with mild pressure. It’s important not to use too much force as it can cause gum trauma with recession or tooth trauma causing sensitivity. Please remember excessive forces during brushing can damage your teeth and gums causing sensitivity. Use a gentle circular motion with your toothbrush at a 45° angle directed towards the gums for cleaning the tooth along with gentle massage of gums to maintain optimal health.

Which Toothbrush is best and when to change it?

It’s important to use a toothbrush that cleans effectively without traumatizing your teeth and gums. A soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head and a flexible neck is all you need. If you see that the bristles of your toothbrush are starting to fray or showing signs of wear it’s a good indication that it is time for a change. Either that or changing your toothbrush every three months is a good guideline as well. It is important to know that it is ill advisable to share your toothbrush with others as your toothbrush can sometimes harbour germs of previous illnesses and communicable diseases.

If you have braces

It’s recommended that you brush after every meal, preferably using a toothbrush with a soft head to regularly clean away the food debris and plaque that can accumulate in the brackets.