How to brush your teeth properly

Here are some “do’s and don’ts” tooth brushing tips to help you.

• Do brush first thing in the morning and last thing before bed.
• Don’t use your toothbrush for more than two months’.
• Do brush the inside and outside of your teeth equally well.
• Don’t miss the gum line when you clean.
• Do use an electric tooth brush, or make a small circular motion with your manual brush.
• Don’t scrub your teeth!
• Do see your dentist if you suffer from bleeding when you brush.

We all tend to make the same mistakes when we brush our teeth, firstly we tend to neglect the surfaces of the teeth that we cannot see when we smile – make sure you focus on brushing all of the tooth surfaces, to the back of the mouth. We also forget to brush the gum line, bacteria likes to live in the crevice of the gum line and we must brush this away.

Many of us tend to brush after breakfast, we should however brush before eating, as acid produced after eating will soften the enamel – brushing whilst your enamel is soft will lead to increased acid erosion. We must also remember, plaque bacteria is sticky and we need a rigid straight bristle to remove it, your tooth brush head will need replacing every two months’.

If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, it means that your gums are infected with bacteria. Do visit our Dentists or Hygienists for an examination and a professional cleaning. Effective oral hygiene is paramount to maintaining a clean, fresh and healthy mouth.