Toothbrushing Mistakes – Toothbrushing is a simple personal hygiene but many people are still mistakes in doing this.
From childhood, at home and in school, parents and teachers have been teaching kids how to brush their teeth. Then, dentists help in taking care of your teeth. However, there are still common mistakes being made and some might have no idea that they are doing this in the wrong way.
Here are the things you should remember in order to avoid toothbrushing mistakes, based on the article in The Healthy.
Make it two minutes
Toothbrushing should take two minutes. “Brushing for a minimum of two minutes will make sure that all surfaces are covered and that the fluoride has a chance to coat the enamel,” Robert Crim, DDS, chief dental officer at Smile Brands, in Irvine, California, said. Be sure to maximize the effect of your fluoride toothpaste.
Use fluoride
Flouride is like the armor of your teeth. It helps strengthen tooth enamel and improve protection against decay. Here are the ways you can get fluoride:
- Drink plenty of fluoridated water
- Brush for two minutes, twice a day, with fluoride toothpaste
- Rinse after brushing with fluoride mouthwash
- Talk to your dentist about fluoride treatment and dental sealants
Don’t rinse, just spit
Don’t rinse after brushing for up to 30 minutes to maximize toothpaste’s fluoride benefits.
“Since we produce less saliva at night, and thus have less protection from acid-producing bacteria, residual fluoride left on your teeth from brushing will maximize tooth decay fighting benefits while you sleep,” Greg Gelfand, DDS, a New York City-based dentist, said.
Floss first
The best routine is to floss first, then brush. Having this routine, it was found that there was a reduction in interdental and whole plaque more than the brush-floss group
Use mouthwash
It is recommended that adults use a fluoride mouthwash and children chew fluoride vitamins. However, make sure that you clean your teeth first before using mouthwash. “If the teeth are not cleaned with the proper technique and frequency, the rinses won’t help the way they are designed to,” Port Jervis, New York-based dentist Seth Horn, DMD, said.