Brushing and cleaning your teeth should be a daily occurrence for everyone. But you may wonder whether you are doing it right. It may sound strange but there is right and wrong way to brush your teeth, and this may be the difference to having a healthy smile and one troubled with tooth decay and gum disease.

The key components to brushing your teeth are:

Timing

You should always spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth to ensure that you have thoroughly cleaned away the plaque and bacteria (most adults throughout London and the UK don’t spend anywhere near this amount of time brushing).

Thoroughnes

Make sure you get every single space there is. This is because the hardest places to reach are where the majority of bacterial build up will occur, which can result in erosion. The backs of the teeth are particularly important along with the tongue and roof of your mouth, as these are the areas most people forget.

The gum line

Bacteria congregates on the gum line quite a lot and if left unattended can result in gum disease, bad breath and tooth decay. To avoid sensitivity issues, just brush along the gum line gently at a 45-degree angle.

Use the right brush

Firm bristles aren’t the most effective way of cleaning your teeth and soft bristles are actually much more efficient at removing plaque and food particles that are between your teeth, which could be missed with firmer bristles. A smaller head will also allow you to get into more places than a bigger headed toothbrush.

Do more than brush

You may think that by just using a toothbrush and some toothpaste that you are doing everything in your power to protect your teeth. Think again. Make sure you floss regularly and use mouthwash to clear any bacteria that may be hiding or managed to escape your toothbrush.

If you would like an extra level of clean contact the practice and book a dental hygienist session, which will ensure every inch of your mouth is clean and disease free.