You’ve Been Brushing Your Teeth Wrong Your Entire Life… But Here’s How You Should Be Doing it

Brushing your teeth is such an important part of your daily routine that often times we take it for granted.

The way you were taught to brush your teeth when you were a kid is probably the way you still do it as an adult. However, you might have been taught the wrong way! 

This means, that for all these years, you’ve probably been brushing your teeth

wrong.

According to some dentists there is a write and a wrong way when it comes to brushing your teeth.

These top 10 tips will ensure you’re always doing it correctly from now on.

1. You aren’t keeping your toothbrush clean

Make sure to clean the brush very well after you’ve finished brushing your teeth. This ensures that as many bacteria as possible are removed from the brush itself.

Think of your toothbrush as a cleaning tool, just like a mop, you wash it

after you’ve used it and the same should apply to your toothbrush.

You wouldn’t use a dirty mop to wash your floors, so you shouldn’t use an

unkempt toothbrush to clean your teeth.

2. You’re brushing your teeth too hard

Often it’s believed that brushing your teeth extra hard will help remove all

the dirt from in between each tooth, but it can actually cause damage.

According to WebMD, brushing too hard wears down enamel and tears your gums,

so avoid doing this.

3. You’re brushing your teeth too lightly

And on the flip side of brushing too hard, some people only lightly touch

their teeth with the toothbrush, which is not enough to keep them clean.

If you can still see plaque or any gunk after, you haven’t brushed thoroughly

enough.

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4. You brush for too long or too much

Although there’s a common belief that you can never brush your teeth too much,

this is actually a myth and over brushing can be just as bad as brushing too

hard.

Experts recommend you brush your teeth no more than three times a day and you

should only do this for two minutes at a time.

5. You brush your teeth right after eating

If you have been brushing your teeth right after finishing meals, chances are your teeth enamel may have partially worn off. Many people think that brushing after meals is the right way to go about it, but the truth is, the acid in your food eats away your enamel faster if you brush right after eating or drinking beverages.

According to WebMD, you should be waiting at least 30 minutes after eating or

the acids in the food you ate will eat at your enamel.

6. You’re not brushing in the right direction

Most people brush side to side or even in circles. However, experts suggest you actually brush in short up and down strokes.

Brushing from side to side does seem like the right thing to do to get an even

coverage of your mouth, but experts suggest otherwise.

Instead, they advise people to brush up and down in short strokes and to tilt

your brush at a 45-degree angle towards your gums.

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7. You’re using the wrong toothpaste

Toothpastes with whitening agents are not a solution to whiter teeth. Their composition can be too harsh on your gums. It’s better to avoid these completely and choose a fluoride-based toothpaste instead. You can try teeth whitening if you want whiter teeth.

If you’re looking to have whiter teeth then whitening toothpastes are not the

solution as they’re too harsh for your gums.

Instead, choose a fluoride toothpaste and ensure you regularly brush all those

hard to reach places.

8. You leave your toothbrush exposed

Although it’s commonplace to leave your toothbrush in a glass on the side of

the sink, this is exposing it lots of nasty particles.

For instance, every time you flush your toilet, if your toothbrush is nearby

it will be getting covered by dirty particles from what was in there.

9. You’re brushing with an old toothbrush

Using an old toothbrush is not beneficial to you and a way to tell if yours

needs replacing is by looking at the bristles.

Bristles become frayed and worn over time, which makes them less effective at cleaning and potentially more damaging to the teeth. Plus, cracked or broken bristles are havens for bacteria.

ADA suggests getting a new one every three or four months.

10. You don’t brush your tongue

Most people might not realise, but your tongue and cheeks are just as

important as your teeth.

Your tongue is actually one of the biggest sources of bad breath on account of all the microbes and food debris that get stuck on it. Get that gunk off. According to the ADA, studies have shown that just brushing your tongue can reduce bad breath by as much as 70 percent. 

So, it’s important to give your cheeks and tongue as much attention as you

teeth.

Source: thesun

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