Tips for Brushing

October 7, 2015

Brushing your teeth and gums should be done at least twice a day.
Ideally the recommendation is to brush about 30 minutes after every meal. This is to ensure that there are no acids in the mouth which would actually damage your enamel if you brush, but also remove any food particles that are remaining.

After about 24 hours, plaque on your teeth reaches a thickness level which starts to create acids when it comes into contact with sugar. This acid is what causes ‘holes’ or cavities in your teeth.

Basics of how to brush

  • Place a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste on the head of the toothbrush. (Use a soft toothbrush.)
  • Place the toothbrush against the teeth at a 45-degree angle to the gum line.
  • Move the brush across the teeth using a small circular motion. Continue with this motion cleaning one tooth at a time. Keep the tips of the bristles against the gum line. Avoid pressing so hard that the bristles lie flat against the teeth. (Only the tips of the toothbrush clean the teeth.) Let the bristles reach into spaces between teeth.
  • Brush across the top of the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Make sure the bristles get into the groves and crevices.
  • Use the same small circular motion to clean the backs of the upper and lower teeth — the side that faces the tongue.
  • To clean the inside of the bottom front teeth, angle the head in an up-and-down position toward the bottom inside of the mouth and move the toothbrush in a small circle.
  • For the inside of the top front teeth, angle the brush in an up-and-down position with the tip of the head pointing towards the roof of the mouth. Move the toothbrush in a small circle.
  • Give your tongue a few gentle brush strokes, brushing from the back of your tongue forward. Do not scrub. This helps remove bacteria and freshens your breath.
  • After brushing your teeth for two to three minutes, rinse your mouth with water.
  • Replace your toothbrush with a new one every three to four months.

Super Tips for brushing

    • Understanding the concept of ‘massaging’ along the gumline with your toothbrush is extremely good for your gum health
    • Like when wiping a kitchen bench down, you need to run the cloth along the wall and edges. Apply the same principle to your teethbrushing by ‘wiping’ the bristles along the edges and gumline’.

Brushing with a fresh, soft bristle toothbrush allows the bristles to point in the right direction and remove plaque more optimally. Replace your toothbrush after 3 months or as soon as the bristles are no longer ‘straight’.