It is common knowledge that a beautiful smile is essential when we need to cause a good first impression and why not? It can be our most visible “Business Card.”
It is also well-known that proper brushing is an integral part of achieving (and maintaining) clean, healthy, and good-looking teeth. However, this alone is not enough.
Did you know there´re many bad habits people practice when brushing their teeth without even noticing? Improper brushing might cause your teeth more harm than good.
Also, some of these mistakes you make when brushing can produce bad breath, weaken tooth enamel, cause tooth sensitivity, and even lead to gum recession.
Stay with us as we bring you the top 4 mistakes you make when brushing your teeth (and haven´t even noticed).
Tooth brushing mistakes are more common than you think
Brushing your teeth might seem like a no-brainer. But actually, there are very few people who brush their teeth as well as they should.
But fear not because, for every mistake, there´s also a way to fix it.
Using the wrong toothbrush
It doesn´t matter if you pick a manual or power toothbrush. What´s important is that it should reach all of your teeth.
Another golden rule is to pick those toothbrushes with softer bristles, as they can bend and better clean the spaces between your teeth and gums.
This becomes critical because, as soft bristles can reach such intricate spaces, they can remove bacteria and plaque (which causes gum disease and tooth decay).
People who prefer hard-bristled toothbrushes should be aware that these do not necessarily clean better. Hard-bristled toothbrushes cause damage to their tooth structure.
An inadequate brushing technique
When talking about tooth brushing, view it as massaging your teeth instead of scrubbing them. Scrubbing too hard with a hard-bristled toothbrush will only damage your tooth enamel.
Another mistake when brushing your teeth is rushing (or brushing them for too much time). A proper tooth brushing should take about 2-3 minutes.
People also tend to brush their teeth from left to right when the correct technique should be massaging them in small, circular, up-and-down motions, starting from the gum.
Brushing your teeth too soon
Popular belief dictates you should brush your teeth immediately after every meal. But actually, your dentist would advise you otherwise.
Because in that time, you still have acidic agents sitting in your mouth. And these, mixed with the abrasive elements in toothpaste, might help erode your teeth.
Instead, you should wait some 15-20 minutes before brushing your teeth, so the saliva can act on the acids.
Or simply rinse your mouth with water, so you can dispose of some of the acids before proceeding to brush your teeth.
Not making it count
Sure, you brush your teeth at least twice every day, spending about 2-3 minutes each. But you should also make (at least) one of these cleaning sessions exceptional.
That means thoroughly flossing, brushing, and mouthwash, the Full experience. This helps get rid of bacteria, keeping them less productive, and in turn, less harmful.
If you have any doubts about your brushing, feel comfortable asking your dentist or oral hygienist. They´ll happily answer your questions and offer you the best toothbrushing advice!