Avoid These Brushing Mistakes When Cleaning Your Teeth

Cleaning your teeth is the essence of a healthy oral foundation. At Lakeview Dental Care, we promote a diligent daily oral hygiene practice, along with a balanced diet and regular six-month dental checkups to help you keep your smile strong in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Let’s take a deeper look at some brushing mistakes you will want to avoid:

-Your toothbrush can be manual or powered, but please don’t use a hard bristled one. Instead, use a soft-bristled brush to clear oral debris and plaque from beneath the gums. Small toothbrush fit better in the mouth than large ones, letting you better reach the hard to clean molars in the back.

-Don’t keep your toothbrush longer than 3-4 months. Once the bristles begin to fray and lose their shape, the brush loses its effectiveness.

-Don’t scrub your teeth. Brushing too hard can irritate gum tissue and wear down tooth enamel. Instead, massage your teeth. It’s not like dental plaque and oral debris are glued into your smile, so massaging works perfectly.

-Don’t be tempted to brush less than two minutes at a time to rush to your next destination. Aim to brush for at least two minutes, 2-3 times a day.

-Don’t be tempted to share your toothbrush! To avoid bacterial growth and contamination, store your toothbrush upright to air dry in between uses.

-When you brush, don’t move left to right. Begin at the gum line, and work your brush up and down, using tiny, circular motions. The goal is to clean all of the tooth surfaces, including the backside of all of your teeth. Angle your toothbrush to accomplish this.

-Because bacteria collect in the gum crevices, don’t skip brushing them. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gumline and begin from there. Since bacteria also accumulates on the tongue, be sure to take a moment to brush the tongue from back to front. Rinse well to wash away bacterial debris.

-Don’t be tempted to brush right after you eat or snack. If you can, wait 15-20 minutes so your saliva can neutralize the harmful acids before brushing. If you can’t wait, rinse well with water first to dilute the acids.

We recommend that you brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash at least once each day to remove bacteria from your smile.

If you have any questions for us or want to schedule your next visit, please call 269-964-7660. Our dentist, Dr. L.C. Chilimigras, and dental team are happy to help you create a lifetime of healthy smiles!