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Oral Health Tips: Proper Brushing

Good oral hygiene begins at home, and it starts with proper brushing. You may have heard that the only way to ensure that your teeth have been thoroughly cleaned is to make sure that you spend at least two minutes brushing. While that may be a reasonable rule of thumb, there really is no set time limit. In fact, if you spend two minutes brushing improperly, you might as well spend two seconds. So, time constraints aside, what matters most is how well you brush your teeth – not how long it takes. Serenity Dental’s doctors, Nilash and Nitash Patel, are glad to provide their patients information about proper brushing techniques.

First, use the right tooth brush. It should have soft, rounded, nylon bristles that won’t irritate the gums or damage the teeth. Incidentally, it’s important to replace your toothbrush every three to four months in order to avoid introducing a nasty set of germs to the mouth each time you brush.

Here are the steps for proper tooth brushing:

• Begin by holding the bristles at a 45-degree angle along the outer surface of the gum line. The brush should make contact with teeth and the gums.
• Focusing on two or three teeth at a time, brush with a consistent back and forth motion.
• Repeat for the outer surface on the top and bottom, then brush the insides of the teeth and gums in the same manner.
• Holding the brush vertically (pointing straight into your mouth), brush the chewing surfaces of the front teeth on the top and bottom. Next, brush the biting surfaces of the rest of the teeth.

If you are uncertain about what type of toothpaste to use, consult your Serenity Dental hygienist or the Drs. Patel. Once you’ve finished brushing, it’s time to floss!

Serenity Dental is a caring, affordable dental practice serving the Tampa Bay area with offices in Lutz/Land O’Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and Zephyrhills. Contact us today to set up an appointment.