Are you ready to take your oral hygiene routine to the next level? Here, our Surrey dentist tells you about three common mistakes to avoid when brushing your teeth.
Using the Wrong Toothbrush
Regardless of whether you prefer an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush, picking a model that's comfortable to use and reaches all the areas of your mouth is essential.
Small Brush Head
It's a good idea to choose a toothbrush with a small brush head. A smaller head will allow you to reach more of those hard to reach places like the very back of your mouth, and behind your front teeth.
Soft Bristles
Choose a brush with soft bristles. If you have sensitive teeth and/or signs of enamel erosion, your dentist may suggest that you use a brush with extra-soft bristles.
Comfortable Handle
There is a huge variety of toothbrush styles to choose from. When you are shopping for a new toothbrush pick a handle that fits nicely in your hand and allows you to reach all areas of your mouth. A handle that is too long or too bulky will prevent you from brushing as well as you could.
Brushing Too Hard
Brushing harder isn't brushing better!
Rather than scrubbing away at your teeth, think of brushing as massaging your teeth and gums.
Plaque tends to be relatively soft and loose, so there's no need for vigorous scrubbing in order to do a good job.
Not Brushing for Long Enough
Most dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day. If you've been estimating two minutes, or just rush through brushing, you may be surprised at how long two minutes actually is!
Some models of electric toothbrushes come with built-in times to let you know when you have completed two minutes of brushing, or you could just use your phone or watch to time yourself.
Spend about thirty seconds on each quadrant of your mouth, remembering to brush both the backs and the fronts of your teeth.
And of course, don't forget to spend a few seconds flossing once your done!