Because of the fast lives that people have nowadays, many of them rush through the most important session to start the day – brushing the teeth. Rushing through while brushing your teeth has bad effects on your oral hygiene. Not only does it fail in getting rid of bacteria, but also irritates the gums and might even cause them to bleed or recede. You can rush the brush but at the cost of the higher probability of a tooth decay.
The recommended brushing time is for 2 to 3 minutes, twice a day. Most people only brush for half the time that is recommended. It is very necessary to brush for the recommended time in order to get a happy smile. Your smile plays a very important role in beautification and first impressions. So, why risk it?
Here are the top 9 teeth brushing mistakes you might be doing when brushing and you need to rectify:
- Picking the wrong brush: Picking the right kind of brush for you is the first step in securing a good oral hygiene. According to experts, an ideal brush would be one having soft bristles and the bristles should be bendable. Such a toothbrush can reach the deep corners of your teeth without irritating the gums. Things like the size of the brush head are also very important and should not be ignored. The size of the brush head is important to analyze if you have a small head.
Many people have a wrong notion that hard bristles clean better than soft ones. It is not necessarily true as soft bristles have a gentler and non-irritable approach to your teeth and gums, while the hard ones can cause your teeth structure to wear down over time.
- Holding on to a toothbrush for too long: It is recommended to change your toothbrush every three to four months. You will notice that the bristles are getting discolored or dirty looking. The bristles also slowly get worn at the edge and that is when they lose their power. Also, bacteria begin to accumulate on your toothbrush from daily usage, so do change your toothbrush every three or four months.
- Rushing when brushing: We have busy lives. True. But, cutting down the recommended brushing time of 2-3 minutes to half is not something you should do.
- Ignoring Dental Floss: It is very important to make flossing at least once a day a habit. It is a very good habit but most people ignore this vital step thinking that brushing is all that it takes to get rid of plaque. It is very important to understand that the bristles of your toothbrush can’t get in some deep places of your teeth most of the time. Flossing makes sure that this problem is solved. These difficult areas in between the teeth or in some other places are reached by flossing. So, do not let those bacteria accumulate!
- Going to town on your teeth: There is a widely believed fact that the harder the brushing, the better it is. So, is it true? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Brushing hard makes the enamel of your teeth to wear down over time. There is no need to hard at your teeth as plaque is loose and soft, so gentle brushing with soft bristles is all it takes to get rid of them.
- Missing the gum-line: The gum line is the area where the gum and the teeth meet. We often miss this area while brushing. This leaves them bacteria infested and dirty. Brushing your teeth is all about brushing the whole tooth, which includes the area just under the gum. To be precise, a 45-degree angle is recommended to brush against the gum-line. The chewing surfaces are important, but do not ignore the gum-line, as it can lead to gum diseases and cavities.
- Storing toothbrush in the bathroom: This is something which a lot of people do. Bathrooms are moist environments which are the most favorable grounds for germs and bacteria. Your toothbrush becomes a storing house of several germs and bacteria when kept in the bathroom so keeping it someplace else is very important.
- Not cleaning the tongue: Did you know that the main source of bad breath is a dirty tongue? When you do not clean your tongue it becomes infested with bacteria that cause bad breath. Cleaning your tongue after brushing helps in dealing with bad breath and removing the residual bacteria. A tongue scraper is very effective in cleaning the tongue or you can also use the bristles of your toothbrush. Although not as effective as a tongue scraper, it still does the work.
- Wrong brushing technique: The correct way of brushing the teeth is not by going back and forth but by short circular motions. Circular motions are more efficient in cleaning the gaps in between the teeth. It is important to note that you should not press down too hard with the toothbrush. The soft tissue lining between the teeth and gums need side-to-side strokes that are wide in nature. When it comes to the backside of your front teeth and bottom teeth, placing the toothbrush vertically and using slow rolling strokes helps in effectively cleaning these areas.
Rectifying these bad habits can create a foundation for good oral hygiene. Caring for your dental hygiene is very important in not just preserving the happy and beautiful smile that you have but also in boosting your confidence level to a good extent.