I’ve written many blogs about the relationship of oral hygiene and systemic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Good oral hygiene is the key to keeping a beautiful smile your entire life, as well as maintaining your overall health. But even if you’re brushing your teeth every day, you’re probably making these mistakes.
1. You Keep Your Toothbrush Too Long
Most people don’t know this, but toothbrushes have a very short life-span—3 to 4 months. A good rule of thumb is to change your toothbrush on the first day of every season of the year. Frayed and broken bristles won’t keep your teeth clean—these are signs it’s time to let go.
2. You Don’t Brush Long Enough
I know you have a lot to accomplish, but listen up! Your teeth should be brushed for a full two minutes, twice per day. Most of us fall short —the average time most people spend brushing is 45 seconds. If you’re racing through cleaning, try setting a timer. Many electric toothbrushes have timers to insure you brush long enough. That’s 30 seconds per quadrant, front and back, using the proper technique.
3. You Brush Too Hard
Be gentle with your teeth. You may think brushing harder will remove more leftover food and the bacteria that loves to eat it, but a gentle brushing is all that’s needed. Too much pressure may wear down the hard outer shell on your teeth and damage your gums.
4. You Brush Too Soon After Eating
If you feel the need to clean your teeth after eating or drinking, wait at least 30 minutes before brushing—especially if you have had something acidic like lemons, grapefruit or soda. Brushing too soon after eating acidic foods can expose your teeth to unnecessary wear when they are in a vulnerable state, and the enamel is subject to damage, before your pH levels return to near normal. Drink water or chew sugarless gum with to help clean your mouth while you are waiting to brush.
5. You Store Your Toothbrush Incorrectly
When you’re done brushing, keep your toothbrush upright and let it air dry in the open. Don’t keep your toothbrush in a closed container, where germs have more opportunity to grow, and if your toothbrush is in a holder next to another, keep them separated so they don’t touch one another.
6. Your Bristles are Too Hard
Soft bristles are the way to go. You don’t want to use medium or hard bristles because these may wear down the outer shell of your teeth and may cause sensitivity when eating or drinking cold food and beverages.
7. You Use Improper Brushing Technique
Get your best brush with these steps: First, place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Then, gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes. Next, brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Finally, To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.
8. You Brush at the Wrong Time of Day
Many people brush only once a day, first thing in the morning. We suggest you brush twice a day, with the last time being right before bed, which is the longest time your mouth will be in an unaltered state (and dirty unless cleaned). You wouldn’t take a shower before your workout and not after it.
9. You Don’t Brush All The Important Parts
Many of us neglect to brush our tongue when we brush our teeth. Even though your tongue doesn’t need as much brushing as your teeth, a few regular toothbrush strokes are necessary to rid your mouth of bacteria that causes bad breath. Alternatively you might try a tongue scraper and gently scrape your tongue. You’ll be surprised what comes off.
10. You Don’t Floss
Dental floss is a tool that should not be overlooked. In fact, if you don’t use it you’re missing a third of your tooth surface. By using dental floss every day, you’ll prevent tartar from forming. And in case you forgot that old saying: “You don’t have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep.”
Have more questions? Schedule an appointment with your West Hartford dentist. You can call Dr. Basil today at 860-561-2121, or request an appointment online.
Keep smiling,
Dr.Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut. She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121
