Brushing your teeth regularly is the single most effective method of keeping your mouth and yourself healthy. While regular brushing is essential, ask any dentist and they will tell you it isn’t just about how often, but how well you brush your teeth that’s important.
How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Dentists are almost united in advising you to brush your teeth at least twice a day, but it’s ideal to brush an hour after eating each meal. The best habit is to brush your teeth first thing in the morning, after getting up, and last thing at night, before you go to bed.
In our dental clinic, we advise our patients to brush before breakfast in the morning and make it the last thing they do at night. That way, the teeth are as free as possible from food before going to sleep. It’s the same advice the American Dental Association recommends.
Certain foods can get stuck between teeth, providing food for the bacteria that lives in your mouth. This bacteria causes plaque, which can build up on your teeth and erode the enamel and cause gum disease and tooth decay. Brushing and flossing removes most of this food, giving the bacteria less to feed on, meaning they produce less plaque.
A good brush in the morning will clean off any plaque that formed during the night, forcing the cycle to begin again and preventing the buildup of plaque. Ask your dentist if you would like to know more.
How Should You Brush Your Teeth
As dentists, we advise a regimen of regular brushing and flossing to maximize your oral health. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, ensure your brush is changed every 3 months and brush properly.
Brushing your teeth shouldn’t be viewed as a chore, even though it can seem like one. It is an essential part of dental hygiene and can keep your mouth and body healthy. To brush properly, ensure the brush surface of the toothbrush stays in contact with the teeth and move it to and from the gum line to the tip of the tooth. Also ensure the chewing surfaces of your teeth are cleaned too.
Once brushed, we also advise you to use a good dental floss to remove the last vestiges of food from your mouth and to make it as clean as possible. Call your local dental surgery if you would like to know more, they are there to help!
