Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
There’s a good chance your daily routine involves brushing your teeth, or at least it should and at least twice a day. Picking up your toothbrush is probably second nature to you now but with daily routines comes the prospect of adopting the wrong methods and techniques that you ultimately end up sticking with.
Dental implants are becoming an increasingly popular way of creating a winning smile, but it’s still important for you to brush your teeth in the right way. Brushing your teeth properly is one of the most important aspects of good oral health and it will work wonders preventing cavities and gum disease. Here are some of the teeth brushing tips the experts will always tell you…
How Often You Should Brush
You should be brushing at least twice a day, with the experts saying that three times is preferable. This is because we eat throughout the day and any food that gets trapped between teeth should be removed as soon as possible for the best results.
The time taken to brush your teeth should also span approximately 2 minutes, with shared focus on the different areas of your teeth. A good way of looking at it is to split your mouth into four sections and clean each of these sections for 30 seconds each. There are plenty of electric toothbrushes out there that incorporate built-in timers so you can track your timing.
Targeting Different Areas of Your Teeth Equally
Brushing in the same place over and over again can actually prevent us from focusing enough on other parts of our teeth. It’s important that you change up your usual routine in some way and start brushing elsewhere.
You may well get bored when brushing the last part of your mouth and if you keep the same routine every day, that particular area will receive less of a thorough clean. You need to be thinking about brushing your teeth instead of making it something that becomes second nature.
Protecting Tooth Enamel
Tooth enamel is what you’re looking to protect and this can be weakened by the consumption of energy drinks, sweets and sugary drinks. The acid in any of these drinks, including apple juice, orange juice and coffee, can soften tooth enamel. You should look to wait about half an hour after eating sweets before you brush, as your saliva will work to restore tooth enamel.
Don’t Overdo Brushing
While we mentioned brushing teeth three times a day, it’s important that you don’t overdo it. Brushing too often can result in tooth enamel being worn down, as well as damaged gums from the constant brushing. It’s also not necessary to brush hard, with a lighter touch all that is needed to remove plaque and food particles.
The Right Product
The product you choose will also determine the success of your teeth cleaning but there’s a lot more than meets the eye with some of the products on the shelves these days. If you see anything advertised as brightening or controlling tartar, it’s important to remember that these can be quite harsh on teeth.
Whitening particles can actually sand away the tooth structure if used too often. Fluoride toothpaste is highly recommended but don’t be afraid to use whitening toothpaste occasionally.
Article written in collaboration with Precision Dentistry, a dental practice based in Glasgow for over 20 years with a passion to provide the highest quality and most aesthetically pleasing whitening & straightening service available.
