For many people, brushing their teeth regularly isn’t a very big deal. It is easy to incorporate into morning and evening routines, and besides, who doesn’t like nice, fresh breath? But the thing with routine activities is that they can become, well, routine. To help ensure more effective brushing, try implementing some of these simple tips.
An easy thing you can do is to simply shake up the routine. Most people tend to start brushing in the same place in the mouth every time they brush. This makes it easy to rely on muscle memory and let your mind of tune out. But this also makes it easy to regularly miss areas in the mouth, allowing plaque to build up. By intentionally starting in a different place, it helps you be a little more thorough and thoughtful while brushing.
Another thing many of us do is to not brush for long enough. It is recommended that people take at least 2 minutes for each brushing, but many take less than one. It may seem like a long time, but these extra moments are where the effective cleaning take place.
Finally, without proper brushing technique, those other tips don’t mean much. You should avoid hard side-to-side strokes, as these can miss a lot of tooth area and damage gums. Instead, hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums and use short, gentle, up-and-down motions. This will remove more plaque and better prevent cavities and gum disease.
At Pelham Dental Group, our goal is your complete oral health. If you would like to schedule a dental cleaning with our dentist or learn more about oral hygiene, please call us today.
