Because How You Brush Matters Almost as Much as Whether You Do
In today’s post, let’s examine some specifics about brushing. One key to activating the value of toothpastes is creating foam when properly brushing.
Working up a good foam is attained by pre-wetting the toothbrush, then attacking at a 45 rather than 90 degree angle. The foaming assists in dislodging food debris from nooks and crannies in the mouth. Go ahead and swish it around at the completion of brushing to pick up any stragglers. The abrasives in toothpaste are designed to polish the teeth without damaging the enamel.
Because of the abrasives, soft toothbrushes are great for proper brushing. Harder bristles can put the enamel and gum line at risk. When the gum line recedes from aggressive brushing (or any other cause) a patient may notice tooth pain, increased build-up and decay, tooth structure weakening, and in acute cases, tooth loss.
The fluoride in the toothpaste promotes remineralization when the paste has been rubbed around on all surfaces of all teeth in the entire mouth. This takes time so be sure you brush for at least 2-3 minutes.
Additionally, remember that flossing is important and rounds out the 5 minutes each day to give you healthy, pain-free chewing for years and years to come.
To recap:
- Wet a soft bristle toothbrush
- Use fluoridated toothpaste
- Brush at 45-degree angle
- Brush gently for 2-3 minutes
- Cover every surface of every tooth
- Swish around in the mouth before spitting out
- Floss gently around each tooth and don’t fail to recognize the back surface of the rear molars
- Rinse out debris
Contact La Costa Dental Excellence:
760-633-3033
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
7730 Rancho Santa Fe Rd Ste 106 Carlsbad, California 92009
ArticleID 6935