Brushing our teeth is such a mundane activity that we all take it for granted. But, have you ever taken a moment to observe how you brush your teeth? Have you ever wondered that you might be cleaning the wrong way? A lot of us would say no because we don’t give brushing much of a thought.
The most common tooth brushing mistakes are using the wrong toothbrush, not replacing your toothbrush often, and not brushing long enough.
According to dentists, tooth brushing eventually loses its effectiveness if it is not done the right way. People who report having weak teeth and cavities despite brushing twice a day have the problem because they do not brush their teeth the way they are supposed to. So, if you get time, check your daily brushing routine and see if you are committing mistakes like:
Not choosing the right toothbrush or paste
Just like we don’t usually bother checking our brushing routine, we typically don’t give much of thought to the kind of toothbrush and stick we buy. Some of us don’t even know the importance of choosing the right material for brushing. But, according to dentists, it the most crucial decision to make for your teeth.
When it comes to choosing the right kind of brush, there are many options to choose from, but the type of brush you should want depends upon your teeth’ state. If you have sensitive gums and teeth, use a soft-bristled brush. On the other hand, if you have severe plaque, choose a hard-bristled one. As far as pastes are concerned, choose a toothpaste that suits your dental condition. If your teeth are in relatively normal circumstances, choose a simple fluorinated paste.
Brushing less than a minute
You should brush your teeth for approximately three minutes. So, how many of us follow that? The answer would be very few. Most of us consider dental brushing as a necessary part of our daily routine and want to get done with it as quickly as possible.
Brushing quickly will not prove to be very useful as it will not remove all the food debris. It will not be enough to induce saliva to lubricate your enamel well. If you cannot brush for a full three minutes, it is highly advised that you at least brush for a minute. Otherwise, your brushing will almost be useless.
Brushing once a day or having long gaps between brushing
Despite being repeatedly told that one must brush twice a day, many of us still clean once a day. Either that or we put a long gap between two sessions of brushing. The longer you take to brush again, the higher will be the chances of severe plaque accumulation.
According to dentists, ideally, to keep your teeth perfectly clean, you must brush a day thrice so that there is a minimum gap between brushing. So, are you brushing your teeth correctly, or you frequently commit these mistakes?