Brushing your teeth should be an important part of your daily routine. Improper brushing can lead to tooth decay and gum disease forming, which nobody wants. In order to make sure you have a healthy mouth, we have come up with some tips so that you can brush your teeth the right way, everyday! These tips are an especially great way to show how to brush your teeth for kids.
First, you need to make sure that you have the proper toothbrush! The bristles on your toothbrush should be soft and flexible. Don’t let those companies fool you, the word soft on the label does not always mean its flexible, so make sure you check your brush before you buy it! You should replace your toothbrush every three to four months to make sure it is fresh and clean. Frayed bristles mean it’s time for a new brush, but if your bristles are frayed you are brushing too hard! Your brushing should be gentle, but thorough. Your teeth and gums never did anything to hurt you so why would you want to hurt them?
Some common brushing techniques to try are:
- Circle brushing with your toothbrush tilted at a 45 degree angle towards your gums
- A sweeping motion up and down
- A side to side motion across the teeth
Watch the video above to get a better demonstration of these techniques.
Your brushing should last two minutes, and a timer always helps if it’s hard to tell how long you have been brushing. During this time you should brush the front, back and top surface of each tooth thoroughly. Research shows we spend the most time on the teeth we start with so make sure you get every tooth!
Once your two minutes is up, rinse your mouth and wash your toothbrush with water. Mouthwash with fluoride is great to use after you rinse and a tongue scraper can help clear bacteria off your tongue and leave you with fresher breath!
Now that you know the best ways to brush your teeth, make sure you do it at least twice a day!
