The Right Way to Brush your Teeth

In 1498, Genoese sailor Christopher Columbus began his third voyage that would make him the first Renaissance European to set foot in the American mainland. That same year, another discovery would be made that would revolutionize oral health – the toothbrush.

Since it first appeared in China, the toothbrush has slowly invaded our homes to become an important dental accessory now used by millions of people worldwide. Today, toothbrushes come in a wide variety of odd shapes and sizes. Various manufacturers say their brand is better than the others.

However, dentists say you don’t need those expensive designer toothbrushes. What matters is the way you brush your teeth. While electric toothbrushes do an excellent job of cleaning teeth, a plain old manual toothbrush will likewise suffice.

For best results, use a soft nylon toothbrush with end-rounded polished bristles. Get a brush that’s small enough to reach all of your teeth, especially those in the back and replace it every three months or sooner if the bristles become frayed, splayed or worn.

Strange as it sounds, many still don’t know how to use a toothbrush. While dentists recommend brushing three times a day, preferably after meals, for at least three minutes each time, they lament the fact that the average time spent brushing is only 46 seconds. This is not enough for good oral health.

To ensure you do it right, here is short refresher course on tooth brushing:

1) Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle against the gum line. Point the brush upward, or toward your nose, when you’re cleaning the upper teeth; downward or toward your chin, when you’re doing the lower teeth.

2) Use a short (about the width of half a tooth), gentle back-and-forth motion to clean the outer surfaces of your teeth. Focus on just one or two teeth at a time.

3) Use this same stroke on the inside surfaces of all the teeth, except the front ones.

4) Scrub the chewing surfaces of your back teeth with the brush held flat in the same back-and-forth motion.

5) Tilt the brush vertically, and use the front part of the brush in short up-and-down strokes to clean the inside surfaces of front teeth.

6) Don’t forget to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth.

Of course, brushing alone won’t protect you from tooth decay and gum disease since a toothbrush may not reach important areas where food residues collect and are likely to cause problems later. Regular flossing and rinsing with an effective antimicrobial mouthwash are also important. These simple measures can prevent tooth decay and gum problems that could make you look old and ugly.

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