You’ve been brushing your own teeth since you were five. You switch to auto pilot morning and night and get it done. You understand its importance to your dental health. But at Staten Island Dental Care, we ask: are you doing it right?
Actually, many people are making tooth brushing mistakes. You may need to tweak your routine to better support your dental health and protect your smile from tooth decay and gum disease.
Here are essential tooth brushing tips:
1. Take your time.
It’s understandable. You want to get it over with and go to bed. But proper teeth cleaning takes time and attention. Time yourself the next time you brush—you might be surprised at how swiftly you finish. The process should take at least two to three minutes. It can also be helpful to take a different route around your mouth every few days. By changing your pattern, you approach areas from a different, and possibly, better angle.
2. Don’t forget to floss.
No matter how agile you can be with your brush, it’s problematic to expel the plaque from all those narrow gaps between your teeth. That is where bacteria can easily propagate and start the decay process.
3. Use the right toothbrush.
It is ironic that some people damage their enamel or gums because they brush too vigorously with an inflexible brush. We tell our patients to only use a soft brush. If you’ve had gum grafts, you may want to use an extra soft brush.
4. Don’t keep your tooth brush near the toilet.
This is awful to think about, but each time the toilet is flushed, bacteria is sent far into the air—even if you close the lid. Keep your toothbrush in a clean place and permit it to air dry.
5. Use fluoride toothpaste.
This may seem like a no-brainer but you may be surprised that some oral care products don’t contain fluoride. And you may think it’s only for babies. Not true. Your enamel is continuously under assault from acidic foods and drinks and fluoride helps it remineralize.
At Staten Island Dental Care, the dental health of each of our patients is out number one priority. Our services include general and restorative dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today.
Contact Staten Island Dental Care – Dr. Frederick Hecht:
718-761-5757
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1520 Richmond Ave
Staten Island, New York
10314
