At first glance, the simple and understandable topic of brushing teeth has been causing “wars” between dentists around the world for decades. And the abundance of advice only worsens the situation. Consider the 8 major mistakes that each of us almost certainly makes in this simple procedure.
1. You brush your teeth not long enough
In this case, the dentists are more or less unanimous – 2-3 minutes is enough. And it seems to be not so much, but most people do not devote even a minute to their teeth. In the morning, work is waiting, in the evening – a warm tempting bed. But if you want to see a white smile rather than a yellow smile in your reflection, you’d better put a timer in the bathroom.
2. You do not follow the cleaning
Most people barely “go through” in the teeth, many do not even hold the brush with their hands, helping themselves with their jaws. And having made a formal ritual, they run on business. Whereas special attention should be paid to the gum lines, here you and caries and most of the bacteria that can cause gengivite. Getting to the back teeth is also important because crumbs from cookies, chips and so on accumulate there. If you notice that the back teeth are rubbing against each other, you should immediately consult a doctor – this may be a violation of the temporomandibular joint, which leads to snoring.
3. You incorrectly hold the brush
Remember, teeth grow vertically, and brushing them from side to side, you injure the roots, which may soon simply break. The least traumatic is to hold the brush at a 45-degree angle, making slow circular motions. After that, pay attention to the aforementioned gum line.
4. You hold the brush too tight
If you brush your teeth with excessive zeal, the chances of survival of the enamel are extremely small. It can also lead to the formation of grooves on the gum line if your brush has a stiff side bristle, not to mention the delicate gums themselves, which cannot be scratched.
5. You are using the wrong brush.
Buy the softest toothbrush you can find, electric will fit even better, but note that dentists advise to change it every three months. More often if visible signs of deterioration, because these “split ends” accumulate the most bacteria, including streptococci and staphylococcus.
6. You are using the wrong paste.
Sodium bicarbonate toothpaste undoubtedly brightens the teeth, but at the same time scratches them. Dentists believe that other whitening pastes do not cause such harm.
7. You do not use dental floss.
No matter how good a toothbrush you have acquired, there are always notorious hard-to-reach places. So without dental floss, you can not do. It cleans the gaps between the teeth, namely “at the junction” and breeds the most bacteria (therefore, when cleaning you feel an unpleasant smell). In these places, the probability of caries is greatest. Do not drive the thread from side to side – as it injures the gum, better wrap it around the tooth.
8. You do not use mouthwash
When you wash your hair, you first wash away the fat with the first entry, and with the second – you make your hair silky. The same happens with the teeth. After all the procedures it is necessary to rinse your mouth to get rid of the bacteria finally. If you do not have a special liquid, just plain water will do.
Repeat all actions correctly and soon bring them to automatism. And then forget the road to the dentist!