How to brush your teeth?
To keep your teeth and gum as healthy as possible it is essential to maintain good oral care hygiene. During the day you are bound to develop plaque, even if you don’t eat anything. Plaque is a soft, sticky and almost invisible layer of protein and bacteria on your teeth. This can result into tartar. If you don’t do anything about this, more and more layers of tartar will develop. To get rid of your plaque it is very important to brush your teeth on a daily basis, preferably twice a day for at least two minutes. To remove any plaque you can see your dentist or dental hygienist. After this it is up to you to remove any plaque from occurring. But how do you brush your teeth?
Use the right toothbrush!
Many people don’t know how to brush their teeth the right way. There are several methods to brush your teeth. Frist of all it is important to make a choice between a non-electric (hand toothbrush) or an electric toothbrush. Below you will find the most important ways to brush your teeth. Remember the most important thing is to not to miss a spot.
How to brush your teeth with a non-electric brush
One of the best methods to brush your teeth is as follows:
1. Put your brush on your gum in a 45 degree angle and move it up and down. Don’t press too hard, be gentle with soft tissue.
2. Brush the outside surface of all teeth this way, top and bottom.
3. Brush the inside of your teeth in the same way. To reach difficult spots, try and keep your brush in a vertical position and move from top to bottom.
4. Next brush your molars.
5. Don’t forget to brush your tongue. This will help preventing bad breath.
Make sure you don’t miss a spot and to brush for at least two minutes twice a day, preferably three times a day.
Brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush
1. Put the brush on the line between your gum and teeth. Don’t use much pressure, be gentle your mouth contains soft tissue.
2. Keep the brush still on every tooth and molar for a few seconds. Don’t forget: an electric brush does the work for you.
3. Replace the brush until you have brushed all your teeth and molar.
How to clean spaces between your teeth
Both electric and non-electric toothbrushes cannot reach the openings between your teeth. To prevent inflammation and plaque we advise to use additional tools for daily interdental cleaning.
Interdental cleaning can be done with different tools:
- Floss
- Toothpick
- Waterpik
Further instructions can be provided by your dental hygienist or dentist.
What does healthy gum look like?
Healthy gum is pink, tight around your teeth and implants and doesn’t bleed whilst brushing.
I have bleeding gums, now what?
Bleeding gum means that your oral health is in a bad condition. Gingivitis is one of the possibilities. Bleeding gum is often seen with sensitivity, redness and swelling. This is not always noticeable. In some cases a bad taste in the mouth can be a lead. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for help.
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums. Without treatment it can result in periodontitis.