9 The most frequent mistakes you make brushing your teeth

Brushing your teeth is a daily routine that you don't need to think about: scrub, rinse, throw away - twice a day. After all, you've gotten used to it since childhood (hopefully). However, many of us brush our teeth the wrong way. The wrong way to brush your teeth actually opens up more opportunities for bacteria to live and create problems in the mouth, you know! Hey… Do you still often do these habits?

The wrong way to brush your teeth

1. Brushing your teeth too briefly

Did you know that proper brushing takes at least two minutes? Most adults do it very quickly, even in under a minute - and don't even notice. Our perception of how long we brush is very inaccurate. Some people think they brush their teeth for a few minutes, but it can take less than half a minute.

To reach the recommended time, try using a stopwatch. Or, use an electric toothbrush with a built-in alarm that sounds when you've brushed for two minutes. Ideally, Richard H. Price, DMD, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association, suggests that you divide your mouth into four regions and spend 30 seconds on each portion.

2. Brushing your teeth too hard

If your brushing strength is almost as intense as when you rub the sticky crust on the back of the frying pan, you are putting your health at risk. Scrubbing hard gives you a feeling of inner satisfaction that the work you are doing is 100 percent removed from all the plaque and food debris that has been tucked away.

However, scrubbing too hard can stress the gum tissue a lot and actually cause it to loosen up, exposing some of the roots of the teeth. This area is very sensitive to heat and cold. Tooth roots are also more susceptible to cavity formation than the harder parts of tooth enamel.

The plaque (bacterial colony layer) is sticky but also soft, so you don't have to roll up your sleeves every time you brush your teeth. Also, don't brush your teeth more than three times a day. Brushing your teeth too often can make the outer layer of your teeth, aka enamel, wear out faster and damage your gums. Twice a day, morning and evening, is enough.

3. Just rub it

Brushing straight teeth, back and forth like you are ironing is not the best way to clean teeth optimally.

Concentrate thorough cleaning of your teeth in each area of ​​the tooth following the method below, paying extra attention to the gums, areas of the back and deep teeth that are difficult to reach, and the areas around fillings, crowns, or other areas of dental repair:

• Grip your toothbrush by placing the angle of the toothbrush head at a slight angle of 45º against the gum line (not placing the entire surface of the bristles directly on the teeth). Brush in short, circular strokes, similar to sweeping in small circles, away from the gum line for the entire surface of the front teeth. This technique works so that the bristles can remove plaque that is hiding behind the gum line. Clean the top, then bottom rows of teeth while keeping the bristles at an angle to the gum line
• Use the same method to clean the rows of teeth on the right and left sides, starting from the top then the bottom (inner edge to outermost).
• Brush the surface of your teeth in a sweeping motion, from the innermost tip to the outside. Clean the top inside, then the bottom
• To clean the inside of the front row of teeth, position the bristles vertically and brush in small circular motions with the tip of the brush head
• Finally, brush your tongue to help remove plaque that sticks to the surface of the tongue while freshening your breath.

4. Hurry up after brushing your teeth

After brushing your teeth, spit out the excess foam from the toothbrush and don't rinse immediately afterward. Gargling after brushing your teeth will flush out the remaining fluoride concentration from the toothpaste, thereby diluting it and reducing the effect of the toothpaste.

5. Brush your teeth immediately after eating

Do not brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking something acidic. Always wait at least 30 minutes.

Research shows that brushing too quickly after eating and drinking, especially acidic ones, can have more of an impact on the health of your teeth. If you've consumed anything acidic, you should avoid brushing your teeth for at least 30 minutes.

Foods that contain citric acid, such as oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, weaken tooth enamel. Acid attacks the teeth, eroding the enamel and the layer underneath, called dentin. Brushing can speed up the abrasive process.

Acid reflux poses the same problem: While it may be good to brush your teeth after stomach acid has risen to avoid the bitter, hot taste, it can damage your teeth.

Dental health experts suggest that it is better to brush your teeth before eating or drinking acid, and drinking a glass of water when you are done with it to flush the acids out of your teeth.

On the other hand, certain foods and drinks - especially those high in carbohydrates and sugar - stimulate the proliferation of certain bacteria in your mouth that will attack your tooth enamel at least twenty minutes after you eat. By brushing your teeth as soon as you eat these foods, you will get rid of bacteria before they start gnawing on your teeth.

6. One choose a toothbrush or toothpaste

Over time, the bristles become coarse, wrinkled, bent, and curled so that when you angle your brush to 45 degrees, the bristles are no longer pointing in the right direction. The bristles become softer and stop working effectively. Every three months, replace your toothbrush with a new one.

Your toothbrush should fit in your mouth comfortably - and in general, a smaller brush head is better. Unless you have a large mouth, a small brush head can be equally effective at helping you access hard-to-reach and hard-to-see molars.

The type of toothpaste you use also matters. The ingredients in special whitening or tartar-controlling toothpastes can be harsh on your teeth. The whitening particles in toothpaste can be harmful and erode tooth structure.

Use regular fluoride toothpaste. Adults should use toothpaste that contains at least 1,350 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride. Children do not need to use special "kids toothpaste." Children of all ages can use the family toothpaste, as long as it contains 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride.

If you want to whiten your smile, you can always switch between whitening and regular toothpaste on a regular basis.

7. No flossing

You are not alone if you rarely or never floss or even use dental floss. But, a toothbrush is not enough.

Brushing your teeth can only reach between your teeth where the bristles can reach, but it doesn't remove all the plaque that may be stubborn about it without your knowing it. This is where flossing comes in handy.

Flossing isn't just for removing plaque and food debris stuck between teeth, you know. Regular flossing can also reduce the risk of gum disease and bad breath caused by plaque along the gum line. It is recommended to floss before brushing your teeth, as well as every day before going to bed.

8. Use mouthwash after brushing your teeth

Using mouthwash that contains fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but don't use mouthwash immediately after brushing or you will wash away the concentration of fluoride in the toothpaste that remains on your teeth.

Choose a different time to use mouthwash, such as after lunch. Do not eat or drink for 30 minutes after using mouthwash.

Lastly…

9. Rarely brush your teeth

You think the occasional skipping trip to brush your teeth before bed is no big deal. You are wrong. Ninety-eight percent of all dental diseases can be avoided by brushing twice a day (morning and night before going to bed) with fluoridated toothpaste and flossing, accompanied by routine dental examinations.

In a study published in the BMJ, reported by Readers Digest, found an association between poor oral hygiene (read: people who rarely / never brush their teeth) and an increased risk of heart disease.