Following are ten common tooth brushing mistakes people inadvertently commit.
Tooth brushing Mistake No.1- Using an unsuitable tooth-brush
“Your toothbrush has to be of the right size for your mouth. Its handle should be good enough to provide the leverage to move it smoothly inside your mouth. In case you have to make extra effort to insert the tooth brush inside your mouth, then it is not of the right size,” says Richard H. Price, DMD, the consumer adviser for the American Dental Association. Likewise the handle should also have to be comfortable. Both manual and electric toothbrushes are available in the market.
“It is immaterial whether you use a manual or an electrical one for brushing,” says Michael Sesemann, DDS, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and an Omaha dentist. If you brush properly either of the two will do.
Tooth brushing Mistake No. 2 – Using a toothbrush with faulty bristles
Toothbrushes come with both straight and angled bristles. So, is it a fact that one is better than the other? Dentist answered to this query in the negative. “It is the way you use the bristles which is important rather than the bristles themselves,” opines Sesemann.
Using hard bristles may damage the gums. So, the ADA recommends the use of soft bristles. “The bristles should just be able to remove away plaques without damaging the gums,” says Price. According to the dentists bristles made of animal hair may not be good enough.
Tooth brushing Mistake No. 3 – Improper duration of brushing
According to Price the brushing should be done for two to three minutes. It should also be done twice or even thrice a day as longer duration between brushing may facilitate the bacterial action which would lead to the formation of plaques and inflammation of the gums. But generally people neither brush for two minutes nor do it twice daily. That is why Seseman advises people to brush each quadrant of the teeth and gum for half a minute. For this reason, many companies manufacture toothbrush with inbuilt timers in it.
Tooth brushing Mistake No. 4: Frequent and hard brushing
It is true that brushing should ideally be done thrice a day. But too much brushing of teeth can also be harmful. Brushing for more than four times in a day can expose the gums and result in irritation of the tooth and damaging the enamels of the teeth.
Tooth brushing Mistake No. 5 – Improper brushing
“Do not brush your teeth horizontally. Use short strokes vertically up and down. While brushing the gum lines, the brush should be held at a forty five degree angle to it,” says Sesemann.
Take care to brush the inner surface of the teeth and the tongue as well.
Tooth-brushing Mistake No. 6 – Brushing only some part of the gum and teeth
Many people indulge in brushing the same part of the teeth only while neglecting the other areas. This should be avoided. All the parts of the teeth and gum should be brushed uniformly. This can be achieved by beginning the brushing from different parts of the mouth.
Tooth-brushing Mistake No.7 – Ignoring the inner side of the teeth
Like in the outer or frontal side of the teeth, plaques also form in the inner side of the teeth. But people often fail to brush the frontal teeth, especially the backside of the inner side of the teeth. This can surely damage the teeth. So, care should be taken to brush the inner sides of the teeth as well.
Importance of adequate care of the brush in tooth brushing
Apart from proper brushing of teeth, taking adequate care of the tooth brush is also as important.
Tooth brushing Mistake No.8 – Not cleaning the toothbrush properly after brushing the teeth
Laurence Rifkin, DDS, a dentist in Beverly Hills, Calif says that people often do not clean the toothbrush properly. So, when they brush the teeth next time, the old bacteria again get into the mouth. So, it is imperative that you clean the toothbrush properly with water after brushing.
Tooth brushing Mistake No.9 – Not drying the toothbrush after brushing
A wet or moistened toothbrush facilitates the growth of bacteria in it. The shape of the bristles also changes as you brush if they are wet. By this, the toothbrush becomes unfit for use in no time. “The wet bristles of the toothbrush act as the repository of the bacteria. It is advisable to dry the brush and recap it after use,” says Price.
Tooth brushing Mistake No. 10 – Brushing with the same brush for too long
“The toothbrush should normally be changed every three or four months. It should also be changed if the bristles become unfit for brushing,” advises the American Dental Association. But the time interval alone should not be the guiding factor in this regard. The condition of the toothbrush should also be taken account. “Once the bristles become frayed and hard, it is better to change the toothbrush. It is not difficult to know its state just by visual examination,” says Price. Some of the toothbrushes come up with some color indicator for the purpose.
Tooth brushing has to be done correctly in order for us to have a good oral hygiene, make sure you do it right.
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