The Daily Tooth Brushing Mistakes You're Probably Making
According to SHAHEDNEWS, Keeping your teeth in the best shape requires regular dental visits. However, good oral hygiene starts at home, and brushing your teeth is the right way to maintain healthy gums and teeth. It’s important to note that most of us make mistakes when doing this. As you will read in this section, we face common mistakes when brushing our teeth.
Common mistakes when brushing teeth
Using a toothbrush for a long period of time
With regular use (twice a day, seven days a week), the average lifespan of a toothbrush is about 3 months. After 200 uses, you need to replace your toothbrush because the bristles break. Broken bristles do not clean your mouth and teeth properly.
Replace your toothbrush once the bristles lose their flexibility. After two months of daily use, bacteria and food particles remain on the toothbrush, so make sure to change it every three months.
Not brushing your teeth enough
Two minutes is the recommended time for brushing teeth; however, most people brush for only 45 seconds. Brushing for less than 2 minutes prevents the fluoride in toothpaste from properly adhering to your teeth, and shortening the brushing time means your teeth are not getting cleaned properly.
Often, certain areas of the mouth are neglected; while your teeth may look white and pearl-like, what about the sides or the back of your teeth? You can use an electric toothbrush or set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. Just make sure to brush for the full 2 minutes.
Rinsing your mouth with water after brushing
Yes, it's common to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and while you can spit out the toothpaste, the moment water is added to the mixture, it reduces the effectiveness of fluoride. Some of you might habitually rinse your mouth with water, but it's better to use a fluoride-containing mouthwash instead. At least wait for half an hour after brushing before drinking water or any other liquids.
Not cleaning your tongue after brushing
Clean your tongue to get rid of bad breath and bacteria. You can use a mouthwash scrub or get a toothbrush with a tongue scraper. You can even use your regular toothbrush to clean your tongue—while it may not work as effectively as a dedicated tongue scraper, it still gets the job done.
Using a hard and stiff toothbrush
If the bristles of your toothbrush are too stiff, they can damage your gums. Use a soft toothbrush instead. The goal of brushing is to clean food residue from your teeth, not to polish them. Using a hard or medium toothbrush can damage the enamel and make your teeth more sensitive.
Brushing at the wrong angle
You should always hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush in a circular motion. This method allows you to easily clean both your gums and the upper teeth.
Brushing more than twice a day
There's no need to brush your teeth more than twice a day. Some people think it's okay to brush 3 or 4 times a day, usually after each meal. However, brushing more than twice can damage your gums and tooth enamel.
