Mistakes you need to pay attention to when brushing your teeth

In the daily dental care journey, brushing teeth is often considered a small action. But did you know that behind those gentle movements is a battle with bacteria, plaque and oral health problems? Are you brushing your teeth properly to have a healthy smile? Let's take a look at the mistakes when brushing your teeth that you may be doing every day with The East Rose Dental Clinic.

Improper tooth brushing technique

Not everyone knows how to effectively brush their teeth. To make sure your teeth are clean of plaque, you need to place the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums, and use gentle circular movements, moving from tooth to tooth and brushing more thoroughly at the lower part of the tooth gums.

A common mistake is that people only brush the front of their teeth because it is easily accessible and often seen. However, the top and back of the teeth, as well as the inside of the mouth, also need to be cleaned carefully. That is where about 500-700 species of bacteria can exist and cause many oral health problems.

Not brushing long enough

Some people only brush their teeth for a very short period of time, usually less than 1 minute. However, according to the advice of the American Dental Association, you should brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes to effectively remove plaque. For people who are using oral appliances such as braces, bridges or implants, it's important to take extra time to gently clean around areas where food may become trapped.

Using too much force

Using too much force when brushing your teeth can damage your gums and erode tooth enamel, causing bleeding gums and infection. To be more effective, use gentle and slow movements, repeating many times to best remove plaque without harming your teeth and gums.

Not changing your toothbrush often

Some people use toothbrushes that are too old, making oral hygiene less effective than expected. You should replace your toothbrush every 3 months of use or when you see the bristles begin to curl and become soft.

Brush your teeth immediately after eating

Brushing your teeth right after eating is not good because at this time plaque and food have not yet neutralized the acid, combined with toothpaste and the impact force causes tooth enamel to wear away. Worn tooth enamel makes it easier for bacteria to colonize and cause tooth decay. Furthermore, saliva after eating contains calcium and phosphate which plays an important role in protecting and absorbing calcium, helping to strengthen the structure of teeth, making them healthy. Therefore, wait about 30 minutes to brush your teeth, when the salivary glands are active and the oral cavity is neutralized in acidity and alkalinity.

Forgot to clean your tongue

Many people have problems with bad breath even though they brush their teeth and use mouthwash regularly. The cause may be that the tongue is not cleaned properly. Plaque can also accumulate on the surface of the tongue, causing bad breath and increasing the risk of gum disease.

According to a study in the dental field, using a tongue scraper regularly can reduce the amount of Sulfur compounds - substances that cause unpleasant odors. If you use a toothbrush to clean your tongue, you can also reduce this compound by about 45%.

Surely the above article has given you the clearest insight into the mistakes you may be making when brushing your teeth. Hopefully this article will help you maintain a proper tooth brushing method to keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright.