Brushing your teeth is a relatively simple task, but the honest truth is that millions of people aren’t brushing correctly. You may not have been directly taught. It may have been a few decades since you were taught, or perhaps you’re just in a bit of a rush when you go to brush your teeth. Regardless of the reason, we could all do with a quick refresher course on how to brush our teeth correctly. Luckily, the process is pretty simple once you know to pay attention.

How You Should Really Brush Your Teeth

The best dentist in Cerritos has a complete guide for dental hygeine for you below.

Brush At Least Twice a Day

In a perfect world, you would brush your teeth after every meal and snack. Of course, that is practically impossible in our fast-paced world. Dentists agree that the best balance between your oral health and the average American’s lifestyle is to brush after breakfast and dinner. Just remember to rinse with a basic solution like water or milk if you’ve had anything acidic. Alternatively, you can also wait 20-30 minutes before brushing your teeth to avoid harming your temporarily softened enamel.

Remember that Different Surfaces Require Different Motions

A straight back and forth motion is perfectly fine for the chewing surfaces of your teeth. That pattern allows the bristles of your toothbrush to remove plaque and debris from the divots present there. However, when it comes to the front and back of your teeth, small circular motions are more ideal. Altogether you should take about two minutes brushing your teeth, so be gentle and take your time.

Use the Correct Angle

A lot of people place their toothbrush directly perpendicular to their teeth, especially when brushing the forward-facing surfaces. However, you really should be placing the brush at a 45-degree angle in relation to your teeth with the bristles facing towards the gum line. Using this angle requires you to be gentle, as your gums are sensitive. However, it also allows you to remove plaque and debris from underneath the gumline where it likes to hide and develop into gum disease.

Don’t Overdo it on the Toothpaste

We tend to put about four times as much toothpaste as we need on our toothbrushes. It isn’t necessarily harmful, but it is wasteful, especially if you’re using a specialized toothpaste. According to the experts, you really only need a pea-sized amount on your toothbrush to get all the cleaning power and fluoride you need.

Spit and Skip the Rinse

After brushing, you certainly don’t want to swallow all of the bacteria you’ve just removed from your mouth. You’ll want to spit out the extra saliva and toothpaste you’ve accumulated while brushing, and this should take the vast majority of the removed bacteria along with it. Afterward, many of us tend to rinse out our mouths, but that may not actually be the best policy. If you spit and skip the rinse, then you leave a thin layer of toothpaste on your teeth, which provides extended protection against bacteria and the acids they produce.

Transforming Knowledge into Practice

It can be challenging to change lifelong habits. You have to actively think about actions that you would normally perform automatically. Fortunately, the rewards are well worth the effort. By brushing at least twice a day, using the correct techniques, and flossing at least once per day, you can prevent serious issues and an inevitable trip to visit your emergency dentist in Cerritos. If you have any other questions regarding the appropriate way to brush and floss your teeth, then feel free to ask your dentist at Jesmine Boghawala DDS for more information during your next dental examination.