For the best oral care, you’ll want to brush your teeth twice a day. However, how you brush can be almost as important as brushing consistently. And bad habits can creep up on even the mightiest of dental hygiene heroes.
Hard Times: Did you know that brushing too hard can lead to such dental problems as damaged tooth enamel and gum recession? And brushing harder won’t actually remove more food particles or plaque from your teeth. A gentle brush with a soft bristled toothbrush is all that’s needed. It may even help your toothbrush last longer.
Too Soon: If you’ve just eaten, you’ll want to wait before you brush your teeth—especially if your meal contained acidic foods. If you brush immediately, you might actually just be spreading acid around your teeth. Wait about 30 minutes to brush and then your teeth will be ready. In the meantime, to get that fresh feeling again, you can try drinking water or chewing sugarless gum.
Speed Demon: Many of us just want to get the task done, so we do it too quickly. It should take 2 minutes, twice a day to brush your teeth. If you are having trouble spending enough time on your teeth, try setting a timer. Even better, turn on your favorite tune and listen while you brush. Some electric toothbrushes even have self timers on them to help you know when your time is up.
Steven J. Brazis and our team here at Steven J. Brazis, DDS in Sacramento, California are happy to help you on your way to an even healthier smile! Call us at 916-731-5151 to set an appointment today!
