Brushing Your Teeth 101
Brushing your teeth is the most important step you can take to ensure that you have good health.
You should brush your teeth a minimum of twice a day, and you should also use a fluoride and antibacterial rinse as well as floss at least once a day.
Your teeth are a basic barometer of your health and brushing your teeth is a must if you want to be healthy and stay healthy.
Poor Dental Care Leads to Health Problems
When proper oral care is not practiced, the teeth and gums can become unhealthy, leading to gingivitis, which can greatly affect your entire body – making you more susceptible to everything from colds and flu to the development of heart disease. The effects of poor dental habits and the havoc they can wreak on your body are truly amazing. There have been a multitude of diseases linked to poor dental health which include liver disorders, kidney disorders, oral cancer, throat cancer, sinus problems, respiratory problems, heart disease, and depression.
Proper Brushing Technique
When you brush your teeth, you should use a circular motion combined with a medium amount of pressure. You want to avoid pressing too hard or not enough – and you can tell your ideal pressure because it feels like a light massage to your teeth and gums. Don’t leave your gums out of your oral care regimen; it is absolutely essential for you to brush and massage your gums, using that same circular motion with a medium amount of pressure. Massaging your gums is essential to good oral health, and ensures that your gums are healthy and stimulated with blood flow (which, in turn, helps to keep the gum tissue healthier.) You want to avoid scrubbing your teeth too hard as it may erode your gums. You also want to avoid up and down, and side to side motion when brushing your teeth. Instead, you want to employ a nice circular motion that encompasses the surface of the teeth and the corresponding gums.
It is also a great idea to brush your tongue as a good deal of nasty bacteria lie along the surface of your tongue and can lead to plaque build-up as well as bad breath. If you have chronically bad breath, discuss options and remedies with your dentist; and, get to work on brushing your tongue!
To properly brush your teeth, you should divide your mouth into sections – and focus on each section for 20 to 30 seconds. For example, you should divide your mouth into right, left, upper, lower, front and back – essentially six sections of teeth that need to be brushed.
Regardless of which type of toothpaste you use, the main point of brushing your teeth is to have motion against the teeth to remove food particles and plaque. It also does not make a difference what type of toothbrush you use. The electronic toothbrushes are ideal as those utilize the right amount of circular motion and pressure and make it easiest to maintain proper toothbrush control. Follow up with flossing the teeth. Flossing helps remove particles and food that may be lodged between the teeth, thus greatly reducing your chances of developing painful dental caries (cavities).
The Importance of Regular Dental Check-Ups
It is important that you see your dentist regularly for dental check-ups. The dentist can spot problematic areas of the teeth before they actually become a problem, which can help you save a tooth from decay that might otherwise go unnoticed. Additionally, schedule cleanings of your teeth every six months with your dentist; a professional cleaning can remove any plaque that is beginning to build up.
These tips, combined with brushing your teeth the recommended twice daily (three times daily if possible) will allow you to keep your beautiful, bright smile for the longest time possible.
