Dr. Sarvraj S. Kohli

Brushing is a daily routine of everyone’s life.Many among us do not know how to brush the teeth in correct manner.There are many aspects other than brushing alone which cannot be overlooked.

There are several methods and techniques which are recommended by the dentist for tooth brushing.Some of them are,

A. Charter method B. Bass method C. Stillman method D. Fones method.

These are meant for particular cases depending on his/her oral condition. Though these techniques are not meant for every individual there are certain common mistakes we must avoid while doing brushing. Today I will tell you the most common mistakes we make while brushing,

1) The wrong angle:

The angle of the brush should be 45 degree to the gum line for to have greater efficiency in cleaning. This angle ensures the safe brushing without wearing of tooth and injuries to gums.This is the first step.

Second step is moving the brush on vertical (upside down/downside upward) cleans the food debris between the two teeth. Horizontal rubbing to the front surface of tooth leads to faster tooth loss and less efficient cleaning.Repeat the same direction from both the surfaces of all the teeth.

2)The time spent on brushing:                              

 Ideal time for to spend on brushing is 3 to 7 minutes. In less than 3 minutes the hard plaque( food debris) doesn’t get soften enough to get removed by brush. Tooth paste have softening agent in it which requires at least 3 minutes to act on the food ruminants inside our mouth.       

3)The Wrong Consistency  Of  Brush:

 Have you ever looked for the consistencies while buying your tooth brush? Hard,Medium,Soft,Ultra soft. These are written on the tooth brush.Depending on your gum and teeth condition your dentist will advise you to use appropriate consistency. Using wrong consistency can injure your gums and teeth.Too hard brush will damage your gums and too soft will not do efficient cleaning.

4)Using same brush for months:                     

Do not get too attached to your tooth brush, change it periodically. If your tooth brush gets worn before two to 3 months it means you are too hard on your teeth. Change your brush every 3 to 4 months. If you follow the ideal protocol and correct brushing technique your brush should last for 3 months.

5)Not Cleaning your tongue :

Tongue cleaning is the last but one of the important part of your oral hygiene maintenance.

You can clean your tongue either by brush by giving soft strokes on the tongue or you can buy the tongue cleaner available in the market.Being a soft and rough texture it becomes good habitat for the bacteria.

Chewing a sugarless gum after your meal for around 20 minutes freshens your breath and also make the leftover food particles cling to it.