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It’s no secret that great oral hygiene habits are the key to maintaining a healthy smile. Brushing and flossing can make a world of difference for both the look of your smile and your oral health. For individuals who don’t brush and floss frequently enough or do so in an inefficient way, you’re more likely to experience tooth decay, gum disease, and even eventual tooth loss if you don’t treat these problems in a timely manner. Our dental implant patients here in Brampton, ON know first-hand how devastating tooth loss can be. The loss of a tooth can be a traumatic experience that affects self-esteem and the health of your remaining teeth.
For this reason, we’d like to stress the importance of oral hygiene basics. Although brushing may seem like it is second nature for many of our readers, there are several mistakes we find to be fairly common. These mistakes not only inhibit the effectiveness of your oral hygiene routine, but it also can end up causing harm to your tooth enamel. To explain more on this subject, dental implant provider, Dr. Emil Svoboda shares the most common mistakes made while patients brush their teeth.
Top Six Toothbrushing Mistakes
Are you effectively brushing your teeth? Here’s a quick look at some of the most common mistakes patients can make while brushing their teeth:
Not Switching Out Your Toothbrush: Did you know that your toothbrush will no longer work effectively with frayed bristles? After using your toothbrush consistently for months, you should switch to a new toothbrush. When the bristles are worn out, they lose their flexibility which will inhibit your ability to remove plaque. Just remember to switch your toothbrush at the beginning of each season.
Brushing too Hard: Applying too much pressure to your teeth can end up scraping off your tooth enamel. Instead of using a rough back-and-forth motion, simply use gentle circular motions to effectively remove plaque from your teeth.
Not Brushing Long Enough: If you are brushing with the proper techniques, you will want to make sure you’re following the appropriate time length. Dental professionals recommend brushing for at least two minutes to remove plaque from each surface of the tooth.
Using a Hard-Bristled Toothbrush: Again, we’d like to stress to importance of being gentle with your teeth when removing plaque. Using a hard-bristled toothbrush, much like applying too much pressure, will end up scraping your tooth enamel away. The tooth enamel is essential for protecting your teeth from daily wear and tear. When you wear away at your tooth enamel, you then become more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
Not Brushing Your Tongue: The large surface area of your tongue makes it the ideal place for bacteria to accumulate. Make sure to brush your teeth or use a tongue scraper to remove bacteria that can build up. Doing this can help your oral health as well as improve your breath.
Brushing Immediately After Eating or Drinking: Contrary to popular belief, you should not brush your teeth right after eating or drinking. The acidity in your mouth is subject to change right after consuming beverages and foods, which will soften your enamel. If your brush your teeth during this vulnerable time, you can harm your tooth enamel. Instead, we recommend waiting at least 30 minutes after you eat or drink to brush your teeth.
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There are plenty of mistakes you can be potentially making while you brush your teeth. Not only are you being inefficient at removing excess bacteria, but you can even be harming your oral health. Making slight changes to your oral hygiene routine can make a huge difference in the health of your smile. Unfortunately, improving brushing techniques won’t make a huge difference for those of you already dealing with severe oral health problems. If you’re currently dealing with tooth loss, we recommend looking into restorative treatment as soon as possible to minimize the damage that can occur to your remaining teeth and gum health. To get started on your dental implant treatment, contact our office today to schedule your no-obligation consultation with Dr. Svoboda.