“Which toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash should I use? How long should brushing take? Do I need to floss every day? But it keeps getting stuck in my teeth, it’s such a hassle. And should I really brush 2-3 times a day? I don’t have time for that” – I often face to these questions and problems in my work, so in the following article we’ll look at the rules for brushing your teeth properly.

• The proper technique

  The first and most important thing to know the proper technique of brushing your teeth. As long as you can’t brush your teeth properly, it doesn’t matter which toothpaste or toothbrush you use. But what does good technique mean? When you brush your teeth, the aim is to make every surface of every tooth free of plaque. This can be reached by brushing both the outer (face-facing) and inner (tongue- or palate-facing) surfaces of the teeth, as well as the chewing surfaces, with your toothbrush. As most plaque is built up near the gums, it is important to place the toothbrush where the teeth meet the gums and tilt it at about 45 degrees to the gums so that the bristles can slide into the gum groove.

  If using a manual toothbrush, move in a circular motion, whereas with an electric toothbrush, move the head of the toothbrush evenly over the surfaces mentioned above.

• The right timing

  Brushing should be done 20 minutes after meals or before sleep. Avoid eating, snacking or drinking sugary drinks after cleaning your teeth.

  Duration of brushing

  We clean our teeth for make it clean, not for time. A minimum of 2-3 minutes is needed to thoroughly clean all accessible surfaces of the tooth. If you use an electric toothbrush, make sure you know how often your toothbrush gives a signal and how long it stops.

• Additional tools

  While the importance of using toothpaste is well known, mouthwashes are less essential for dental health. Interdental tools are not widely known, although their daily use has a major role to play in cleaning areas that are inaccessible to the toothbrush, removing plaque and thus maintaining an inflammation-free gum and preventing decay between teeth.

  The role of regular check-ups and plaque removal

  Even with the most thorough oral care at home, tartar and caries can appear, so it is very important to visit your dentist every six months or every year for a check-up and, if necessary, to have tartar removed.

  For more information on choosing the right tools and using floss and toothbrushes, see my next article.

  Please feel free to ask for our help in choosing the right tools for your individual needs and learning how to use them properly during your oral hygiene treatment!