Think you're doing everything right when it comes to taking care of your teeth? You may be making a lot of mistakes that could cause you to not have optimal oral health. Here are some things you're likely doing wrong when it comes to brushing your teeth.

The Type Of Toothbrush

When it comes to brushing your teeth, harder is not always better. If you are using a toothbrush with hard bristles, you could be causing damage to the enamel on the teeth or your gums. Try switching to a toothbrush with soft bristles for better results over time. The soft bristles will be just as effective as hard bristles, but without all of the potential damage they can cause.

The Frequency Of Toothbrush Replacement

When swapping out your toothbrush, you may assume that you need to do it every six months when you visit your dentist. However, it actually needs to be changed more frequently than that. Getting a new toothbrush every three months means that the bristles will not be frayed, helping the brush be more effective when brushing your teeth. You'll need to supplement the brush you get from your dentist with another one in between visits.

The Type Of Toothpaste You Use

Avoid using the cheap toothpastes that don't contain fluoride, since the ingredient is crucial for maintaining the health of your teeth. It will be worth it to use a higher end toothpaste that contains fluoride to give your teeth some extra protection.

The Brushing Technique

How you brush your teeth is just as important as how frequently you brush. You'll want to brush for a full two minutes each day. Mentally think of your teeth as six distinct areas, and focus on each area for 20 seconds before moving around. Moving the brush around haphazardly may cause sections to only get a few seconds of attention, which is not enough to keep them clean.

When positioning the brush, don't lay it at a 90-degree angle direction against your teeth. Instead, place it at 45 degrees so that the bristles are angled towards the gums, and slightly overlap the bristles on the gums. This helps agitate the gums and get rid of plaque that is hiding in the pocket between your gums and teeth.

Looking for more tips on what you could be doing wrong when brushing? Be sure to ask your dentist at your next cleaning.

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