Back to Basics: How to Properly Brush Your Teeth

You probably started brushing your teeth before you can even remember. That’s a long time to reinforce poor technique. But if you want to maintain healthy teeth and gums over your lifetime, it’s imperative that you brush your teeth properly.

Think of it like correcting your golf swing. If you’re satisfied never shooting under 120, then keep swinging the way you always have. If you want to break that barrier, however, you’re going to need to unlearn the bad habits and replace them with good ones, and the easiest way is to follow a step-by-step how-to until the proper technique becomes natural.

Time to get back to basics.

1. On the outer and inner surfaces, brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle in short strokes, half a tooth wide, against the gum line.
2. On chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat, with the bristles flush against the tooth, and brush back and forth.
3. On inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes.
4. Avoid brushing your gums and irritating them, which can lead to irreversible damage including receding gums.
5. Brush your tongue back to front to remove food particles and freshen your mouth.
6. And remember to spend at least 30 seconds on each quadrant of your mouth for a total brushing time of at least 2 minutes.

Beginning today, follow these steps every time you brush and in a few months, if not sooner, like your newfound golf swing, you won’t even have to think about it.

For information about the Ferber Dental Group, dental implants, dentures or periodontal concerns, call 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.