Teeth brushing done right
Properly brushing your teeth – nothing could be easier than this you might think as approximately 97% of adults brush their teeth at least once a day (according to a German oral health study). With so much routine, it seems self-evident that almost everyone also knows how to clean their teeth properly. But this assumption is way off the mark: dentists see more and more patients with tooth damages coming through, that have been caused by applying the wrong brushing method.
The main mistake in daily brushing
Most people brush too shortly, with too much pressure and no system. The routine that has been developed over the years when brushing teeth is often an obstacle to thorough cleansing because many people automatically grasp the toothbrush and think about the ritual. This means that they do not even check whether they have actually cleaned all tooth surfaces. And since they repeat the brushing ritual every day, the same places are always neglected.
Systematic Teeth brushing
Brush your teeth systematically so that you can really reach all the teeth and their surfaces. Once this is stored in the brain, you can return to your routine. Until that happens, you should focus on what you do when brushing your teeth. One must first realize that each tooth has several surfaces, all of which have to be cleaned: inside, outside and with the back teeth also the occlusal surfaces (morsals). It is best to start with the cleaning at the same place, for example with the internal surfaces of the teeth on the left side of the lower jaw. Then the inner surfaces of the entire lower jaw are systematically brushed, then to the outer surfaces and to the occlusal surfaces (morsals). A good tip is also to brush the difficult places first. The areas of the dentition, which are easier to clean, come into play when the concentration is already diminishing.
Endurance
For each time you are brushing the teeth you should take at least 2, better 3 minutes. Studies show that with 5 more minutes of cleaning significantly more plaque is removed. We also know that the average cleaning time is just 40 seconds. So here a rethink must happen.
The right pressure
Wrong teeth brushing can lead to irreversible damage at the teeth substance. One of the main causes of such damage is excessive pressure during cleaning. The toothbrush should be guided over the tooth surfaces with a pressure of 150 to 200 grams. To get a feeling for the right pressure when brushing your teeth, you can train with a kitchen scale.
From red to white is outdated
Today, dentists recommend the bass technique. The brush is placed at a 45-degree angle on the gingival margin. Slightly jiggling movements – without moving the bristles from the spot -should assure a thoroughly cleaning of the interdental spaces. The dissolved plaque is transported away with an extinguishing direction of movement to the tooth crown.
Which toothbrush is the right one?
A few basic considerations make the selection of the individual suitable cleaning device easier:
- Rather small, rounded brush head (maximum two teeth wide). That way the bristles also reach the back teeth well.
- Soft to medium hard bristles are better for the gum.
- Use plastic bristles as natural bristles break more easily and are hollow inside, so that bacteria could hide in there
- Rounded bristles to protect the gums
- Dense bristles (so-called multi-tufted toothbrush), since the more bristles brush over the tooth surfaces, the better is the cleaning effect.
- Longer bristle bundles protruding from the bristle field, so bristles can enter the interdental spaces and below the gingival margin and remove bacteria deposits there.
