{"id":1028,"date":"2019-08-14T18:38:15","date_gmt":"2019-08-14T18:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/common-toothbrush-mistakes-to-avoid\/"},"modified":"2019-08-14T18:38:15","modified_gmt":"2019-08-14T18:38:15","slug":"common-toothbrush-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/common-toothbrush-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Toothbrush Mistakes To Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

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MAINTAINING GOOD DENTAL<\/b> health isn\u2019t just about the quantity of your brushing \u2014 it\u2019s also about the quality. There are several mistakes many of us make when brushing our teeth, whether because we\u2019re using the wrong tools or because we\u2019re using the right tools the wrong way.<\/p>\n

1. Keeping A Toothbrush Too Long<\/h3>\n

How long has it been since you got a new toothbrush? The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush at least three times a year<\/strong>, because broken, frayed bristles can\u2019t do as good of a job of keeping your teeth clean.<\/p>\n

2. Racing Through Your Brushing<\/h3>\n

The average time people spend brushing their teeth is 45 seconds<\/strong>, which obviously falls far short of the full two minutes recommended. If you\u2019re having trouble making it through two whole minutes, try setting a timer or playing a song.<\/p>\n

3. Brushing Too Hard<\/h3>\n

You might assume that the harder you brush, the cleaner your teeth will get, but you really only need gentle pressure to scrub the leftover food and bacteria away<\/strong>. If you brush much harder than that, you risk damaging your gum tissue.<\/p>\n

4. Using A Hard-Bristled Brush<\/h3>\n

Like brushing too hard, using a toothbrush with hard bristles can do more harm than good, especially to gum tissue. Talk to us if you\u2019re not sure which type of bristles your toothbrush should have.<\/p>\n

5. Brushing Immediately After Eating<\/h3>\n

A common mistake people make when they\u2019re trying to take good care of their teeth is to immediately<\/a> brush them after a meal. Acidic foods and drinks temporarily weaken our tooth enamel, and brushing right away can cause damage. This is why we should wait at least half an hour to brush<\/strong> so that our saliva has time to neutralize things.<\/p>\n

6. Poor Toothbrush Storage<\/h3>\n

Is your toothbrush smelly? Do you store it somewhere it can get plenty of air, or do you put it in a case where it never really dries out? Bacteria love moist environments, so the best thing we can do to keep our toothbrushes clean is to store them upright<\/strong> somewhere they can air dry between uses.<\/p>\n

7. Bad Brushing Technique<\/h3>\n

Even brushing for two full minutes twice a day with the best toothbrush with the perfect bristle firmness won\u2019t do much for your teeth if your technique is off. Remember that you\u2019re brushing to get plaque and food particles out of the gumline, so hold your brush at a 45\u00b0 angle to the gums and gently sweep the bristles in small circular motions<\/strong>. Do this at least 15 times in each area of the mouth, on the tongue side and outside of the teeth, and don\u2019t forget the chewing surfaces!<\/p>\n