{"id":669,"date":"2016-03-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/back-to-basics-the-dos-and-donts-of-toothbrushing-2\/"},"modified":"2016-03-16T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-03-16T00:00:00","slug":"back-to-basics-the-dos-and-donts-of-toothbrushing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/back-to-basics-the-dos-and-donts-of-toothbrushing-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Back To Basics: The DO&#8217;s And DON&#8217;Ts Of Toothbrushing"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hudsonhighlandsdentistryblog.socialmediafordentistry2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/2016\/03\/Back2BasicsBrushing_543.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"543\" height=\"543\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-448\" \/>  <strong>BRUSHING OUR TEETH<\/strong> is something we do everyday. And yet it\u2019s easy to fall into a routine of bad habits if we\u2019re not careful! Developing correct brushing techniques and sticking to them is crucial to the health and appearance of your smile. <\/p>\n<h3><strong>Toothbrushing DO\u2019s<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use the right technique<\/strong> Tilt the brush at a 45 degree angle against the gum line and brush using small circles. This method is the most gentle and effective way to remove plaque!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brush for the correct amount of time<\/strong> Proper brushing takes <strong>at least<\/strong> <strong>two minutes<\/strong>! To make sure you brush for the right amount of time, use a stopwatch or listen to your favorite song while brushing. When deciding how much time to spend brushing your teeth, the important thing to remember is that it\u2019s not about a prescribed amount of time, it\u2019s about cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brush morning and night<\/strong> Brushing your teeth should be an absolutely essential part of your daily and nightly routine. It\u2019s also important to avoid midnight snacking! Sleeping directly after eating significantly raises your risk for cavities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Replace your brush<\/strong> The ADA recommends buying a new toothbrush every three to four months. Over time, the bristles of the toothbrush wear down and become less effective at removing plaque and bacteria. It\u2019s also important to swap out your toothbrush after being sick, otherwise the germs from your illness may reinfect you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"543\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1GXQLnTalcg?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>  <\/p>\n<h3><strong>Toothbrushing DON\u2019Ts<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t put yourself at risk for gum recession<\/strong> Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and refrain from aggressive brushing. Brushing with a hard-bristled toothbrush or using excessive force while brushing can slowly cause gums to recede, exposing the root of the tooth and leading to sensitivity. Not fun!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t brush immediately after eating<\/strong> Wait at least 30 minutes after you\u2019ve eaten to brush your teeth. When you eat, bacteria produce acid that temporarily weakens the enamel. Brushing too soon after eating, especially acidic foods, can damage the enamel in its weakened state. After eating, it\u2019s best to rinse your mouth out with water or chew sugarless gum to increase saliva production. These measures will help to wash away bacteria without damaging your teeth!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t ignore the rest of your mouth<\/strong> Especially your tongue! Did you know that 90 percent of bad breath is due to a dirty tongue? That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to thoroughly brush the tongue or use a tongue scraper.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of visiting your dentist<\/strong> No matter how well you brush, biannual visits to your dentist are imperative to keeping your smile radiant and healthy! Professional cleanings and checkups are the easiest way to avoid dental problems in the future.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><strong>Little Things Can Make A Big Difference!<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p> What you do everyday has an effect on the health and beauty of your smile. We hope these little tips will make a big difference in your oral hygiene routine! <\/p>\n<h4>Our patients mean the world to us!<\/h4>\n<h6>Top image by Flickr user <span style=\"color: #2a7abd;\"><a style=\"color: #2a7abd;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/arekolek\/15532402638\/\" target=\"_blank\">Arek Olek<\/a><\/span> used under <span style=\"color: #2a7abd;\"><a style=\"color: #2a7abd;\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license<\/a><\/span>. Image cropped and modified from original.<\/h6>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #d9d9d9;\">The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.<\/span><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>BRUSHING OUR TEETH<\/strong> is something we do everyday. And yet&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":670,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[176,273,274],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-dental-posts","category-general-dental","category-176","category-273","category-274","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/670"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}