When it comes to brushing your teeth, there’s more to it than just swishing a brush around in your mouth. To ensure you get the most out of each tooth brushing session there are certain brushing techniques you should follow. Stehl Family Dental in Lee’s Summit, MO, can provide additional advice on the best way to brush your teeth.
Daily Practices to Keep Your Teeth Healthy
An important part of keeping your teeth healthy is making sure your daily oral hygiene practices are top-notch. The American Dental Association (ADA) suggests that you brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day to ensure that all plaque and food particles are removed from the surfaces of your teeth and gums.
Be careful to avoid excessive brushing as it can remove too much tooth enamel which can lead to sensitivity.
Pro tip: holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle will ensure you get all those hard-to-reach areas like the back of your teeth and in between.
When it comes to brushing teeth, there are three main brushing techniques you can use: Stillman, Bass (Sulcular), and Charter. Here’s how you can get them to work for you.
The Stillman Technique
As a more gentle option, this brushing technique starts with a circular motion in small circles, then moves onto a back-and-forth motion along the gums and the tooth surface.
The focus of this technique is to get the bristles into the crevices between teeth and along the gumline which in turn, helps remove plaque from these hard-to-reach areas. This means you can avoid dental problems like cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
The Bass (Sulcular) Technique
This brushing technique focuses on gently brushing slightly under the gumline rather than scrubbing them with the toothbrush bristles. To do so, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and use a gentle back-and-forth motion.
With 30% of adults suffering from gum disease, this technique can help reduce the risk of gum disease and keep you out of that statistic by removing plaque and bacteria efficiently.
Charter Technique
If plaque is a constant issue for you, the Charter brushing technique will do the trick. This technique is more about scrubbing away plaque from the surfaces of teeth than anything else. With this technique, you should hold your brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line, then vibrate it against the teeth using short strokes.
Because of its plaque-removing capabilities, this technique can help prevent cavities and gum disease to keep your smile radiant!
When Is It Time to Get a New Toothbrush?
The ADA recommends replacing your toothbrush every three to four months to ensure it’s in good condition. But if you notice that the bristles are frayed or worn out beforehand, it may be time for a new one. Dental issues could arise unexpectedly if you continue using an ineffective toothbrush for brushing teeth.
Stehl Family Dental: Where You Can Be Proud of Your Smile
At Stehl Family Dental in Lee’s Summit, MO, we understand that brushing teeth correctly is just one of the many factors that go into maintaining a healthy smile. If you’re unsure of how to brush properly or what brushing techniques to use, we can help provide advice and guidance on the best technique for you! So contact us today and get the advice you need for a healthier, brighter smile.
