Five Mistakes You Always Make But You Don't Care About When Brushing Your Teeth

Tooth brushing is the act of scrubbing teeth with a toothbrush equipped with toothpaste. Interdental cleaning (with floss or an interdental brush ) can be useful with tooth brushing, and together these two activities are the primary means of cleaning teeth, one of the main aspects of oral hygiene.
Brushing teeth properly helps prevent cavities, and periodontal, or gum disease, which causes at least one-third of adult tooth loss. If teeth are not brushed correctly and frequently, it could lead to the calcification of saliva minerals, forming tartar.

Tartar hardens (then referred to as 'calculus') if not removed every 24 hours. Poor dental health has been associated with heart disease and shortened life expectancy. In this article, we will take a look at some common mistakes we all make while brushing our teeth;

1. Using Same Brush For Months
Your toothbrush is not your best friend so don’t be afraid to discard it for a new one. You are advised to change your brush every 3 months. If you follow the ideal protocol and correct brushing technique your brush should last for 3 months.

2. Not Cleaning Your Tongue
The tongue is a soft and rough texture which makes it a good habitat for bacteria. Many neglect brush cleaning while brushing. In fact, it is one of the most important part of your oral hygiene maintenance. You can either buy a tongue cleaner in the market or brush by giving soft strokes on the tongue.

3. Time Spent On Brushing
The ideal time to spend on brushing your teeth is between three to five minutes. Tooth paste have softening agent in it which requires at least 3 minutes to act on the food ruminants inside our mouth. Food debris in your teeth doesn’t get soften enough in less than three minutes and if you brush for a lesser period, it cannot get removed by brush.

4. The Wrong Angle
Brushing once or twice daily is not enough, you have to ensure that you are brushing at the right angle. The angle of your brush should be 45 degree to the gum line to have greater efficiency in cleaning. Also, when you brush at this angle, you are brushing safely and don’t wear your tooth or cause injuries to the gums. Furthermore, brush vertical (upside down/downside upward) as it cleans the food debris between the two teeth. Most people brush horizontally but this leads to faster tooth loss and less efficient cleaning.

5. Wrong Consistency Of Brush
Your brush should have a consistency otherwise you can injure your gums and teeth. Hard, Medium, Soft, Ultra soft are the different brush consistencies and you should ask your dentist to recommend the appropriate consistency depending on your teeth type.