Toothbrushing

We are all familiar with this dental technique which is an important part of a daily dental care routine. But it is easy to become blasé about this without realising how important it is for oral health.

Toothbrushing is an important component of a dental hygiene routine along with the use of toothpaste, a mouthwash and flossing. It works even better when combined with a healthy diet which is low in sugar and a twice yearly visit to your dentist.

What does toothbrushing do?

Using a toothbrush removes particles of food plus plaque and tartar from your teeth. It not only cleans your teeth but acts as a preventative measure against tooth decay, gum disease and other dental conditions.

It also reduces the likelihood of bad breath.

A toothbrush removes food from the surface of the teeth whereas dental floss removes food particles from in between the teeth.

Using a toothbrush

Using a toothbrush is an easy thing to do but like anything there are ways in which this can be done to achieve the maximum result.

There is a right way and a wrong way to brush your teeth. But it is important that you follow a correct routine so that you remove plaque and tartar as well as cleaning your teeth.

The best way of using a toothbrush is as follows:

• Apply a small amount of toothpaste to the brush
• Hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle
• Brush the surface of your teeth with forward and backward movements.
• Do not forget to clean your back teeth and any other hard to reach teeth.
• Brush up and down not forwards and backwards across the front of the teeth.
• Brush your tongue or use a special tongue scraper to do so

Use dental floss and then rinse off with a mouthwash.

Manual or electric toothbrush?

There are two choices of toothbrush:

• Manual (hand held)
• Electric

The toothbrush you use depends upon personal preferences.

An electric toothbrush is easy to use and is often, more effective at removing tartar and plaque. But these tend to be more expensive than a manual toothbrush.

But electric toothbrushes are ideal for children and older people who find manual toothbrushes too small and fiddly to use.

The advantage of a manual toothbrush is that it can access those hard to reach areas between your teeth which an electric toothbrush cannot. Plus they often come with accessories such as a tongue scraper.