Oral health is something every person must be strongly concerned about regardless of their stage in life. It’s a small daily habit that can have a huge impact in the long run as good teeth and a good smile can boost or lower a person’s self-confidence.

The question, however, is are you doing it right? While many people understand the importance of oral hygiene, very few follow the rules correctly. Understand that brushing your teeth incorrectly is just as bad as not brushing at all.

What Should You Use for Tooth Brushing?

Your toothbrush is the primary tool for brushing your teeth. Ideally, the toothbrush must have a small head and soft bristles to remove the plaque and massage the gums. The small head is to simply make sure that it reaches as far back as possible in your mouth.

What about the toothpaste? Any toothpaste with fluoride would do. No need to purchase the expensive brands because fluoride is the active ingredient you want here. The fluoride helps remove the filmy coating on the teeth that can lead to plaque buildup. It also contains ingredients that can kill the bacteria causing the plaque.

Most people forget that there are two other tools for oral hygiene – the mouthwash and the floss. Floss manages to reach those tiny gaps between the teeth where food gets stuck. This part of the mouth is often missed even by the best toothbrush out there. Flossing can also help develop healthier gums and less plaque in between the teeth.What about mouthwash? Using a mouthwash tops off your oral hygiene routine. It helps kill off any bacteria that the brush and floss might have missed. Through gargling, you can reach even the smallest recesses of your mouth – as well as restore gum health.

When Should You Brush your Teeth?

Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day. This is as soon as you wake up in the morning and another one before going to bed. Some people have that extra brush after lunchtime which is perfectly fine – as long as you wait 30 minutes before brushing.

See, this is where most people make a mistake. Many believe that brushing as soon as they finish eating is the best way to beat plaque but that’s not the case at all. Brushing too soon could actually ruin the enamel of the teeth because you’re basically just swirling around remains of any acidic food you ate.

Also pay attention to the time you brush. Ideally, you should brush before breakfast instead of after. This will give you the best results in terms of removing plaque. For your nighttime brush, just make sure it’s at least 30 minutes after taking your last meal of the day.

How Should You Brush your Teeth?

This is where most people encounter a problem. You see, brushing teeth should be done for a period of two minutes. This would be the optimum time for the fluoride to stay in your teeth so that it cleans up the bacteria.

The cleaning motion also needs to be precise. Brushing in soft circular motion would give you the best results in terms of cleaning. With the two minutes, this should mean starting from one edge of the teeth to another in in very soft and precise motions. This is why most people use an electric toothbrush – so they can get the perfect brush stroke necessary for each tooth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue too using the toothbrush or a special tongue cleaner.

Finally – it’s best not to rinse your mouth too fast! Let the fluoride work its magic in your mouth. Some people don’t rinse at all so they’d get better results. At least wait a full minute before rinsing it off your mouth.

Why Should You Pay Attention?

To wrap it up, oral hygiene is a good habit to develop but only if you’re doing it right. With the right methods followed, you should have happy teeth with zero cavities for the rest of your adult life. Don’t forget though that no matter how well you brush, dentist visits should also form part of your annual maintenance. Go to your dentist at least once a year for a full clean.