Do You Know If You’re Really Brushing The Right Way?

When you get used to your usual habits, it’s easy to figure that you’re doing things correctly. However, since you don’t have a dentist at home to run your quick questions by (such as, “Am I brushing with the right method? How long should I brush my teeth?”) it’s often hard to know if you’re on track or a bit off. Fortunately, when you’re remembering to see our team two times each year for your exams and cleanings, there’s ample time to receive answers to such inquiries. Even more exciting news? The major bullet points regarding the essentials for optimal brushing as part of your dental hygiene are quite simple. Remembering them once you learn them is easy!

You Don’t Skimp On The Time Suggestion

We will always suggest that you brush your teeth for two minutes (both times you brush every day), which brings you to a grand total of four minutes of brushing on a daily basis. We suggest you stick to this without adding more time or skimping on it. Why is this so important, you wonder to yourself? Well, there’s just no way to do a thorough job if you don’t have adequate time. In addition, if you go way over that time limit, you may be doing too much scrubbing, which is bad for your oral health.

You’re Getting Each And Every Tooth

If you want to feel like you’ve actually accomplished your goal with dental hygiene (which is to clean your teeth and gums and tongue so that you don’t end up with preventable problems), then you are going to need to clean each and every tooth. Don’t focus on certain teeth or areas that you assume need more attention. Remember instead that all of your teeth need equal attention with your brush and you’ll be sure you’re removing lots of plaque for effective care.

You’re Nice And Gentle

Remember when we mentioned that you don’t want to overdo it with your smile because it could damage your oral health? It’s true. Every part of your dental hygiene, including your brushing, should be gentle. What’s this really mean? Well, don’t press hard. Don’t use aggressive motions. Don’t use hard bristles (soft only!). Don’t use toothpaste that’s abrasive.

Brush Better When You Ask Us For Help

We’ll be more than pleased to offer you some tips for better brushing at home, so you know for sure that you’re right on target with dental hygiene. To learn more, schedule an appointment with your dentist by calling Allen & Neumann Family Dentistry in Pella, IA, today at (641) 628-1121.