Your Halifax Invisalign® Provider
Why Preventive Dental Care Is Important
Preventive hygiene is important for your oral health. This includes attending regular cleanings and exams at your dentist's office, as well as practicing good oral health care at home with regular brushing and flossing.
Thorough teeth brushing is important for preventing tooth decay and gum disease. It helps to remove bacteria that can cause tooth decay and plaque that can cause gum disease.
Here, our dentists break down proper brushing techniques.
Proper Brushing Techniques
When you brush your teeth, you need to clean every surface of each tooth which includes the chewing surface, the cheek side, and the tongue side.
Brush at a 45-degree angle in a sweeping motion. For the upper teeth, use a sweeping downward motion, and for lower teeth use a sweeping upward motion. Only brush back and forth on chewing surfaces.
How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth
For the most effective cleaning, you should brush your teeth a half hour after every meal. But realistically, you should be able to brush your teeth twice a day, morning and night, to effectively keep your mouth clean.
How Long Do You Need To Brush For
Don't rush it - A thorough brushing should take at least two minutes, but no longer than four minutes. You can always try timing yourself to make sure your brushing routine is long enough.
Do You Have The Right Toothbrush?
To reach every area around your teeth you might want to use a soft brush with rounded bristles.
There are many different brush shapes and sizes, so ask your dentist to suggest the best one for you.
What Happens if You Don't Brush?
For people who think they can get by without brushing their teeth, our Halifax dentists have some bad news. The reason we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day is that the consequences of not brushing can be quite severe. Here’s a quick breakdown of what can happen when you stop brushing your teeth.
- Stained teeth - This is especially true if you drink coffee, wine, or smoke cigarettes.
- Tooth decay - If you don’t brush your teeth you get plaque that breaks down your tooth enamel. This will cause bad breath and eventually can cause major problems and require things like crowns and root canals.
- Gum disease - Also known as periodontal disease, this occurs when the bacteria in plaque cause swollen and bleeding gums.
- Long-term health problems - Periodontal disease is a likely outcome of not brushing one’s teeth, and periodontal disease has been associated with higher risks of kidney disease, dementia, and certain types of cancers.