Let’s explain the importance of brushing your teeth.
We dentists always stress to our patients that they should brush their teeth. But why do we insist so much on this?
Brushing is the most important and effective way for the patient to contribute to the success of any dental procedure and treatment. The reason we brush our teeth is to remove the microbial plaque that is created every day from the food and germs in the mouth. If the plaque is not removed sufficiently, then the salts present in our saliva contribute to the creation of tartar. This results in problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth decay.
We recommend two minutes of brushing, twice a day at least, preferably 30 to 45 minutes after each of the three meals of the day. Flossing or brushing with interdental brushes is very important, as a toothbrush can only remove plaque on 3 of the 5 surfaces of the teeth: chewing, lingual and buccal (near the cheeks).
We must brush the entire length of the tooth up to the gums. If the gums bleed a little, this should not scare us nor should we avoid the area. At the same time, not much force is needed for brushing, but good technique. We must use rotary movements that cover each other, systematically going from tooth to tooth.
On the upper jaw we should hold the bristles of our brush 45° upwards to ensure that they get between the gums and teeth and on the lower jaw 45° downwards. After brushing, we should not rinse, but spit the toothpaste, to give the fluoride the necessary time to act.
Our toothbrush must be soft so that the gums and teeth are not injured. It is good to change our toothbrush regularly, about every three months depending on the wear and tear on the bristles.
For more information on the correct way to brush you can ask your personal dentist.
