To maintain healthy teeth and mouth, brushing your teeth regularly is not enough. How to brush your teeth must also be true, because if no, teeth and gums can have problems.
Brushing teeth is a routine that is done to maintain the cleanliness and health of teeth and mouth. Not only clean teeth and eliminate bad breath, brushing your teeth the right way can also reduce the risk of gum disease, prevent tooth decay, and reduce the risk of sensitive teeth.
How to brush your teeth properly and correctly
Before starting to brush your teeth, wet your toothbrush with water, then apply an appropriate amount of toothpaste to the bristles. When you're ready, let's follow these steps to brush your teeth the right way:
1. Pay attention to the position of the toothbrush
Hold the toothbrush, then place the bristles of the toothbrush on the surface of the teeth near the edge of the gums with the brush slightly tilted at a 45o angle. So, you don't stick the entire surface of the bristles on your teeth.
2. Start brushing your teeth
Start brushing from the front of the teeth on one side of your mouth. Brush your teeth in a counterclockwise circular motion for 20 seconds for each section. This circular motion works so that the bristles of the brush can clean the plaque that is tucked in the gaps of the teeth and gums.
After cleaning the front side, brush the back teeth, top and bottom, in a slow back and forth motion. Make sure all surfaces of the teeth have been brushed, so that plaque or food debris stuck to the teeth can be removed.
The part of the teeth that is often forgotten to brush is the inside of the incisors, both upper and lower. To brush this part of your teeth, you must hold the toothbrush vertically. Use the tip of the toothbrush head to brush in an up and down motion.
3. Clean the tongue
After all the teeth are brushed, clean the surface of the tongue with a tongue cleaner (tongue scraper) or the back of a toothbrush equipped with a tongue cleaner.
How to use this tool is very easy. Place the tool on the back of the tongue, then pull it up to the front end of the tongue. Repeat several times until the tongue looks clean.
4. Use dental floss and end with gargling
After brushing your teeth, clean between your teeth using dental floss, then rinse the remaining dirt on your teeth and mouth with clean water.
After that, you can also rinse your mouth with a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol or is specially formulated for certain problems, such as bad breath or sensitive teeth. If necessary, you can consult a dentist to choose the right mouthwash.
5. Avoid brushing your teeth too hard and in a hurry
Brushing your teeth too hard can make your gums bleed and become inflamed. Friction that is too tight can also erode the protective layer or tooth enamel. This is the cause of sensitive teeth.
In addition, the ideal time required to brush your teeth is 2 minutes. If you brush your teeth too quickly or in a hurry, food debris may still be stuck between your teeth and gums. Thus, the results are also not optimal.
To find out whether your teeth are clean or not, you can feel them with your tongue. If the tongue feels smooth when touched, it means that your teeth are clean. However, if the surface still feels rough, it means that there is still plaque attached to your teeth.
How to Choose the Right Toothbrush and Toothpaste
In addition to applying the correct way of brushing your teeth, you also need to choose the right toothbrush and toothpaste. The method is as follows:
Choose a soft-bristled toothbrush
To prevent contact with sensitive teeth or make it worse, choose a toothbrush with soft and soft bristles. Also choose a toothbrush with a brush head size that matches the size of your mouth. This is to facilitate the movement of the bristles to reach the entire surface of the teeth.
In addition to a regular toothbrush, you can also choose an electric toothbrush. This toothbrush can move automatically to make it easier for you to brush your teeth. This type of toothbrush is good for people who have difficulty moving their hands, for example because of arthritis.
Choosing the right toothpaste
The ideal toothpaste generally contains fluoride (fluoride). This content serves to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. In addition, you can also choose herbal toothpaste enriched with extracts eucalyptus and fennel or fennel.
Both herbal plants are believed to be able to eliminate bad breath and inhibit the growth of germs that cause infection in the gums and mouth. In addition, the antioxidant content in this plant is also useful for reducing inflammation.
Always keep your teeth healthy by brushing your teeth regularly. And remember, not just routine, how to brush your teeth must be correct. Do also check your teeth and mouth to the dentist every 6 months. During a consultation, you can ask your doctor about the right way to brush your teeth.