Ever since you were a little child, you probably had parents that would always tell you to make sure to brush your teeth. Kids do not really care about taking the time to go into the bathroom every morning and night to take care of their mouth.
It is also hard to get little children to brush for enough time. Some people have a song to sing or a timer that they put right next to the sink so that you know exactly how much time you have left to clean them.
But a lot of times, no one ends up really scrubbing them for the appropriate amount of time and this leads to dental problems later on. So how long should you clean them for?
Believe it or not, you should be scrubbing them for two minutes at least twice a day in the morning and at night. Most people only spend about thirty seconds on it and think that they are doing a good enough job.
How should you brush? By holding your brush at a forty-five degree angle, you brush in from where the tooth and the gum meet to the chewing surface using short strokes in a circle formation.
Make sure not to press too hard because this can cause receding gums, tooth sensitivity, and may lead to deadened teeth. You should be able to reach every tooth in your mouth to clean.
Make sure that you get it into all of the pits and crevices between each tooth and the front and back and top. To reach the ones in the back on the side, stick your toothbrush in there and close your mouth a little bit to allow more room for it to work.
The one place that people most often forget is their tongue and the roof of their mouth. Scrub these areas as well so that you can get rid of all the decay causing bacteria that exist.
Most people only go to the dentist at most twice a year. Because you spend so little time at the dentist, the most important part of taking care of your teeth is done at home and is your responsibility.
You are capable of preventing cavities and removing the plaque which is a transparent layer of bacteria the coats your teeth. In addition to brushing them twice daily, you also need to floss them every day.
Take some floss about six inches long and wrap it around your two pointer fingers. Force the string down in between each tooth and slide it gently back and forth a few times before moving onto the next one.
This helps prevent any plaque buildup in the harder to reach areas and will help you stay away from cavities. The last thing that you can do to help keep your smile whiter and healthier is to use a fluoride rinse.
Fluoride is sometimes added to the community's drinking water to help keep everyone's teeth strong. In areas where it is not added to the water, then your dentist will probably have you get a supplement in the form of a mouthwash.
Some people have extra sensitive teeth that they need to be aware of. Using all of these tools to help the health of your mouth can be pretty abrasive and maybe too strong for some.
You can talk to your dentist and ask about what kinds of toothpastes you should be using and if there is a good sensitive type out there that would work the best for you. Sometimes the sensitivity is the result of a more serious problem that you might have including a cavity that already exists or nerve inflammation or irritation.
You can buy products that claim to whiten teeth as long as they have fluoride and other ingredients that fight plaque and tartar. But these products will probably not give you the results that you are hoping for.
Do not let advertisements lead you into believing that they have a miracle product that will change the color of your smile. If you really need to whiten your mouth a little, get it professionally done by a dentist.
About the Author
Tom Selwick is a former dental assistant, has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and has worked for an Dentist Las Vegas. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
Contact Info:
TomSelwick09@gmail.com
http://www.dentistryinlasvegas.com
