The Proper Way to Brush Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth helps remove plaque and bacteria that continually form on teeth and around the gumline. When not removed regularly, plaque can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and even periodontal disease. A proper brushing technique can protect teeth from decay and disease. Follow these steps:
- Step 1: Start with the outer surfaces of your teeth. Take your time! Gently brush upper and then lower teeth. Going tooth by tooth can help you slow down and not miss any spots.
- Step 2: Tilt your brush at a 45° angle. Brush against the gumline to get rid of any trapped plaque or food debris. Gently move the brush back and forth using short, tooth-wide strokes.
- Step 3: Brush the inner surface of your teeth. Because the insides of your teeth are not as visible, skipping them is tempting –but these inner surfaces are just as vulnerable to plaque. Use a 45° angle to brush back and forth to clean the inside surfaces of the teeth.
- Step 4: Clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth. Don't forget to use short back and forth strokes to brush the tops of your back teeth, where food can easily get trapped.
- Step 5: Brush your tongue. For fresher breath, brush your tongue to remove odor-causing bacteria.
Brushing alone is not enough — good dental care requires proper brushing. That means applying the right amount of toothpaste and using correct and safe toothbrushing motions to remove food morsels and clean the teeth thoroughly after meals. You’ll be surprised at how many people still develop cavities and need to undergo dental treatment even if they brush their teeth regularly — and it’s all because they’re not doing it right.
Proper tooth brushing is the first and foremost oral care that you need to practice every day. Learn — or re-learn — some brushing techniques to make sure that you brush your teeth right, and practice these regularly to keep teeth clean, strong, and healthy:
1. Hold the toothbrush properly
Yes, there’s a correct way to hold the toothbrush, and it’s not merely holding it parallel to the mouth. It’s likely that when you learned how to brush your teeth in childhood, you weren’t taught to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth. This allows you to point the bristles where the teeth and gums meet.
2. Apply gentle, circular motions
You may remember this from your childhood, but it helps to be reminded from time to time: use gentle circles to brush your teeth. For best at-home dental care, avoid “scrubbing” the teeth, or brushing horizontally back and forth, as this does not clean every tooth’s surface. Instead, use gentle, circular motions to avoid injuring the gums.
3. Try the Bass or Sulcular technique
One of the most popular toothbrushing techniques recommended for dental care, the Bass method helps prevent and control the spread of gum disease. It involves brushing around and under the gumline where bacteria and plaque accumulate — and often go uncleaned. With this dental care technique, you can reach under the gums to scrub off plaque and prevent them from hardening into tartar and resulting in gum disease.
To practice the Bass or Sulcular techniques, start by placing the toothbrush parallel to the teeth, with the bristles facing the gums. Tilt the toothbrush to a 45-degree angle and move the bristles gently under the gumline using a circular motion, and continue to the next area until you’ve brushed the entire mouth.
4. Use the Stillman method
5. Practice the Charter technique
6. Use a combination of brushing techniques
While these brushing techniques are all recommended for dental care, different methods may work for different people. You can also ask your dentist for tips to ensure a proper, thorough brushing every time.
7. Use the right toothbrush
8. Choose a fluoride toothpaste
The importance of tooth brushing
Dental caries and gum disease are two of the most prevalent pathologies in our society. Both are caused by the accumulation of certain microorganisms found in the mouth that are potentially pathogenic if we do not prevent their growth.
In order to maintain optimal oral health and good oral hygiene, it is very important to brush your teeth daily after every meal. But brushing can’t be done just any old way.
There are several toothbrushing techniques that adapt to the needs of each person. Let’s take a look at the 3 most effective ones, recommended by dental experts:
Fones technique
The Fones technique consists of brushing the teeth in a rotating motion. For the upper teeth, the brush is rotated downward, while for the lower teeth, the rotation is upward. It is important that the sides of the bristles brush both gums and teeth in the same movement.
This is the most recommended technique for teaching children how to brush their teeth correctly.
Bass technique
For the Bass technique, the toothbrush is placed at a 45-degree angle between the tooth and the gingiva. Subsequently, a horizontal dragging motion is performed towards the outer end of the tooth. The same is repeated on both the upper and lower arches.
Charting Technique
The Charters technique is the most suitable for cleaning the interproximal areas of the teeth. It consists of placing the bristles of the brush on the gingival margin forming a 45 degree angle pointing towards the occlusal surface. In this way, vibrating movements are made that are specifically directed towards the spaces between the teeth.
This technique is especially useful for cleaning around fixed orthodontic appliances, removing food debris more effectively.
Which toothbrushing technique to choose?
As we have already seen, each of these toothbrushing techniques has a specific target audience. While the Fones technique is the most suitable for the youngest members of the household who are learning to take care of their dental hygiene, the Bass technique is more complete for the dental care of youngsters and adults of all ages.
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