It is essential to know about your dental health and how to best take care of it. Here are 7 brushing techniques from a dentist in Corning, NY.
Do you think you brush your teeth the right way? You might be wrong. Any dentist in Corning, NY, will tell you to brush your teeth regularly, but how exactly should you be brushing?
Even if you brush your teeth on a regular basis, if you're not doing it the right way, you might be doing more harm than good for your teeth. After all, brushing your teeth is all about ridding your mouth of harmful bacteria, food particles, and keeping your tooth enamel and gums protected.
In this article, you'll learn all about how to brush your teeth the right way by following 7 techniques. After following these techniques for some time, your dentist near Corning, NY will be shocked at how your dental health has improved.
To start off, we will first take a better look at the different brushing methods and which one you should be using according to your teeth.
1. The Sulcular Technique
Between visits to your dentist Corning, NY, you need to pay attention to your dental care on your own. Many people make the mistake of brushing their teeth in a way that involves the bristles of a toothbrush mindlessly sliding across their teeth. This flimsy method will not do much to remove harmful bacteria, plaque, and food.
On the other hand, brushing too hard could be damaging to your enamel. So, what should you do when brushing your teeth? The first thing you can try is the sulcular or bass technique.
This technique is ideal for removing plaque from your teeth. Plaque is a sticky biofilm created by bacteria, and with time, it can become tartar, a hard substance that your dentist in Corning, NY area will need to pick off of your teeth with a metal tool. However, if you catch plaque while it is still in its soft stage, it can be easily removed with the right brushing technique.
First, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle relative to your teeth. Then, move the brush so the bristles can move beneath your gumline. When you brush, you can either move in a circular motion or back and forth.
Do this about twenty times before you brush the next section of your gumline. Be sure not to press down too hard when brushing as this can irritate your gums and damage your teeth. Use this technique to brush the front sides of your teeth as well as the back.
2. The Stillman Technique
The Stillman technique is very similar to the previous technique. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth and be sure to brush underneath the gumline. This helps to remove any food particles or plaque that might have been lodged against your gums.
The variation with the Stillman technique is that you should not use circular motions when brushing. Instead, you should move your brush back and forth in a horizontal motion. This will ensure your bristles reach areas that circular motions can't reach.
You can always combine the Stillman technique with the sulcular technique for a clean that will impress any dentist around Corning, NY.
3. The Charter Technique
The charter technique is ideal if you have spaces between your teeth or receding gums. You can also use this technique if you have recently had surgery on your gums. Again, start by holding your brush at a 45-degree angle, but in the opposite direction of the previous techniques.
Instead, point your brush toward the crown of your teeth. This will help to avoid irritating your gums as the bristles will not come in contact with the gums often or at all. Then, move the brush in short, quick motions over your teeth about twenty times.
You can use circular or horizontal motions. Be sure to brush the sides of your teeth as well as the tops. Don't forget to brush any of your teeth, including your molars.
4. Brush Your Teeth Long Enough
Many people make the mistake of not brushing their teeth for a sufficient amount of time. The best dentist in Corning, NY, will tell you that you need to brush your teeth for two minutes.
Two minutes may sound like a long time if you're used to brushing your teeth for a minute or less. However, two minutes is necessary, because that is the amount of time needed to remove all the plaque and bacteria from your teeth.
5. Brush More Than Your Teeth
You might be used to dentists, Corning, NY, telling you to brush your teeth, but what about your cheeks and tongue? Ignoring these areas while brushing could be detrimental to your dental care. Why might this be?
Your tongue and the inside of your cheeks are like sponges for bacteria. Food particles might also remain on your tongue even after you brush your teeth. Because of this, food particles will be reintroduced to your teeth even after they're clean.
6. Brush Gently
You might get the impression that the
harder you brush, the more gunk you can remove from your teeth. However, brushing your teeth too hard can be harmful.
This is because enamel can be removed over time. You could also end up irritating and scratching your gums this way. While it might be difficult to change your hard-brushing habits, try brushing more gently for the sake of your teeth.
7. Choose The Right Toothbrush
While this might not be much of a brushing technique, a good toothbrush is the foundation of all brushing techniques. A brush with hard bristles might not be ideal, since, as mentioned before, brushing too hard can be harmful.
If you have sensitive teeth, a soft bristle brush might be good for you. On the other hand, if you want a deep clean, dentists in Corning, NY might recommend an electric toothbrush.
Brushing Techniques From a Dentist in Corning, NY
By the end of this article, you should know all about the different brushing techniques from a dentist in Corning, NY. With this information, you can be sure that you'll have a healthy smile for a long time.
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