3 Common Tooth Brushing Mistakes That Ruin Your Oral Health
When it comes to your oral health, most people know that brushing your teeth is the number one way to prevent bacteria and cavities from forming.
If you don’t brush your teeth two times a day, bacteria starts to form and create a plaque that solidifies and eats away at your teeth and gums. This can lead to everything from gum disease to complete tooth decay.
Alongside teeth brushing, you need to visit a dentist regularly for checkups to ensure everything is okay. Remember, the best dentist is different from the best orthodontist. Always make sure you see a dentist for oral health concerns - an orthodontist focuses more on tooth and jaw alignment issues.
So, right now, you’re in a good position. You’re brushing your teeth every day and you are seeing a dentist every few months for checkups. However, during these checkups, your dentist discovers lots of cavities and oral health problems. How is this possible? You say you’re brushing your teeth, so surely you are protected?
Unfortunately, there are some common tooth brushing mistakes that ruin your oral health. You must learn what they are to stop doing them every day!
Rinsing your mouth after brushing
It feels natural to rinse your mouth out with water after brushing your teeth. You want to get rid of the minty taste, so you have a swig and spit it out.
Stop doing this!
Rinsing your mouth out with water will remove some of the toothpaste from your teeth. Specifically, it can dilute and wash away fluoride, which is the main thing defending you from cavities. In essence, you undo all the work you just did by brushing.
Not using a fluoride toothpaste
These days, you can find all manner of toothpaste online. There are special charcoal toothpaste, natural toothpaste, and so on. One big mistake is to buy toothpaste that doesn’t contain fluoride. As mentioned above, this actively protects your teeth from bacteria and cavities. Without it, you have no cavity protection at all.
Always ensure the toothpaste you use has fluoride in it, and it’s suggested that it contains between 1350 - 1500ppm. You can find this on the ingredients list when shopping for toothpaste.
Brushing straight after eating
You eat something and then decide to brush your teeth.
It’s a common thing to do as you feel like you’re instantly cleaning your teeth to prevent cavities. In reality, this can do the opposite. Because the food is still fresh on your teeth, you might just rub in the bacteria and sugars deeper into your teeth.
Instead, it’s good to wait 15-30 minutes after eating. Drink some water as well or chew some gum to help remove a lot of the sugar particles and bacteria before you brush. Then, you can use fluoride toothpaste to clean your teeth and provide added protection.
Be honest, are you guilty of these common mistakes? Most of us are, and that’s okay. You didn’t know about them before, but now you do. So, you can take action to stop making the mistakes and improve your oral health.
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