Brush your teeth two times a day with the right fluoride toothpaste to keep them clean and mouth healthy.
Key Facts: Cleaning Your Teeth Properly
▪️Brush Twice Daily for 2 Minutes
Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush. Use gentle, circular motions and cover all tooth surfaces.
▪️Floss Once a Day
Flossing removes plaque and food between teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. Essential for gum health and cavity prevention.
▪️Use Mouthwash Wisely
Antibacterial mouthwash helps reduce plaque and freshen breath, but shouldn’t replace brushing or flossing.
▪️Brush Your Tongue
The tongue harbors bacteria that cause bad breath. A gentle brush or scraper can improve freshness and oral health.
▪️Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly
Swap out your toothbrush every 3–4 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. Old brushes are less effective at cleaning.
Plaque is a film of bacteria that covers your teeth if you don’t clean your teeth very well. It contributes to gum disease and Cavities.
Tooth brushing gets rid of plaque build-up and harmful bacteria in your mouth. Be certain that you brush every surface of your teeth.
When should I brush my teeth?
Brushing twice daily is very important for your dental health. As advised, two minutes brushing in the morning and last thing before going to bed. Your dentist or hygenist will enlighten you more on how to clean your teeth.
How to Clean Your Teeth – The Proper Brushing Technique Step By Step
Prepare your toothbrush.
Before you can brush your teeth and clean your teeth in the morning, you have to use dental floss to remove the food particles from your teeth. Flossing is a very important aspect of the proper brushing technique, yet often neglected, part of oral health. It might be a painful experience at first, especially if you aren’t in the habit of regularly flossing, but try to make it a part of your daily practice. Dental floss is able to reach the tiny crevices between your teeth that of a toothbrush can’t. If you make flossing a habit, you will definitely notice a difference in the way your mouth feels.
Once you’ve finished flossing, wet your toothbrush with water and apply a thin strip of toothpaste. If you’ve been to the toothpaste store, you can get varieties of fluoridated toothpaste that are available. It all depends on your own taste, but try to use one that contains fluoride, which protects the teeth against cavities and tooth decay.
Start in the back if you want to clean your teeth properly
Begin with your upper molars, or your back teeth third molar, on your right side of your mouth and brush in a clockwise direction. Point the bristles toward the gum line at a 45-degree angle and brush using short and circular motions for about 20 seconds.
Rollaway to clean your teeth
After you have a brush that very side for about 20 seconds, roll the brush towards the gum line so the bristles sweep the surface of the tooth, removing plaque and food particles in the process.
Brush in a clockwise direction.
Continue brushing in a clockwise direction, finishing up with the lower molars on the other side of your mouth.
Repeat steps two and three for the inside surfaces of the upper and lower molars teeth.
Brush behind the upper front teeth.
Brush the back, the surface of the upper front teeth by using the tip of the toothbrush head. Direct the bristles toward the gum line and use a flicking motion down the surface of the tooth. Repeat this two or three times for a more thorough cleaning.
Brush behind the lower front teeth.
Point the bristles of the tip of the toothbrush toward the gum line and flick the bristles up and away from the gum line in a sweeping motion. Repeat this step two or three more times.
Brush the top surfaces of the teeth.
Brush the top, biting surfaces of the upper and lower premolars and molars using a circular motion.
Brush the tongue and the insides of the cheeks.
Teeth aren’t the only things in your mouth that need to be cleaned. Your tongue, the roof of your mouth and the insides of your cheeks must be clean too.can also hold onto food particles, plaque, and bacteria that make your breath smell. Just like your teeth, they deserve a good cleaning. With a gentle, circular motion, thoroughly brush your tongue, the insides of your cheeks and the roof of your mouth.
Finish up with a rinse.
Rinse your mouth with water or your choice of mouthwash. Have a good smile!
Should I use an electric or manual toothbrush?
It doesn’t matter whether you use an electric or manual toothbrush to clean your teeth they are all good, as long as you brush all the inside and outside of your teeth with fluoride toothpaste.
Both toothbrushes work very well but most people find electric toothbrush a lot easier and convenient to clean teeth.
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How to choose the right kind of toothbrush to clean your teeth?
For most people, soft and medium bristles with a small head will work just fine for cleaning your teeth.
If you use an electric toothbrush, one with an oscillating or rotating head may work very well than manual ones. Whichever one you choose to use make sure you brush the surface of your teeth twice daily. This is more important than the type of toothbrush you choose to use. For more information, see a dentist.
Which Toothpaste Type is Best for You to Clean Your Teeth?
It is advisable to use a reasonable amount of toothpaste to clean your teeth.
Check the label of your toothpaste before buying one or the ingredient before purchasing online.
- Recommended adult usage Is at least 1,350 parts per million (ppm) fluoride.
- You don’t have to get a special kind of toothpaste for your kids. Everybody in the family can use the regular toothpaste as long as it contains 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride. If your kids are under the age of six years you can use a lower fluoride children’s toothpaste that contains at least 1,000ppm.
- Children under age three need a smear of toothpaste. Children aged three to six years should use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste. Also, you need to help or supervised your kids not to swallow or lick the toothpaste.
Your dental hygenist will enlighten you more on the right concentration of fluoride your kids need.
This Infographic explains: Which Toothpaste Type is Best for You?
How to help children brush their teeth
As always, we advise that you should not let your children under the age of 7 years brush their teeth alone without helping and enlighten them on how to floss and brush properly.
Get more tips on brushing children’s teeth
Don’t rinse with water straight after toothbrushing
Not yet, don’t rinse your mouth with water after cleaning your teeth instead, split out excess toothpaste. This we help the concentrated fluoride toothpaste on your teeth to last longer.
If you dilute your mouth with water straight after brushing your teeth, it reduces the preventative effects of the fluoride.
When to use Mouthwashes: Before or after brushing?
Mouthwash with fluoride ingredient is very good to prevent cavities. But it has to be 10 minutes after brushing to prevent the fluoride toothpaste left on your teeth from washing off.
You can use your mouth wash in another time such as after lunch hour.
After using your fluoride mouth wash, don’t eat and drink anything for 30 minutes.
Here are a few tips on the correct flossing technique
Flossing isn’t just for removing food particles between teeth.
If you floss regularly, it can help you reduce gum disease and bad breath by getting rid of the plaque around your gum line.
The best way to use floss is before brushing.
- Your floss must be up to 18 inches long (about 45cm) to be able to grasp it very well between your hands.
- Gently slide the floss or dental tape between your teeth and gums line, as long as you want.
- Floss with 8 to 10 strokes in an up and down direction between each and every tooth that is present, to remove the food particles and the plaque.
Read about why it’s important to floss.
How to use interdental brushes to clean your teeth
If there is a gap between your teeth you can use interdental brushes, as it fits well between your teeth. You should avoid toothpicks at all cost because it can damage your gums, and may lead to tooth infection if you used it to remove food debris between your teeth.
For further knowledge your hygienist we enlighten you on how to use interdental cleaning for your teeth. 1http://nigdentalasso.org/
Read more about interdental brushes.
Authoritative References
- College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and others Learn more
- Nigerian Dental Association Nigeria – Learn more
1. CDC – Oral Health Basics: Tips for daily dental care
https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/adult-oral-health/tips.html
2. American Dental Association (ADA) – Flossing & Brushing Guidance
https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics
3. Mayo Clinic – Mouthwash Use & Effectiveness
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/mouthwash/art-20047492
4. NHS UK – Brushing Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/how-to-keep-your-teeth-clean/
5. Cleveland Clinic – Toothbrush Hygiene
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-should-you-replace-your-toothbrush
Isreal olabanji a dental assistant and public health professionals and has years of experience in assisting the dentist with all sorts of dental issues.
We regularly post timely and trustworthy medical information and news on Fitness, Dental care, Recipes, Child health, obstetrics, and more.
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Additional resources and citations
- 1http://nigdentalasso.org/
