Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small strip of fluoride toothpaste. When you brush your teeth, move the brush in small circular motions to reach food particles that may be under your gum line. Hold the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and carefully, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. It will take you several minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth and the outside, inside and chewing surface of all of your front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.
Brush your teeth four times daily to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque:
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or right after school
- After dinner
- At bedtime
As soon as the bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one. Do not swallow any toothpaste. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish brushing. It is important to carefully floss and brush daily for optimal oral hygiene
Along with the above information as far as frequency of brushing and the technique of manual brushing, technology as offered us the ability to use a power toothbrush. Experts believe that the type of toothbrush you use directly affects how well you remove plaque from teeth.
Available in stores is the rechargeable electric toothbrush such as the oral-b pro health or sonicare brands or a battery power toothbrush. Some of the benefits of the electric toothbrush is the numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth, whitening benefits, and gum massaging action. Also the oscillating-rotating technology, timers to help keep track of time while brushing each quadrant, and pressure sensors when you are brushing too hard.
Manual tooth brushes may not have all of these above features, but the bristles have improved significantly. They can be crisscrossed, polished, textured, and designed for whitening benefits as well.