Brushing Your Teeth

Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth is an extremely important part of your day. We at the the Bellevue Dentist Seattle Dentist office encourage you to brush at least twice per day. When you brush, you are removing sticky plaque. Plaque contains toxins that, if left alone to collect on your teeth, can irritate and damage your gums. It is important to not only brush your teeth, but to do it right. Here are some general guidelines to help ensure you are brushing your teeth properly.

Brushing technique

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.
• Move the toothbrush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
• Use the "toe" of the toothbrush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.

Tips Brushing Your Teeth

• Apply just enough pressure to feel the toothbrush bristles against the gums. If you are squashing the bristles, you're brushing too hard.
• Replace your toothbrush at least every three to four months or as soon as the bristles are worn or bent. A worn-out toothbrush does not clean your teeth properly, and may actually hurt your gums. You should also get a new  toothbrush after you've had a cold.
• Be sure you are reaching every tooth. The toothbrush can only clean one or two teeth at a time, so you should be moving the toothbrush around quite often.
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Toothbrush Care

Here is what the ADA has to say about toothbrush care.

• Don't share toothbrushes
• Thoroughly rinse the toothbrush with tap water after use to remove any toothpaste and debris
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position if possible and allow it to air-dry
• When storing more than one brush, keep them separated so that germs are not transferred from one brush to another

Contact Us

If you have any questions about brushing your teeth or would like us to recommend the type of toothbrush to use, please call our Seattle Bellevue Dentist office at (425) 454-2005 to speak with us. We would be happy to answer your questions.