There’s something so satisfying about running your tongue over the top of your freshly brushed teeth. But if you’ve noticed that lately, your teeth don’t feel clean after brushing, you may be starting to get concerned.
Are you adequately removing the bacteria and plaque buildup from your teeth?
Is there something you can tweak in your oral hygiene routine to ensure you have squeaky clean teeth after brushing?
Don’t put off tweaking your brushing routine — a buildup of bacteria and plaque can lead to major oral health problems. Bridge Creek Dental is here with a few pointers to help you get the most out of your tooth-brushing session.
Take Your Time
One of the most common mistakes is not brushing your teeth for long enough. If you have a long bedtime routine that involves washing your face or showering, you may try to shave off a few minutes by giving your teeth a quick brushing — but you might not be cleaning much at all.
Brush your teeth for a minimum of two minutes at least twice per day, once in the morning and once in the evening. It’s even better if you can brush your teeth following a meal. To help you brush your teeth for at least two minutes, you can use a timer on your phone, brush for the duration of a song, or invest in a toothbrush with a built-in timer.
By brushing for two minutes, you remove most, if not all, of the bacteria and plaque on your teeth.
Buy a New Toothbrush
When was the last time you changed your toothbrush?
If it was longer than three months ago, that might be the reason why your teeth don’t feel clean after being brushed. Using an old toothbrush with bent or damaged bristles, you aren’t helping to remove plaque or food particles from your mouth. This means that even after brushing, you’ll have leftover food seeping into your teeth and gum line, which can lead to painful or costly dental issues down the line.
If you notice that the bristles on your toothbrush are bent, falling out, or showing signs of damage, it’s time to switch to a new toothbrush that can remove plaque and buildup from your teeth.
Brush Up and Down
It’s easy to get lazy with your brushing, and when that happens, you may find yourself brushing in a side-to-side motion. Not only does brushing from side to side leave food particles around your gum line, but it can wear away the enamel of your teeth. Instead, you should brush your teeth in an up and down motion, starting at the gum line and working the toothbrush in circular, up and down motions. This allows the brush to dislodge any plaque buildup around your gum line or between teeth to provide you with thorough teeth cleaning.
Call Bridge Creek Dental for Preventative Dental Care
If your teeth still don’t feel clean after following our three brushing tips, schedule preventative dental care with the experienced team at Bridge Creek Dental. During your dental cleaning, we can find small problems before they turn into major health concerns such as gum disease and tooth loss. Instead of letting any oral hygiene issues fester, our top-rated preventative dental care helps you maintain a beautiful, clean smile.
Here at Bridge Creek Dental, we specialize in providing preventive dental care for your entire family. If you or your loved ones are experiencing dental issues, give our team a call to schedule an appointment in Billings, MT.