Brushing your teeth properly will keep your teeth and gums healthy and reduce the risk of chronic disease. But most of us do not brush our teeth properly.
We have been brushing our teeth since we were little, shorter than regular bathroom mirrors. But few of us know how to brush our teeth properly.
According to research from Sweeden, about 1 in 10 people brush their teeth properly. In a survey of 2,000 people living in the UK by the British health insurance company, almost half said they did not know how to brush their teeth properly
Josephine Hersheyfield, a clinical lecturer at the University of Birmingham in England, said, "If you don't have formal guidance from a dentist or hygienist, chances are you don't know how to brush your teeth properly." "From experience, I think it's the same situation in any country."
However, there is a lot of information on how to brush your teeth properly. So it can be more complicated. According to one study, there is a lot of conflicting information between the advice of brushing experts.
Nigel Carter, an expert at Oral Health UK, said: "There are so many different types of information that are conflicting and confusing for consumers." Confusion is further fueled by dental health products, such as tongue cleaners and water rinses.
So where do you go wrong when brushing your teeth? And how do you clean it properly?
The best way
"Most dental patients know they need to remove food debris," Hersheyfield said. "But that's only half the truth. Getting the bacteria off your teeth is more important."
The bacteria and germs that live in everyone's mouth form a thick biofilm (a thin membrane containing bacteria or germs) called plaque. Plaque contains about 700 types of bacteria, making it a breeding ground for fungi and viruses. "That sticky membrane on the teeth and soft tissue doesn't come off easily, so it has to be cleaned artificially," Hersheyfield said.
The most important area to remove plaque is at the gum line and not the teeth. Microorganisms penetrate the gum tissue through this area and cause inflammation and eventually periodontitis. That's why Hersheyfield said, "think about brushing your gum line more" instead of "brushing your teeth." "Then the teeth snap back on themselves." Through that way
So what is the best way to do this?
One of the most effective ways to remove the thin line of bacteria (biofilm) is the "enhanced water channel". This method is more active than brushing which we use a lot.
I tried this method myself. First, I took a bamboo toothbrush and stood in front of the bathroom mirror. I started brushing my teeth.
In the improved cleaning method, the toothbrush is placed at an angle of 45 degrees to the surface of the tooth. (Bending down on the lower teeth and up on the upper teeth, as if the edge of the toothbrush were placed under the gums.) Then, it produces small vibrations along the gum line in a backward and outward direction.
Moments later, the bathroom mirror was smeared with toothpaste foam from her mouth. And brushing my teeth so hard that I scratched my gums with the hard head of the bamboo toothbrush and dropped the toothbrush on the floor in pain.
After a week of trying, the amount of toothpaste spilled on the glass decreased, but my gums started to hurt. It was because I was brushing too hard.
Brushing too hard can damage your gums. Injuries to the soft tissues caused by excessive brushing provide a way for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
And brushing can create cavities that can rot your teeth. People who use manual toothbrushes tend to use more power than users of electric toothbrushes with a power warning feature.
How long should you brush your teeth?
Twice a day, at least 2 minutes per session, is a requirement recommended by the American Dental Association, the NHS, the Indian Dental Association, and the Australian Dental Association.
The problem is that most of us don't really know how long two minutes is. The time people spent brushing their teeth varied from study to study, ranging from 33 seconds to 45 seconds, 46 seconds and 97 seconds on average.
According to the research of Karolina Gans, professor of dental prevention at the University of Giessen in Germany, only 25% of people brush their teeth with the right force and frequency.
Fortunately, there are useful time-telling tools, such as a phone app, a small clock mirror you can stick in your bathroom, and an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer
Brushing your teeth for a long time removes biofilm, but two minutes is enough to clean the entire area of your teeth and gum line, Carter said. However, people with gum disease or other oral diseases may take a long time to completely remove the biofilm.
"Really, how often you need to brush your teeth depends on the individual situation," says Hersheyfield. "It's hard to choose one because everyone's teeth and mouth conditions are different. The important thing is that it takes at least two minutes to clean every area of your teeth, including hard-to-reach areas with a toothbrush."
How often should you brush your teeth?
In the United States, England, and Australia, it is recommended to brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day at the same time carefully. However, the Indian Medical Association says doing it up to three times, including after lunch, helps. Most people who do not have serious oral health problems do not really benefit from brushing more than this.
"Excessive brushing can cause wear and tear on your teeth, so brushing more than twice a day can be harmful," said Hersheyfield. But there is a difference.
"But neither of us brush our teeth very well, so a double brush will get rid of the spots we missed in the previous one."
Before or after food?
When is it better to brush your teeth before or after breakfast? From toothpaste manufacturers to dental clinics, many say that brushing before breakfast is better than brushing after a meal. However, the debate about the timing of brushing is still ongoing.
"There is no such thing as a 'must do,'" Hersheyfield said. "However, many dentists will recommend doing it after a meal, as it removes not only plaque but also food residue."
Whether before or after breakfast is better depends on what and when you eat it. This is because two conditions are needed for the development of biofilm: microorganisms and food for microorganisms.
So brushing your teeth after breakfast can be effective. "If you put sugar on top of the existing bacterial membrane and then wipe it off right away, you won't have a problem," said Hersheyfield.
However, there are some things to be careful about when brushing your teeth after breakfast. There should be time between eating and brushing. The American Dental Association recommends a time difference of 60 minutes. The reason is that food acids and the products of carbohydrate digestion and micro-organisms wear down the teeth over time.
Clean with what?
Hersheyfield says there are products on the market that literally "wipe your teeth." This is more likely to happen when using a hard toothbrush and toothpaste with the ability to polish and rub hard parts (abrasive) which is often called "whitening".
"Tooth wear is a process that takes place over years or decades," he said. "But as teeth continue to wear down, they can develop ulcers or cavities."
For adults, a medium toothbrush and toothpaste that does not contain small abrasive particles is recommended. Hersheyfield said that it is better to have a small toothbrush head so that it can clean every part of the teeth and it is better to change the toothbrush before it starts to split.
Brushwoods such as miwak, widely used throughout Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, also help remove plaque and prevent pores. However, if not used correctly, it can cause bruises on the gums.
Although expensive, electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual toothbrushes. Although there have been studies over the years showing no significant difference between the two toothbrushes.
The effectiveness of the electric toothbrush comes from the fact that it helps those who do not know how to brush their teeth and the fact that the head of the teeth is small. And it has the ability to detect the power you are using and warn you. "But a manual toothbrush can be effective if you brush it properly and use the right amount of force," says Hersheyfield.
Should you use dental floss?
There aren't enough studies on dental floss. However, many dental health groups still recommend flossing.
"If you have five teeth and they have bacteria on each side that's open, there's no reason not to brush half of them," Hersheyfield said.
Carter said that in the UK, flossing is a habit of 1 in 20 people. According to a 2019 survey, a third of UK adults do not floss at all.
Flossing is not the only way to remove bacteria from the teeth. Depending on the characteristics of the teeth, such as the space between the teeth, an intermediate toothbrush may be used in some cases. If you have problems with your gums or teeth, cleaning between your teeth is a big help.
Hersheyfield said flossing should be used every two minutes of brushing and once a day is sufficient.
What is the best toothpaste?
There are toothpastes that claim to have a variety of functions, from preventing tooth decay to whitening, but Hersheyfield and Carter said the high cost doesn't mean they have the features you need.
"Sometimes even the cheapest toothpastes have everything on the ingredient list to protect your teeth," says Hersheyfield.
There is one list of ingredients on toothpaste packaging that deserves special attention. "Fluoride content is obviously the main factor," Hersheyfield said. To protect enamel from acid, it should be at least 1350 ppm for adults and 1000 ppm for children.
Tooth pulp is the hardest tissue in the human body. "It's as hard as a diamond," Hersheyfield said.
"Since fluoride entered toothpaste, there has been a decrease in tooth decay in all areas where fluoride toothpaste is used," said Hersheyfield.
However, some outbreaks must be handled with care. Charcoal, which has been used to brush teeth for thousands of years and has recently become popular as an ingredient in toothpaste, has not been adequately researched on its effectiveness. There is little evidence that charcoal whitens teeth and can cause tooth decay and other problems.
Most charcoal toothpastes do not contain fluoride, so they are not effective in preventing tooth decay.
Other toothpaste additives that are known today are not controversial. Another study found that baking soda toothpaste was more effective at removing bacterial plaque. However, follow-up research is needed.
Should you use mouthwash?
Mouthwash is less effective at removing bacterial plaque than brushing, Carter said, but using the two together can remove more plaque than brushing alone. "I don't think it's a replacement for brushing, but it's a very important way to get it done," he said.
But recently, the industry says mouthwashes can also help treat gingivitis. To be effective, mouthwashes must contain at least 100 ppm fluoride and have been clinically proven to reduce plaque. And it's best to use it if you already have bleeding gums rather than as a preventative measure.
Maybe there is a "must have" to increase the effectiveness of brushing your teeth. Lack of brushing can lead to bacterial growth and tooth decay and periodontitis. Excessive cleaning or vigorous brushing can wear down the enamel. Flossing, brushing between teeth or using mouthwash if you have gingivitis can be annoying but it is worth it for your health.
Effective brushing reduces the risk of bad breath, tooth discoloration and cavities. It is also known to be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.
"Evidence is emerging that periodontal disease is also associated with cognitive impairment through inflammation," said Bei Wu, professor of health at New York University. "Oral hygiene efforts, such as brushing, can reduce plaque and reduce the risk of gingivitis."
The 'Salvadora persica' tree has played an important role in human dental hygiene for approximately 7,000 years. This tree grows in Africa, the Middle East, India and Pakistan.
Since Babylonian times, people have cut small sticks from the trees, rubbed the leaves, and then cut them to a size that they could hold in one hand.
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