Look at that beautiful smile! Your teeth are radiant, and you want to keep them that way. With these brushing techniques, your teeth will look their best.

You might think because you've been brushing for years now (even decades) that you have nothing to improve in that regard. But as they say, even an old dog can learn new tricks. 

Constant improvement is the name of the game, and even in brushing techniques, innovations are happening all the time.

Interested in learning some new brushing tips and getting into proper brushing habits? Read on for 8 brushing techniques curated specially for you. 

2. Hold the Toothbrush Properly - Not How Your Parents Taught You

Maybe your parents were teeth-savvy and taught you how to hold a toothbrush properly, but most people aren't that lucky. You are not supposed to hold a toothbrush parallel to the teeth. Surprised??

In fact, you are supposed to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and gumline, so that you can get to the point where the teeth and gums meet. 

3. Brush at the Gumline First

You might brush the white part of the teeth, forgetting that your teeth aren't only that white bit, but go much further and deeper into your mouth cavity, under your gums. Start with the gumlines first.



Use the 45-degree angle to brush directly at the gumline, so you can avoid receding gums, clean away plaque, and build stronger gums and teeth. 

4. Then Roll Away From the Gumline

Once you have brushed your gumline all through the mouth once, then you can start working on your teeth. Brush in a manner where you roll away from the gumline so that the bristles sweep the surface of the tooth.



In this manner, you will be able to sweep away plaque and food residues away from the gums and teeth and rinse them away. 

5. Don't Brush Too Hard - Use Gentle, Circulation Motions

Too many people are brushing way too hard using a toothpaste that's too harsh on their teeth. If you wish to avoid that, learn to brush in a gentle and circulation motion on your teeth and gum surface.



This way you will be able to avoid enamel wear, receding gums, and tooth sensitivity. If you think brushing harder will make your teeth whiter, think again.

6. Brush the Tongue and the Inside of Your Cheeks

Yes, you've cleaned your gums and teeth. Good job! But what about the rest of your mouth? Have you forgotten that your mouth consists of your tongue and cheeks as well? They are not safe from the ravages of the food you eat.



Get a tongue scraper if that works for you, or you can brush your tongue and the inside of your cheeks with your toothbrush after you finish brushing your teeth. Easy-peasy!

7. Work in a Clockwise Direction

You are thinking about a hundred other things while brushing your teeth in the morning - your to-do list, picking up the kids, chores, groceries, and more. Mindlessly brushing your teeth, you might forget a corner or two.

That's why it's best to brush systematically, so you can cover all your teeth, even if you aren't consciously thinking about it.



Start with your back teeth (molars), and then work in a clockwise direction around the mouth.

Work in sections, so that you divide your mouth into six different sections - lower back left, lower middle, lower back right, upper back right, upper middle, upper back left.

This way, no matter how distracted you are, you will never miss a tooth or a section. Make it an automatic way of brushing from now onwards.

8. Brush Behind the Teeth as Well (Lower and Upper)

Again, in your frenzy to clean the part of the tooth that shows, i.e., the front of the teeth, you might forget that you have to brush behind the teeth as well.

Not only behind the lower teeth, which you might have covered, but the upper back as well. Food residues can get stuck there for a long time, and if you forget to brush that part, you might end up with unseemly plaque.

Plaque is terrible not only because it looks unattractive. But also because gum disease has actually been linked to heart disease.

People with periodontal disease (gum disease) are 3 times more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, or other serious cardiovascular events. Yikes!



If you didn't know that proper brushing techniques have such serious consequences, now you know.

Brushing Techniques to Get You From Blah to Wow

You might have started taking care of your teeth, only because your parents forced you to, or because you wanted to look attractive to the opposite sex. But now things are different. 

Now you must use proper brushing techniques because you want to take care of your health, not only gum-wise but in a complete sense. 

Not only will you look great because you will have a set of strong, healthy, and clean teeth, but you will have taken care of your heart health as well.



Interested in setting up an appointment with Smile On Us Dental? Contact us today for a $50 new patient special (includes x-rays, cleaning, and exam).