If you think that you already know how to brush your teeth, you may need to think again! There are specific techniques that must be used to correctly brush your teeth, which will remove any built-up plaque to keep your breath fresh and protect the health of your teeth for years to come.

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It is a good idea to hold your toothbrush sideways so that you can brush your teeth where the bristles will be lightly touching your gums.  You can also tilt the toothbrush so that the bristles will be parallel to the gum line, and start moving the brush back and forth in short motions.  It is best if the tips of the bristles of your toothbrush stay in one place, and the head of the toothbrush should move back and forth. You can gently move the toothbrush back and forth in circles, which will remove plaque buildup from the teeth. Use this type of motion for up to 20 strokes, and it should be gentle enough so that your gums will not be in pain if they are healthy. If your gums start to hurt, brush even more gently.

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After that, continue to brush the toothbrush downward so that the bristles cover the edge of the tooth. This will help to remove plaque from underneath the gum line, and it should be done on the inside and outside of every tooth. As you brush the inside of your front teeth, it may be hard for you to continue to hold the toothbrush sideways. In this case, you can move your toothbrush to brush vertically, but continue to use circular motions to remove the plaque buildup. It is also highly important to clean off any chewing surfaces on your teeth by using the toothbrush bristles in a downward motion.  Continue to brush your toothbrush back and forth to clean all outer surfaces of the teeth, and then progress to the next tooth until you clean all of your teeth.

After you have finished brushing, rinse your mouth carefully with water. You can also thoroughly clean your mouth by brushing your tongue and cheeks where bacteria will often accumulate to cause bad breath. After you have finished brushing, make sure to floss all of your teeth well. Many people never start flossing when they are children, but it is so necessary to floss to promote healthy gums and prevent gum disease. Dental professionals recommend flossing and state that it is an easy habit to develop within three weeks’ time. You must floss at least once each day, and it is easy to do so after you have finished brushing your teeth.  Take your time when you are flossing, which will allow you to be even more thorough.

You may need to floss a tooth several times with different fresh sections of the floss, so make sure that you have enough string to get the job done.