Stop Making These 7 Common Tooth Brushing Mistakes

Get the most benefit from brushing your teeth by avoiding these 7 errors.

When it comes to keeping your teeth and gums clean, healthy, and strong, home care is extremely important. So if you’re not brushing twice daily, you need to start now. However, beware of making any of these 7 common mistakes as you brush.

Germy Toothbrush: The whole point of brushing is to remove bacteria from your teeth. But if you’re using a dirty toothbrush, you could actually be doing the exact opposite. To minimize the possibility of bacteria growing on your tooth brush, store it upright in a holder where it can air dry. Don’t let it touch anyone else’s toothbrush, and remember to keep it as far away from the toilet as you can.

Old Toothbrush: Over time, your toothbrush bristles are going to get frayed and soft. This makes them less effective at cleaning your teeth. Replace your toothbrush every 4 months at least.

Rinsing with Water: Ending your brushing session by rinsing with water is a really common mistake. While it may feel good to get the last bits of toothpaste out of your mouth, you’re also rinsing away some of the fluoride and other protective compounds in your toothpaste. If you really want to rinse, use mouthwash, not water.

Wrong Motion: Any kind of brushing is better than none at all. But for best results, you need to brush in small circles, not in a back and forth motion. Ask your dental hygienist to demonstrate the correct technique at your next dental cleaning and exam.

Brushing Too Much: Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice per day. While brushing before bed is really important, you don’t necessarily want to brush after every single meal or snack. If you brush too much or too hard, you could actually harm your tooth enamel.

Brushing Too Soon: When you brush your teeth right after eating, your toothpaste can taste pretty bad. But this isn’t the only reason to wait 20 to 30 minutes to brush. If you’ve eaten or drunk anything acidic, like citrus or soda, your tooth enamel will be temporarily weakened. You need to wait for the effect of the acid to wear off or else risk damaging your enamel with your toothbrush.

Quitting Early: One final tooth brushing mistake that is very common is not brushing teeth long enough. If you have trouble with this, set a timer so you will know when you’ve spent the full two minutes brushing as recommended by your dentist.