Brushing Technique – Do you brush too hard?
Brushing Technique – Do you brush too hard?
How is your brushing technique? Did you know you could actually be brushing your teeth too hard?
Perhaps you’ve been told by your dentist in the past that you do. Well it’s true, if you apply too much pressure or use the wrong type of brush, you could actually be doing irreversible damage to the surface of your teeth or to your gums.
Here are our top tips for ensuring that you brush with the right pressure and keep your teeth and gums happy and healthy into the future…
- Use a soft toothbrush with a small head.
Many of our patients have used large headed toothbrushes with medium or hard bristles in the past. To the everyday person it seems logical that these clean your teeth better and more efficiently, however, the opposite is actually true. A toothbrush with a soft small head allows the bristles to gently reach all areas of the tooth surface without wearing it away or damaging your gums in the process.
- Don’t ‘choke’ the handle with a whole-hand grip. Instead, hold your toothbrush towards the end of the handle with a soft ‘pencil like’ grip.
This brushing technique will automatically lessen the force you can apply to the tooth surface while brushing. It will take a bit on adjustment if you are use to another way but your teeth and gums will thank-you for persisting in the long term.
- Consider getting an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor.
The evidence is clear, electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual toothbrushes at removing all the ‘nasties’ from your teeth and around your gum-line. As an added bonus, many of the new brushes also come with a built-in pressure sensor that lights up if you are pressing too hard – improving your brushing technique. As they have become more popular, electric toothbrushes have become more available from grocery stores to electronic stores, next time you are shopping…see what is available or ask us which we would recommend for your unique smile.
If you would like more advice creating a healthy and beautiful smile for your future, we would love to see you anytime at our dental practice in Bundall. We now have weekend and after hours appointments available and you can also book online, it’s never been easier to see your dentist.
