One of the best ways that you can protect the health of your gums and teeth at home is to perform proper brushing several times a day. While visiting our office will provide a great deep clean to your teeth and can check for any issues that might arise, nothing is more important than brushing your teeth in the proper way. Here are the steps that you should take to get those teething looking healthy.

How Long Should you Brush your Teeth?

The proper length of time to brush your teeth is at least two minutes. Most adults and children will not come anywhere close to this amount of time. Try using a stopwatch to find out exactly how long two minutes is when you are brushing your teeth or for children, make it fun by singing the ABC’s or watching a cartoon character brushing their teeth for 2 minutes. Do whatever it takes to make the process fun for the entire two minutes for kids and adults alike.

Steps to Take

The steps to take while brushing your teeth are simple. First, you need to use the short and gentle strokes, being extra careful when you are near the gums. It is best to start brushing the upper teeth in case any germs are passed from the upper to lower teeth. Once you have finished with the upper teeth, both inner and outer surfaces, you can move to the lower teeth and remove any germs that may have been spread to that area. Make sure to pay special attention to the chewing surfaces of your teeth as there are many grooves that food can lodge in and cause eventual tooth decay. When you are done with your teeth, pay special attention to your tongue as large amounts of bacteria can grow there as well.