Toothbrushing is a simple task, but lots of people brush their teeth incorrectly, either skipping around the teeth so much that they don’t really clean anything, or rubbing so hard that they actually damage their teeth and gums.
No matter how good you try to brush your teeth, some bacteria will always be left behind. Dental plaque starts to grow again the moment you stop brushing your teeth and remove the toothbrush from your mouth. Patients should try to use a proper tooth brushing technique to minimize the amount of plaque left behind. There are a few tooth brushing techniques around but one of the most popular is called the Bass Technique.
To carry out the Bass Technique you place the toothbrush next to the teeth along the gum margin at a 45 degree angle (see picture below), move the toothbrush towards the edge of the teeth which will move the plaque from the gum line, repeat this action tooth by tooth on the inner and outer surfaces. Now brush the chewing surfaces of the teeth with horizontal moves.
It is good practice to brush your tongue and to floss daily also.
Proper brushing takes at least two minutes. Most adults do not come close to brushing for this length of time.
At Creative Smiles we love to receive pictures and drawings from our young patient’s. Below one we received from Ryan McBride aged 8. Thanks Ryan you are a great artist!!