How to Brush and Floss Your Teeth
Have you got five minutes a day to invest in your health? That’s all it takes to brush and floss your teeth properly. And it’s not even in one session. You need a short 2-minute brushing session twice a day, and another minute or so to floss between them. And it’s definitely worth it. The long-term return on that short investment is through the roof in terms of the brightness of your smile, and it also ups your chances of living a longer and healthier life. If you have any questions about brushing or flossing, get in touch with dental professionals at Dentistry On Lakeshore in Mississauga.
That seems like a far better pay-back than that offered by other 5-minute activities such as reading a couple of messages, watching a music video, or sitting scratching your head worrying about what’s going to happen at the end of those five minutes. These activities all contribute something to your life, even if that’s just a smile or a piece of knowledge. But they won’t save your life like good oral hygiene may do.
Good oral hygiene includes brushing and flossing correctly. Skipping these tasks on a regular basis is like playing with fire. And while settling for a slap and dash attempt might keep your conscience clear, it probably won’t keep your teeth clean or your body healthy. It could also leave you with a real problem. Bacteria create mounds of destructive plaque and tarter on ignored teeth. If left untreated, that build-up can cause a domino effect by increasing tooth decay and loss, which could develop into gum disease. And gum disease, in turn, can lead to strokes, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Or make you a more likely candidate for oral cancer.
The Same Strokes for Different Folks
There’s only one way to clean your teeth effectively. Old time beliefs advocating a strong or harsh attack when fighting the plaque and tartar build-up, have long been rejected. Now it’s all about soft brushes, replacing them every three months, and holding them at a 45-degree angle to your teeth when brushing gently up and down. This allows you to protect the precious enamel on your teeth and protects you from long-term degeneration caused by over-brushing.
Each of the two-minute sessions should be divided into four 30 second segments, allowing you to brush back, front and then the top of each of four areas of your mouth – the top and bottom sets on the left and right.
The Space In-between
Flossing is often considered to be even more important than brushing. So if occasionally you can’t spare that extra two minutes to do both, at least give flossing its due. Flossing’s importance arises from the threat posed by the nooks and crannies where food debris hides, and how difficult it is to clean them. Dental floss, or interdental devices such as tiny bottle brushes and water jets, are designed to slide in where the toothbrush can’t and clean the spaces between and behind the teeth and along the gum line.
The old stalwart, but very effective, a thread of floss calls for a ritualistic approach to get the best results. This involves breaking off a 40cm plus piece of floss, using the middle finger of one hand as a spindle, and winding most of the floss around it. Then leave a little free between your hands, twist just the last little bit around the middle finger of the other hand.
You will be left with a usable bow between your hands, which you can slide between the teeth. Holding it in the shape of a C against the side of the tooth, pull it gently back and forward while working your way up from the gum line. Be sure to floss both sides of each gap, and don’t forget about the molars at the back. Work with a clean section of floss on each tooth by rolling a new piece off the spindle finger, and adding the used bit onto the other finger with less floss on it.
Once you’re in the habit of investing time in your oral health, it will no longer seem like a chore. And the results of a regular brushing and flossing regimen will show in reduced pain caused by tooth decay, a dazzling smile and healthy life.
