A few minutes each day is all it takes for you to achieve and maintain your oral health between appointments with our hygienists.

Although most people brush their teeth twice a day, they may not be cleaning their teeth as well as they think. Here are some helpful and easy to follow tips on brushing effectively.

• Use a toothbrush with a small flexible head so you can reach all areas of your mouth easily. Select a brush with soft bristles to prevent damaging your tooth enamel, which can sometimes occur using a hard brush.

• Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle against your gum and gently brush from where the tooth and gum meet to the chewing surface in short strokes. Brushing too vigorously can cause receding gums, sensitive teeth, and over time loose teeth.

• With a sweeping motion, clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth, by tilting the brush you will be able to get into the pits and crevices of your back teeth.

• To clean the inside surfaces of your top and bottom front teeth and gums, hold your brush almost vertically and use a forward and back motion, bringing the front part of the brush over the teeth and gums

Bad breath is often caused by bacteria on the tongue. Brushing your tongue, roof of your mouth and cheeks using a forward-sweeping motion will help freshen your breath. This may take a little bit of practice to get used, but it’s an important part of total oral cleaning.

Flossing tips

Brushing alone is not able to remove plaque build-up and tiny particles of food that are caught in the fine spaces between your teeth, under the gum-line, or in braces. Flossing these areas at least once a day is the most effective way to remove what your toothbrush cannot reach. At night before bed is usually best so you can remove any food accumulated from daily meals or snacks.

Many people find flossing a difficult task, especially when trying to reach back teeth and so don’t bother. If you neglect to floss, you miss cleaning 35% of your tooth’s surface. Our experienced dental hygienists can provide valuable advice and demonstrate flossing techniques to maximise your flossing effectiveness.

• Carefully guide the floss between two teeth, using a back and forward motion. Gently bring the floss to the gum-line. Push but do not force it below the gum. Curve the floss around the side of your tooth and slide it up and down

• Use a clean length of floss of approximately 7 – 10 centimetres for each tooth and repeat the process between all your teeth. Remember to floss the back and sides of your back teeth. Although flossing can take some time to master, it is an important part of your oral hygiene routine.

Which are best, manual or electric toothbrushes?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions at our practice.

There have been numerous comparative studies conducted between the effectiveness of electric and manual toothbrushes and the ability of each to remove plaque and reduce tartar build-up.

This research has demonstrated that both powered and manual toothbrushes are equally effective if used correctly, therefore it’s not so much the brush you use, but how you use it being the main factor. Many people are choosing to use a powered toothbrush for their efficiency, especially older patients who also find the larger handles easier to hold than a manual toothbrush.

Whether you choose a manual or electric toothbrush, you should replace it every 2 – 3 months to ensure its effectiveness as the bristles wear out and bend.