Everyone brushes their teeth daily. But there are things about teeth brushing that you probably were not aware of. We discuss in this article about how to select a toothbrush, which toothpaste to use, how many times to brush, etc.

Why do we brush teeth?
We brush teeth daily so that the teeth are clean, look good, and most importantly all food particles are dislodged to prevent the buildup of plaque.

Teeth brushing is an oral hygiene activity which must form part of your daily routine. If you were not aware of which type of brush to use, which paste to use and so on, read on to find out.

The toothbrush
The toothbrush is a basic necessity. When you travel somewhere, you would make sure you carry your toothbrush with you.

Which is the best type of toothbrush to use?
Your toothbrush needs to have soft bristles. This is the best kind of brush to help you remove plaque and food material hidden in corners. The head of the brush needs to be small so you can use it to reach teeth in the inside of the mouth.

Some use a conventional brush, while others prefer an electric brush. This depends on your convenience.

Toothbrush – Changing and storing
A mistake many people make is to keep the same brush for a long time until its bristles get frayed. Make sure you change your brush every three or four months.

Do not store your brush in a closed container. Let it stand upright with the bristles outside so that it can dry.

Toothpaste
The toothpaste needs to have fluoride, which is a basic prerequisite to prevent tooth decay. Make sure you use a paste that has at least 1,350 ppm fluoride.

Depending on the health of your teeth, you may need to use a special toothpaste if your gums are sensitive or if you have gingivitis. Consult your dentist in such a case.

When to brush
Brush every day in the morning and at night before you go to bed. It is advisable, especially for children to brush every time after they eat sweets or chocolate. Eating sweets/chocolate is one of the main causes of tooth decay when sugar accumulates in the teeth.

Also, it is suggested to brush at least 30 minutes after you finish eating something so that you can completely remove any food particles lodged in the teeth.

Rinsing
Do not rinse immediately after brushing. First, spit out the paste and wait for a minute at least so that fluoride remains in your teeth. Then, you can rinse with water. Make sure you rinse your mouth thoroughly. Also, rinse every time you eat something.

You can rinse with mouthwash but you must ideally do it sometime after brushing so that you don’t rinse away the fluoride.

Teeth brushing needs to be done using the right kind of brush and paste and for the right number of times.