Brushing is an important factor in good oral health, and so many people are making simple mistakes. So I have put together some “brushing instructions” for proper brushing technique.

Many people open their mouths too widely when they brush, which makes it impossible to reach the outside of the back upper molars. Try brushing inside the lower teeth first and the outside later. Don’t forget your upper front teeth at the gum level. People will often turn their wrist when bushing the front teeth and skip over these. This may be the cause of the “problem areas” your dentist was pointing out.

Take care to brush the gum on the inside of the back molars. This is another place that is often missed.

Swollen gums is one of the first signs of gum disease–so if your gums bleed when brushed, you need to brush more often. But harder is not better. Brush with a softer brush, get all the spots, and slow down. Try to brush for two minutes.

When finished, rinse with listerine, and then follow that with rinsing with ACT.

For more information on proper brushing and doing the what you can to have a healthy mouth, go to www.cleanwhiteteeth.com.

Ellie Phillips, DDS