How To Brush Your Teeth

Most of us feel quite satisfied with the amount of care we show to our teeth merely by brushing them frequently enough. However, we don’t realize the damage we give to our teeth if we don’t know the proper way of brushing. Experts state that the way we brush our teeth has a great influence on our dental health.

In Finland, for instance, the Academy of General Dentistry has warned against wielding your toothbrush in what it called the “death-grip” – that is, clenching the brush in the palm and scrubbing your teeth vigorously. Such overzealous cleaning can cause the gums to recede and damage the exposed roots of the teeth.

Researchers in Finland studied one brushing technique that can help you exert less pressure: grip the brush as you would a pen – between your thumb and first two fingers. Done correctly, this method can cause less damage to the gums and clean as effectively as the standard grip. Select a brush with soft bristles and use short, gentle, circular strokes.