Brushing your teeth is necessary for a healthy mouth, but truth be told, you’re probably making a ton of mistakes that are hurting your teeth and gums as opposed to helping....CONTINUE READING
There are a lot of variables at play — from the motions you make to what time of day you decide to brush your chompers to the kind of toothpaste you apply to your toothbrush — that can either improve or worsen your oral health.
Luckily, some easy fixes are sure to bring a smile to your face — and have it filled with shiny, white teeth too. Some of the best solutions are much simpler than you may realize.
So how exactly could you possibly be ruining your pearly whites? Here to impart some wisdom (teeth) onto you, Healthline discovered the mistakes everyone makes when brushing their teeth — and all the many ways you can rectify them.
1. Sharing your toothbrush with someone.
In addition to sharing a kiss, many couples have admitted to sharing toothbrushes too. A British survey conducted by the Oral Health Foundation found that more than 25 percent of people do it, but sharing is not caring when it comes to treating your teeth well. This is another massive mistake far too many makes.
When you’re brushing your teeth, you’re ridding them of bacteria, yes, but many of those mouth-lurking germs remain on your brush’s bristles long after you’re done.
While you may think you’re only swapping spit when you use someone else’s toothbrush, you’re sharing a whole lot of bacteria too.
2. Brushing your teeth with certain kinds of toothpaste.
Certain toothpaste may not exactly be a treat for your teeth. There are many reasons you may not be buying the right one.
Even if you purchase toothpaste with tons of special ingredients, it may not be doing the trick. According to “Healthline”, Whitening toothpaste, for example, may seem like a great idea, but it can damage your enamel if you depend on them more than recommended by the label.
3. Skipping your tongue when you brush your teeth.
While we try our hardest to keep our teeth clean, our tongues could be missing out on some serious TLC. This is another very common mistake that everyone seems to make while brushing their teeth.
Our tongues — not our teeth — are responsible for tasting things, so keeping them clean is crucial. Abandoning this appendage and letting bacteria build-up can lead to bad breath and dulled taste buds.
4. Failing to rinse your toothbrush immediately after brushing your teeth.
When the toothbrushing is said and done (you did it!), there’s another step you need to take (wait, what?). Be sure to wash out your toothbrush’s bristles to prevent bacteria from building up.
It is beneficial to rinse your toothbrush with water after each use to minimize the amount of residue and bacteria accumulation.
