Chicago Dentist - How To Brush Your Teeth

HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH

Through the years, different methods have been suggested for brushing the teeth. An effective one described and illustrated below. The minimum time recommended is two minutes.

1. Start on a section of the outside of your teeth. Hold your tooth brush at a 45-degree angle at your gumline. Gently brush from where the tooth and gum meet to the chewing surface in short (half-a-tooth-wide) strokes. Use the same motion to clean all outside surfaces of your teeth.
2. Use the same procedure to brush the inside surfaces of your teeth.
3. To clean the chewing surfaces, use short sweeping strokes, tipping the bristles into the pits and fissures.
4. To clean the inside surfaces of your top and bottom front teeth and gums, hold the brush almost vertical. With back and forth motions, bring the front part of the brush over the teeth and gums.
5. Using a forward sweeping motion, brush your tongue. Place the brush as far back on the tongue as you can comfortably without gagging.
6. To clean your palate, use a sweeping motion to pull your brush across the roof of your mouth.

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