Maximizing the effectiveness of your tooth brushing and flossing techniques is a simple task that can enhance the health teeth and extend their longevity. Unfortunately, most people fall into a pattern of using the same toothpaste, brushing pattern, and flossing habits over their lifetime. For a few individuals, this scenario will turn out well, while for other people, it will have a disastrous effect.

Brushing: A Brief Look at Toothpaste Types

Selecting a good toothpaste that meets your oral care needs is essential to the health of your teeth. In order to find the best toothpaste for the job, you should consider the specific needs of your teeth including, tooth decay, loss of enamel, tooth loss, excessive plaque, gum disease, and sensitivity.

Using toothpaste that contains fluoride can help to make your teeth stronger and more resistant to cavities caused by decay. The fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel of the tooth, possibly even repairing minimal damage before it has the opportunity to develop into something worse.

Using toothpaste designed to eliminate plaque can help to prevent decay, gum disease, and bad breath. Toothpaste that has been designed for sensitivity helps to minimize the discomfort felt by receding gums that expose the lower portion of the tooth and/or its roots.

Toothpaste has also been designed with breath-freshening agents to help alleviate the symptoms of bad breath. When polishing agents are included in the toothpaste formula, certain types of stains may become less noticeable.

But I Don’t Like That Toothpaste!

Unfortunately, many people do not enjoy the taste or texture of toothpaste. This fact makes it difficult to select a toothpaste that is also effective enough to meet your specific oral-care needs. This is especially a problem when children are involved. After all, it is difficult enough to get a child to brush the teeth without even worrying about the flavor of the toothpaste.

The best course of action is to figure out which style of toothpaste you should be using for your dental needs, and then, go through a trial-and-error process to find the brand that offers the flavor that you like the best. Sometimes, you can get lucky and find something right away without having to go through too many different brands.

Plenty of flavors exist, including a wide array of minty types as well as bubblegum, cinnamon, and citrus. You also have a choice between paste and gel formulas. If possible, consult with your dentist and get a recommendation. Different varieties of toothpaste offer active ingredients that can benefit the teeth, and it is important to take advantage of that scenario whenever possible.

Brushing: Technique

You only need to use a small pea-size ball of toothpaste to do a good job. The entire surface of each tooth should undergo brushing, including the top, back, and sides. For the best results, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth. Use a gentle motion, exercising caution so that you don’t damage the gums. It should take you approximately three minutes to properly brush all of your teeth.

The Toothbrush

Quite often, people are influenced by the color or pattern included in the design of the toothbrush. It is important to overlook these facets so that you can choose a toothbrush that is going to be good for your personal needs. In general, the style of toothbrush you select will be based upon the size of your mouth, the ergonomic comfort of holding the toothbrush, and the ability to reach all of your teeth. It may take you a few tries to find the right toothbrush style, but once you do, you should continue to purchase and use that one.