YOU may be wondering why manufacturers make hard toothbrushes when dentists do not recommend them. The answer is that hard-bristle toothbrushes are for cleaning dentures and bridges, not natural teeth. One way for you to evaluate which brush is best for you and whether you require prophylactic cleaning by your dental professional is to run your tongue over your teeth after brushing. If the surface of the teeth does not feel smooth and clean, you may either not be brushing correctly, or you need to change your toothbrush.

Toothbrushes are no longer effective if the ends of some of the bristles do not point straight up. As soon as the bristles start to curve outwards, it’s time to get rid of that brush. The recommended toothbrush to buy is a rectangular-shaped soft nylon one without fancy curves and tufts. The best one is one with a small head and soft bristles. These bristles should all be the same height and have round ends.

When brushing, it is recommended that you generally use the Rule of Thoroughness. This rule states that every natural tooth in your mouth must be sanitised for 1 minute every 24 hours. To put it simply, if, for example, you have a total of twenty teeth in your mouth, you should brush, floss, and scrape your tongue for a total of twenty minutes each day. So, obviously, if you have that time, you only need to do that once a day.

If you brush more than once a day, it’s a good idea to have two toothbrushes. By alternating, the bristles have time to dry out and become firm again for reuse. There are rechargeable battery-operated toothbrushes which are not expensive. I personally find them very effective and have been using that type for many years. The built-in timers indicate how long you have been brushing, etc.

Brushing with toothpaste that combines a very mild abrasive and a safe detergent is the most effective way to clean teeth. Stick with popular brands and avoid those you are hearing about for the first time. I do not recommend whitening toothpaste. They contain bleaching agents and harsh abrasives. If you want to whiten your teeth, let a professional do it.

The function of dental floss is to clean the side surfaces of teeth that the toothbrush cannot reach. Dentists call these the proximal surfaces, meaning the sides next to each other. The floss is stretched taut between the fingers, which are placed inside and outside of the teeth. The floss is then gently slipped between two teeth. Excessive pressure that snaps the floss through the contact points of the teeth can injure the gum tissue, so it is important to ease the floss through rather than force it. The floss should then be worked three or four times up and down in a scraping motion against the front and back tooth surfaces without rubbing against the gum as it passes from side to side. The floss should not be pulled back and forth like a shoeshine cloth. This “sawing” action can wear grooves into the roots. Bear in mind that flossing helps prevent bad breath and tooth decay.

Flossing is a skill that comes with practice. It must be done until one’s fingers get a “feel” for where they are and what they are doing. Floss holders (soft picks) make flossing much easier.