How to Brush and Floss Your Teeth
Brushing and flossing correctly are two of the most effective ways to reduce and control
bacterial plaque in the mouth. For most people, these two habits alone can keep the teeth and
gums healthy for a lifetime. But many of us were never taught exactly how to do it. And even if
we were, we’ve all certainly been guilty of the cursory 30-second scrub across the front teeth
once in a while. Unfortunately, for many of us, that kind of brushing can turn into a habit. And
as far as the health of your teeth and gums are concerned, that kind of brushing might as well
be not brushing at all.
Proper brushing and flossing techniques are simple, inexpensive, and ultimately not nearly as
time-consuming, inconvenient, or costly as the problems they prevent. The techniques outlined
below are ideal for every age, and while children may need help developing the proper finger
dexterity to brush and floss effectively, it is never too early to start teaching your kids good oral
hygiene habits. Ideally, parents would supervise and help their child brush and floss, until the
child has developed good finger dexterity, around age 7 or 8.
How Often Should You Clean Your Teeth?
Ideally, we would all brush and floss our teeth after each meal, and again after any sugary or
highly acidic snack. For most of us, however, brushing and flossing that often simply isn’t
possible.
At a bare minimum, you should brush and floss at least twice a day: Once in the morning,
before you eat or have your morning coffee or tea, and then again at night, just before you go to
bed. Bacteria begin feeding on sugar and acid within 30 seconds of ingestion. Cleaning your
teeth before you eat or drink in the morning reduces the number of bacteria present when any
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sugar or acid hits the mouth, thus reducing the damage that can be done in the first place.
Limiting your intake of highly acidic or sugary foods
will also go a long way in protecting your teeth and
gums from disease. Bacteria love sugar and acid. That
feeling of “sweater teeth” many of us have
experienced after eating a lot of sugary food is
actually bacteria multiplying at an increased rate due
to all the sugar in your mouth. That “sweater” is a
colony of plaque building on your teeth. Avoiding
snacks that produce this effect in your mouth is the
best thing you can do, but if you experience a
sensation that feels like “fuzzy teeth” or “sweater
teeth” after any meal or snack, you should make the
A Note About Bleeding
It is not unusual to experience mild bleeding
and tenderness at the gumline when beginning
to brush and floss correctly, especially if you
have not done so for a while. Bleeding is a sign
that bacterial infection, or gingivitis, is already
present. But mild bleeding can often improve
with better brushing and flossing alone.
However, if bleeding continues even with the
techniques described here, you may need
professional dental treatment to get the
infection under control. Please contact your
dentist immediately if you experience any of the
following:
• Significant, unrelenting bleeding.
effort to try and brush and floss right away to clear
• Bleeding that does not improve with regular
practice of these techniques.
away all the excess bacterial plaque before it can do
• Shooting pain or pain that lingers.
any permanent damage.
• General inflammation or a swollen white
bump on the gum.
Caring for your teeth should be a mindful activity.
Try not to brush or floss while watching TV or turning your attention to some other activity.
The entire process of brushing and flossing takes less than 5 minutes, and your focused
attention is what makes the difference in effectively improving the health of your mouth.
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Brushing
A toothbrush should more accurately be called a gum brush. Most of the damage and disease in
the mouth begins in the places bacteria like to hide – between the teeth and under the gums.
Brushing the surfaces of the teeth is important, but the majority of your time should be spent
getting those bristles under the gums.
You should always use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Hard or medium bristles are not better for
your teeth, and can be damaging to your gums and softer root surfaces that may be exposed
through recession. Also, try to find a toothbrush with a small head. A compact size, or even a
child’s toothbrush, is much better than a large head when going after those hard-to-reach
places in the corners of your mouth.
1. Place a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your brush and get the bristles a little wet.
2. Hold the head at a 45 degree angle from
the teeth so that the bristles are pointing
toward the gums.
3. Move the brush in a circular motion,
simultaneously brushing the teeth and
massaging/sweeping the gums clear of
plaque and food particles. You should be
able to feel the bristles reaching under the
gums.
4. Repeat this circular stroke on the front and back sides of all the teeth.
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5. Finish with a back and forth scrub across
the biting surfaces of your teeth to loosen
and remove any food particles stuck in the
grooves.
6. Brushing should take no less than 2
minutes. Most people are in the habit of
brushing their teeth for 30 seconds or less.
In the beginning, try setting a timer for 2
minutes so you can get a feel for how long
brushing should really take.
For a list of toothpastes Dr. Rich recommends, please see our Dental Product
Recommendations page.
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Flossing
With the wrong tools and technique, flossing can be awkward and time-consuming. It takes a
little practice, but once you really understand how to floss effectively, it takes less time and
effort than brushing, and the health benefits are perhaps even more significant.
Of all the places in the mouth where virulent bacteria can hide, grow, and even enter the blood
stream – in between the gums is the most damaging. Flossing isn’t so much about getting food
particles out of those places, although that is important. Bacteria feed on the food we leave
behind in our mouths. Removing that food is an important first step in controlling bacterial
growth, but disrupting the bacterial colonies themselves is the next step. And for the colonies
that develop in the crevices between the teeth, brushing alone is not enough. Floss is the most
effective tool.
1. Remove a piece of floss about 18 inches
long.
2. Wind each end around your middle
fingers, and pinch the floss between your
thumbs and index fingers leaving 1 to 2
inches of floss between.
3. Using your thumbs or fingers to guide the
floss between the upper teeth, gently slide
the floss between the teeth and up into the crevice between the gum and the tooth. Do not
yank.
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4. Angle the floss so that it hugs the side of one tooth and gently slide it up under one side of
the v-shaped gum until it reaches a natural
stop. Bring the floss back down the side of
the tooth until it clears the point of the
gum, then angle it so that it hugs the side
of the other tooth. Then slide it up under
the other side of the v-shape of the gum.
5. Repeat this same pattern around all your
upper teeth, winding and unwinding a
clean bit of floss to use between each tooth.
6. Floss the lower teeth, this time using your
index fingers to guide the floss into place.
7. Do not save used floss for future use. Please discard.
Sometimes floss will remove plaque that is sticky or even smelly. This can be unpleasant, but
please do not give up on the habit in order to avoid it. This sticky, smelly plaque is what causes
all infection, gum disease, and decay in the mouth and must be removed. With time, regular
flossing will significantly reduce and even eliminate the occurrence of sticky, smelly plaque.
For a list of floss brands Dr. Rich recommends, please see our Dental Product
Recommendations page.
To view our entire resource library, please visit www.drmartharich.com.