You might have been brushing your teeth wrong this whole time, according to a UK dentist who has warned that wetting your toothbrush before adding toothpaste can actually be disastrous for your oral health.
Dr Sahil Patel revealed to The Sun the biggest mistakes he sees his patients making when it comes to brushing their teeth, including finally settling the debate of which comes first – water or toothpaste.
Wetting your toothbrush first, Dr Patel warned, will actually dilute the toothpaste and make it less effective.
“Toothpaste already has the right amount of moisture,” he told the publication. “If it’s wet, it makes it foam up faster and makes you spit it out sooner.”
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And this isn’t the only common mistake Dr Patel has seen his patients making when it comes to oral hygiene.
The dentist also warned about being too rough when it comes to brushing their teeth.
“Often people hold their brush with a fist,” he commented. “You shouldn’t feel like you’ve had a scrub against the teeth, that’s too much.”
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Instead, Dr Patel advised it is important to have “a soft touch” and ensure the bristles are brushing straight against the teeth.
He also was quick to offer his expert opinion on the correct way to brush your teeth, starting at the back – which is often the trickiest part to clean – and making your way to the front.
“If you start at the front and do the back last, you’re more likely to stop and put your brush down, missing the back or not cleaning the back properly,” the dentist explained.
When it comes to flossing, it’s something we hear about every trip to the dentist but not all of us are as meticulous about as brushing.
Instead of floss string, Dr Patel would recommend dental brushes which come in an array of sizes and tend to be much more effective.
“The bristles that clean between the teeth can get to corners and tricky areas that the toothbrush can’t get to to clean our plaque,” he revealed.
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It is important to clean your teeth properly at the end of the day to ensure you don’t have a build up of bacteria from the day.
Dr Mary Moss previously told Today on how to prevent tooth decay from the overconsumption of sugar.
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Dr Moss revealed that because of the way sugar mixes with plaque, having too much of it and not caring for your teeth properly can lead to tooth decay, 9Honey shared at the time.
Sugar is an ever-increasing problem for children’s teeth health due to the insane amount of sugar we consume in our diet these days.
It is important children are even more vigilant about cleaning their teeth and having regular dental checkups to prevent health issues stemming from poor oral hygiene habits.
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