Children's Sports and Dental Injuries

Children's Sports and Dental Injuries

5 Mistakes You're Probably Making When You Clean Your Teeth

by Lillian Dixon

By brushing your teeth twice a day, you can reduce your risk of cavities and gum disease. However, there is more to cleaning your teeth than simply placing your toothbrush in your mouth and mindlessly wiggling it around. Many people put their dental health at risk by making at least one of these five basic mistakes every time they brush their teeth. How many mistakes are you making?

1. Not Brushing for Long Enough

You should brush your teeth for at least two minutes every morning and evening. If you brush for a shorter time, you may not remove all the plaque from your teeth, giving bacteria a chance to multiply in your mouth and attack your tooth enamel. Invest in an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer or use a clock or watch to ensure you brush for a full two minutes every time.

2. Brushing After Meals

Brushing your teeth is vital for dental health, but there are times when it can do more harm than good. Acids in foods and drinks temporarily soften tooth enamel, allowing the strokes of your toothbrush to wear it away. Wait for an hour after eating or drinking before you brush, so your saliva has time to neutralise the acid.

3. Using the Wrong Brushing Technique

If you only brush the front surfaces of your teeth and neglect the backs and the gum line, you could be storing up problems for the future. Pay attention when brushing your teeth to ensure you brush every surface, including the chewing and inside surfaces. Remove as much plaque as possible by tilting the brush at 45 degrees to the gum line and using small, circular strokes to clean every tooth. If you use an electric toothbrush, you simply need to hold the brush against every tooth at a 45 degree angle and let the brush's oscillations do the work; there's no need to scrub up and down.

4. Using the Wrong Type of Toothbrush

For most people, a toothbrush with a small head and medium or soft bristles is the best choice. If your toothbrush head is too large, you may find it difficult to manoeuvre around your back molars. Hard bristles can hurt your gums, particularly if you press too hard with the brush.

5. Forgetting to Floss

There's a reason your dentist is always telling you to floss: brushing alone can't remove plaque and food from the tight spaces between your teeth and below the gum line. Forgetting to clean these parts of your mouth could lead to bad breath, cavities and other serious oral health problems. Don't make the mistake of forgetting to floss; do it every day before you go to bed to protect yourself from dental problems in the future.


Share

About Me

Children's Sports and Dental Injuries

As a mum, I know how essential sport can be to children's development. Through team sports like soccer, kids learn persistence, sportsmanship and the value of supporting their team members. However, all that learning carries some risk as well, and a stray elbow or a ball to the face can result in oral injuries. I have been the mum rushing to the emergency room with a precious permanent tooth sitting in a cup of milk. Admittedly, at the time, I wasn't even sure if the cup of milk was the right solution. As a parent, you will face those situations, and I'm here to make sure you know what to do when they pop up. With this blog, let's explore children's dentistry and sports injuries together... I want you to have the info you need to stay cool, calm and collected, regardless of how many teeth are on the pitch.