It is important to respect the two most important brushing sessions of the day, i.e. morning and evening. They must be done particularly well in order to brush each side of each tooth. The midday brushing can remain focused on the elimination of food debris from lunch, accompanied by fluoride toothpaste. The evening brushing is used to avoid too much plaque accumulation during the night.
Here's a guide to not one, but two of the most important brushing times of the day.
What is tooth brushing?
Toothbrushing is the rubbing of a toothbrush against several teeth. It allows to maintain healthy teeth and a healthy periodontium by eliminating the main cause of dental pathology: the dental plaque. Brushing teeth is part of the daily oral hygiene which includes other equally essential care according to the constitution of each person as the use of dental floss or interdental brushes.
The benefits of brushing your teeth
Brushing your teeth during the most important times of the day helps remove dental plaque, which accumulates on your teeth after every meal or snack. This substance is made up of food debris and bacteria present in the oral cavity. It transforms sugars from ingested food into acids that come into contact with the tooth enamel if not removed with interdental brushes or when brushing the teeth. It will form a cavity that is called dental caries. This cavity affects the outer layer of the tooth and then, if left untreated, reaches the inner part, where the blood vessels and nerves are located. The damage to these tissues causes severe pain and toothache. If the cavity is not treated, it will lead to the formation of a dental abscess.
Morning toothbrushing
The bad breath we have in the morning comes from bacteria that have accumulated during our sleep. First of all, it is necessary to brush your teeth in the morning because saliva is considerably reduced and your mouth becomes dry, which facilitates the development of bacteria. To be able to remove the food between your teeth and have a fresh breath, it is advisable to brush your teeth after breakfast. Indeed, the fruit juices and acidic foods that we consume at this time contain a high degree of acidity that will weaken the enamel of the teeth. However, it is important to brush your teeth within 30 minutes of eating them.
Toothbrushing at night
Not brushing your teeth at night before going to bed is particularly bad because all the bacteria from dental plaque and food residues accumulated during the day will be free to proliferate during the night, when the salivary glands are asleep and do not produce saliva which is normally our natural protection against bacteria. Brushing at night helps to avoid periodontitis and tooth decay. Moreover, this brushing is also important for children from 6 months because their teeth are particularly fragile. You can clean them with a wet compress or with a toothbrush impregnated with a trace of fluoride toothpaste.
How to do both toothbrushings
To begin with, make sure that the head of your brush is adapted to your mouth and reaches all areas. Also, don't brush your teeth with too much pressure as this can damage your gums and enamel and cause bleeding. Here are some additional tips to perfect your brushing technique:
- Place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to your gums;
- Move your toothbrush up and down and from tooth to tooth in small strokes;
- Make sure you brush over the entire surface of the tooth and brush the inner surface of the teeth from top to bottom;
- Gently brush your tongue, this will contribute to fresh breath.
The accessories to perform these two brushing procedures
It is important to always use the same accessories to brush your teeth because they are the most recommended brushing accessories in all circumstances.
- The toothbrush: It should ideally be used at least 3 times a day. However, if you only do the two most important brushings, it will be enough. The purpose of these brushings is to correctly eliminate the dental plaque deposited on the teeth. You should change your brushes at least every three months. You can choose a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush.
- Dental floss: This is a useful and even essential complement to the toothbrush. Regular use of dental floss or nylon floss allows you to remove plaque that will accumulate in the gaps between teeth and spaces that are difficult to reach with your toothbrush, but also to avoid gum inflammation. Ideally, you should use it at least once a day.
- The toothpick: It allows the elimination of large debris accumulated in the interdental spaces that are often not easily accessible to the bristles of the brush. There are several types, but the only one that is effective and pleasant is made of soft wood. It must be moistened with saliva or water before use. Its triangular shape allows an easier passage.
- The interdental brush: It is dedicated to people who have loose teeth or prostheses that leave spaces inaccessible to the brush, it is important to use sticks or interdental brushes to remove plaque at the base of the teeth, in these larger spaces, and to stimulate the gums. They can be rinsed after use and can therefore be used several times.
- The dental hydropulper: it eliminates the dental plaque, the food debris and at the same time to massage the gums. It allows to eliminate under the pressure of water debris stuck in certain inaccessible corners with a brush. However, it does not eliminate bacteria from dental plaque, so it does not replace the toothbrush and brushes. They are particularly useful for people with dentures or orthodontic appliances.
- Plaque remover: It is most often in liquid form and is applied to the teeth. It stains the plaque, most often red, making it visible. This makes it possible to see the places where brushing must be intensified. As long as there is color, there is plaque and brushing is necessary. At first, you can use it every day. And once you've learned your brushing technique, you can keep the habit of using it from time to time to make sure you maintain good hygiene.
The Y-Brush sonic toothbrush is the most recommended toothbrush for brushing your teeth because it removes much more plaque than a manual toothbrush.
We hope this guide has helped you understand what brushing your teeth is all about. We also hope that you have understood all the benefits of brushing your teeth. Brushing in the morning and evening are the most important. It is important to have the right method and the right accessories to perform these two brushings.
