You may think that you are doing enough to protect yourself from dental issues like periodontal disease, cavities or worse, but do you really know whether or not you are cleaning your teeth correctly? According to a recent medical journal more than 40% of people are cleaning their teeth incorrectly which could actually be having the opposite effect to what people are trying to achieve. In order to give you the most accurate information we spoke to a London periodontics team, to find out exactly how you should be cleaning your teeth to ensure maximum levels of hygiene.

Brushing

When it comes to brushing your teeth you should look to use a small headed brush with bristles which are medium to soft. Using hard brushes may seem as though they will do a better job of getting rid of all of the plaque and bacteria which have settled on the tooth, but they can actually do a great deal of damage to your gums when used every day. As far as toothpaste goes you should speak with your dentist to find out which is best for your teeth but usually products which are high in fluoride content are the most effective to clear all bacteria.

Flossing

Many people have an issue when flossing but if you are able to do it then it can help greatly when it comes to cleaning your teeth. Flossing gets to the parts which a brush cannot and when you do this daily, you will be able to ensure that all of your teeth and the gaps in between remain clean and free from plaque and bacteria. If you don’t like using the floss then you could instead look to use floss heads which are small brushes that you can use to clean in between your teeth, these don’t hurt as much and they have the same results as floss. If your gums bleed the first few times that you floss then it is nothing to worry about and after a couple of days your gums will strengthen and stop bleeding during cleaning.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash should never be used as a substitute for cleaning teeth but rather as part of your daily routine alongside brushing and flossing. Use mouthwash at the ned to give you fresh smelling breath, and to ensure that you are getting rid of any plaque which has been dislodged, yet which hasn’t disappeared entirely. Be careful when buying mouthwash as there are many which simply leave your breath smelling fresh, but don’t contain the properties that we need to keep our teeth clean. Speak with your dentist for some recommendations on which mouthwash you should be using.

These three simple steps should be carried out each day, morning and night. If you clean your teeth after eating then you shouldn’t worry about flossing as doing it too much can cause slight damage over time. Follow the routine and you can have healthy teeth for a long time.