If you think that you already know how to brush your teeth, you may need to think again! There are certain techniques that you should use to remove an accumulation of plaque, which will keep your breath fresh and prevent tooth decay for many years in the future.

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Keep reading for some valuable tips.

The first guideline is to hold your toothbrush parallel and start to brush your teeth with the bristles lightly touching your gums. You can maneuver the toothbrush so that the bristles are parallel to the gums, and begin to move the toothbrush back and forth in small motions. It is best if the tips of the bristles of your toothbrush stay in one place, and the head of the toothbrush should move back and forth. You can also create tiny circular motions with your toothbrush, which will help the bristles to gently brush underneath each gum. Use this type of motion for up to 20 strokes, and it should be gentle enough so that your gums will not be in pain if they are healthy. If you start to feel pain or swelling in your gums, begin brushing more gently.

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After that, roll your toothbrush so that the bristles move outward toward the edge of the tooth. This will help to remove the plaque accumulation around your gums, and you can use this method for every tooth in your mouth. On the inside of your front teeth, it may be difficult for you to hold your brush sideways. In this case, you can hold it vertically, but use the circular motions back and forth to remove plaque from the teeth. Make sure to clean the chewing surfaces of all of the teeth with the bristles of the toothbrush held straight down.  Move your toothbrush back and forth in tiny circular motions to clean the entire outer surface of the teeth, and move on to the next tooth once that tooth has been cleaned.

After you have finished brushing, rinse your mouth carefully with water. It is also a good idea to brush your tongue and cheeks to prevent any bacteria from accumulating to cause halitosis.  After you are done brushing, it is also a good idea to floss to remove a plaque between your teeth. Many people don’t floss when they are young, but it is a great habit to promote healthy teeth and gums so that you can prevent gum disease. Dental professionals recommend flossing and state that it is an easy habit to develop within three weeks’ time. You must floss at least once each day, and it is easy to do so after you have finished brushing your teeth.  As you begin to floss, make sure that you take your time, which will help you to floss more thoroughly.

You may need to floss one tooth several times with different fresh sections of your floss, so start out with a large amount of string so that you can floss all of your teeth.