Celebrity Dentist Dr Richard Marques shares his tips on brushing teeth for National Smile Month.
1. Use an electric toothbrush: they are the most thorough method of cleaning and stop you from brushing too hard because they do the movements and pressure for you!
2. Brush twice daily: brush for 2-3 minutes, once in the morning and once in the evening. Any more and you can wear the teeth away, any less the teeth and gums may suffer.
3. Perform interdental cleaning: ensure you are cleaning between the teeth at least once a day. You can use interdental brushes or electric flossers.
4. If using a manual brush use small circular motions at a 45-degree angle pointing towards the gum to ensure no areas are missed.
5. Brush with a medium hardness of pressure: it’s really important not to brush too hard because this can wear your tooth enamel away or too gently as you won’t remove the plaque.
6. If your gums bleed continue to brush them: they will eventually heal and change from being inflamed and bleeding to being healthy and pink.
7. Use a mouthwash after brushing: use a non-alcoholic fluoride containing mouthwash. This is far better than rinsing with tap water which washes the toothpaste and fluoride away!
8. Rinse with coconut oil: coconut oil is great as it removes plaque and toxins from between the teeth.
9. Use a natural whitening paste: if using a whitening toothpaste ensure it is 100% natural. I highly recommend my Super Strong Teeth Whitening Paste as it contains calcium carbonate and silica for a natural experience (www.richardjmarques.com).
10. Visit your dentist: see your dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning because you cannot remove the scale (tartar/calculus) yourself once it hardens.
For more information on Dr Marques and his London based dental practice please see: www.wimpolestreetdental.com