People are unaware of the fact that there are different techniques of brushing for children and separate for adults. Brushing is also different for anterior (front) teeth and different for posterior (back) teeth. Brushing is not just taking a good quality brush in hand and moving around on the teeth the way you like. So, it is important to learn how to brush teeth properly. There are several brushing techniques, out of which modified bass technique is the most accepted and recommended technique. The brushing technique is classified as follows-

• Vibratory motion- includes Bass or Sulcular method, Stillmans and Charter’s brushing technique.
• Horizontal scrub technique.
• Rotary or Circular technique- includes Fone’s brushing procedure.
• Vertical and sweeping motion- includes Modified Stillmans; Modified Charter’s and Modified Bass technique.

How to brush teeth properly?

There are many factors that help in brushing teeth properly. Some of them are as follows –

1.    Choosing the right tool

Tooth brushes come in electronic and manual form. If you think you are lazy enough then you can opt for the electronic version. For kids a smaller sized brush is used. So, pick your tool according to your requirement.

2. Replacement of old tooth brush

The secret to get a bacteria free mouth is to keep on changing tooth brushes as frequently possible. At least the same should not be used after 3 months. A new tooth brush will give you the flexibility of cleaning the inter-dental and proximal areas even more properly.

3. Opt for a fluoride containing toothpaste

Use a small pea sized amount of paste on your toothbrush and start brushing. A fluoridated paste helps remove plaque, stains and other gum disorders. However, toothpaste should not be swallowed as it might cause health issues. Toothpastes come in a variety of flavors to make it easy for brushing. If you have sensitive teeth then, normal tooth paste won’t work. You must consult a dentist and get prescribed desensitizing toothpaste.

4. Mastering on brushing technique

For better results you have to learn the technique properly. Simple brushing won’t help to completely remove the plaque from every corner of the teeth. So, everyone should try practicing the modified bass technique in order to achieve white teeth.

5. Brushing not more than 2 times a day

As soon as you wake up in the morning and as you go off to bed, do not forget to brush. One must make it a habit of brushing teeth before going to bed without fail.

6. Limit the time of brushing

A minimum of 3min in the morning and 3 min in the night shall be devoted towards brushing and not more than that is recommended.

7. Remove dirt from tongue

Brushing without cleaning the tongue is incomplete. Bacteria are to be removed with the help of a proper tongue cleaning device. These bacteria if remained for a longer time inside the mouth can cause halitosis.

8. Rinsing mouth after brushing

After brushing, rinse your mouth thoroughly with normal water. This will clear the particles that have been left inside the mouth. It is also important as to make sure that you do not ingest the tooth paste. But according to many, mouth should not be rinsed as the topical agent will get washed away.

9. Mouthwash or gargle

If the halitosis still persists even after brushing properly then rinse with a mouth wash or gargle for 5 min with salt water. This effectively kills the bacteria.