Here we look at 10 ways you can tell you are brushing your teeth properly, and ways to improve your teeth cleaning technique.
You have bad breath
We’ll start here as it is often the most obvious sign. If you feel you have bad breath all the time, this indicates that your oral health is not optimized. Also known as halitosis, bad breath is an early warning sign of dental issues, including gum disease. When you don’t brush and floss properly, you allow bacteria and plaque to build up. This leads to gum inflammation and bleeding:
You have a white tongue. Healthy tongues are pink, while white tongues are a sign something is amiss. A white coating is another sign of bacteria build-up. To avoid this, brush your tongue as well as your teeth to remove more bacteria.
You get food stuck between your teeth. Cavities can make it easier for food to get caught in your teeth. If you notice food is getting caught in your teeth despite brushing and flossing, it could be because there is a cavity in that spot. Mention this issue to your dentist so they can catch it before it has time to progress.
Your teeth are sensitive. Another side effect of aggressive brushing is tooth sensitivity. If you find your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold, or even sweet foods, you could be brushing too aggressively. However, it can also be due to other issues, so speak to our team to be safe. We can at least recommend improved brushing techniques and a good sensitive formula toothpaste.
Teeth shouldn’t bleed when you brush and floss. This is another sign your gums aren’t healthy. If you see blood in your saliva when you spit after brushing, you should speak to our team as soon as possible. You can also look at your gums to see if they look like they are red or swelling. However, don’t start brushing aggressively, as this can also cause bleeding, which can lead to other issues, including receding gums.
While white teeth are desirable, white patches aren’t. They can indicate you have a cavity or that a cavity is forming. White spots mean you have weakening enamel. Unfortunately, if these spots are between your teeth or at the back, you won’t be able to see them. However, we can spot them at your regular dental checkup.
While many things can contribute to yellowing teeth, a major culprit is plaque. It can appear on your teeth as a yellow or even brown buildup that ruins the look of your smile and eventually begins to eat away at your enamel. It most commonly will appear along the gum line, as well as on your lower front teeth.
Plaque can also cause your teeth to feel gritty or less smooth. That just professionally cleaned feeling is most noted with an overall smoothness to your teeth. Over time this fades as traces of plaque buildup.
