Do you really need to brush your teeth three times a day? How long ? Are mouthwashes and flosses necessary?

These are some of the most common dental hygiene questions we encounter everyday.

I know somebody who brushes her teeth only daily but for almost 15 minutes.  Another one who brushes more than three times a day And another who bans her children from eating anything sweet. It seems that no one really knows what they should be doing to protect their teeth. Do I need to floss, use a tongue scraper – and what is the modified Bass technique? Confusing right?

Well, Here’s a step-by-step guide to a better dental hygiene.

How often should I brush my teeth?

At least twice a day, says Dr Ogo Eze, who runs a dental practice in London. Does that mean you should do more? “I’d encourage people to brush after lunch as well. If you brush at eight in the morning and go to bed at 10 or 11 at night, you’ve got 14 or 15 hours of eating, for bacteria to build up.”

But too much brushing, with bad technique, can cause other problems. “People think if they brush hard and thoroughly they are doing a good job, but you can wear away your gums and tooth surface. People think receding gums are a sign of gum disease, but it’s often a sign of too much scrubbing.”

How should I brush my teeth?

The right way, says Eze, is known as the modified Bass technique. “The idea is that it’s OK to brush in circles and up and down, but when it comes to the gum line, you should tip the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, and apply gentle pressure so it blanches just under the gums, then vibrate there and flick away. Your brush shouldn’t travel across the gums. It’s important to get just underneath the gum because a lot of food and bacteria get trapped there.”

You should always brush your tongue, or buy a tongue scraper. “Bacteria and plaque stick to the tongue, so do it whenever you brush.” It should take two to three minutes to do a thorough job.

Don’t brush for half an hour after eating, to give your saliva time to do its job and neutralise the acid caused by eating and drinking. Before this, your teeth are at their weakest and brushing can damage the enamel.

What is the Modified Bass Technique

The key to this technique is making sure that your toothbrush bristles are angled at 45 degrees towards the area where the tooth meets the gum line.

Here is the exact step by step as taken from  Brushing article (Brushing article includes a step-by-step photo)

• Start by placing the toothbrush bristles at a 45 degree angle on the front surface of the back teeth. Move the toothbrush in small circular motions. Make sure that you brush the tooth and especially the area where the tooth meets the gums.
• With this circular motion, slowly move forward towards the front teeth. Don’t rush!! Be sure to take your time and clean off all food debris and plaque. If you are having the problems with the brush fitting in your mouth, angle it vertically and continue to brush at a 45 degree angle the front surface and gum line.
• Continue to move around the arch and cover the back teeth on the opposite side.
• Repeat these steps with the back of the teeth as well (the side of the teeth that is closest to the tongue)
• Next, place the toothbrush bristles on the chewing surfaces of the teeth (known in the dental world as the occlusal surface).
• Move the toothbrush back in forth in a “scrubbing motion”. Be sure to brush the chewing surfaces of all teeth, even the front teeth.
• Rinse your toothbrush, place on tongue, and gently run the bristles over your tongue. The tongue can also harbor bacteria and cavity causing germs and must be cleaned as well.

Do I Need to floss?

Yes. But once a day is fine, says Eze. “If you are susceptible to getting food trapped, you could carry floss with you and do it during the day. Otherwise I recommend flossing at night. Different practitioners might suggest a different order, but I do it before brushing because flossing opens up your teeth slightly. When you brush afterwards, the fluoride in the toothpaste can seep into that tiny gap between each tooth.” Floss between every tooth, using clean floss for each one, and go up as far as it will go without ripping your gums. “Gently saw the floss up underneath the gums and gently saw it out again. This cleans the tooth and root surface, and removes bacteria and food debris.” Children with milk teeth probably don’t need to floss, says Eze.

Do I really need to use mouthwash?

A standard mouthwash can wash away the toothpaste’s beneficial ingredients. “Eating sugar attracts bacteria that deposit acid, and this creates plaque, which erodes the tooth surface. The ingredients in fluoride toothpaste help to reinforce the surface.” Eze thinks mouthwash is only really needed in particular circumstances. “If you have gum disease, your dentist may prescribe certain mouthwashes.”

So, should you rinse your mouth out with water when you have finished brushing or leave some toothpaste in your mouth? “For children, I would say wash out, because if they still have adult teeth that have yet to come through, they may end up with too much fluoride in their body, which can damage their teeth. For adults, it’s good to leave a film, but in moderation – you don’t want a mouthful of toothpaste. I have a semi-rinse: I put a tiny bit of water in my mouth to brush away the toothpaste on my tongue.”

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