We do a lot of things to ensure we’re taking care of ourselves the best way we can. We try to eat right and lead a healthy life, and more importantly keep up a stunning smile by taking care of our teeth. Smiles mean a thousand words even at first glance. That’s why we stress about taking care of our teeth, by brushing it twice a day after waking up and before going to bed.

However, brushing it twice a day isn’t all that’s needed. In fact, you’ve may have been brushing your teeth wrong your entire life! It’s not your fault, it’s something we picked up at an early age and have stuck to for all these years. That’s why we’re here today to give our take on brushing your teeth, the right way.

Change out Your Toothbrush!

There’s a high chance that you need a new toothbrush, especially if you’re keeping it in your bathroom. In a study conducted by Quinnipiac University, over half of all toothbrushes have traces of fecal matter on them. Gross! How it got there is what you’re wondering. When you flush without closing the lid of the toilet, the contents of the toilet bowl slosh around inside and spray out. What a nasty image. Lucky for you, toothbrushes are cheap to come across, so replacing the one you have right now isn’t too terrible. What you can do in the future if you decide to keep your toothbrush in the bathroom, is to put a cap on the head of the brush or store it in the medicine cabinet. This way, you’re not using a toothbrush that’s had contact with the contents of a used toilet.

Besides grossing you out, here’s what else you need to know about changing out your toothbrush. It’s recommended to throw out any toothbrush after 3 months of use, or after a period of being sick. Reason for this is you want fresh bristles that are soft on your teeth and don’t scrape the enamel off that has your teeth looking shimmering white. Also, you want to throw out your toothbrush after being sick, as your toothbrush will be riddled with all the nasty bacteria that made you sick to begin with.

Next, head to the store and pick out a toothbrush that better suits you. Toothbrushes come in all shapes and sizes. Find one that not only fits your hand and makes it comfortable to brush your teeth with, but also has a reasonable size brush head that isn’t too small but not too large either.

Look at How You’re Brushing Your Teeth

We’re done poking you about your toothbrush, let’s crack down on your brushing habits. One problem many don’t realize they have is they go to town brushing their teeth. Brushing harder isn’t brushing smarter! Your teeth aren’t the same as nasty specs on a dish plate, they’re sensitive. If you’re brushing the right way, all tooth plaque will come off without a problem. Applying too much pressure on your teeth wears down the enamel protecting your teeth and does more harm than good.

Let’s look at how long your brush. Some of us can admit we don’t spend enough time in the bathroom brushing our teeth. Studies have shown some take only 45 seconds out of the recommended two minutes to brush their teeth, a sizable feat if it was doing your teeth any benefits. As a fact, the best way to brush your teeth is to watch yourself in the mirror, and clean each tooth 15-20 times using a circular motion inward. Doing so will take around two or more minutes, which is exactly what you’re aiming for. Be careful though, brushing too much has the same outcome as brushing too hard, damaging your enamel and the overall health of your teeth.

Some other items we forget to consider when brushing our teeth is our gums and our tongue. Bacteria love to come together at the base of your teeth where it meets the gums, and we miss that area more than we don’t. This includes both the forward and inner sides of our teeth. Don’t forget your tongue as well, on all sides of it. Most toothbrushes nowadays have a tongue scraper on the opposite side of the brush head, making it a convenience to scrape off any building calculus sitting on it.

Keeping Up with Teeth Brushing Throughout the Day

If you’re a cleanly person and don’t like the feeling of that stubborn piece of food in between your teeth, you’ll hit the bathroom and brush your teeth immediately. While brushing your teeth is good, doing so right after a meal isn’t really helping as most meals are acidic. Brushing your teeth right after a meal breaks down your teeth even further by using abrasives, further strengthening eroding acid. We recommend waiting at least 20 minutes before brushing your teeth again, giving the saliva in your mouth ample time to break down the intruding acid flavors.

Lastly, make sure you’re dedicating time at least once a day to all the following – brushing, flossing and mouthwash. The whole package, at least once a day, will stir up the bacteria in your mouth and keep it less active and dangerous to the health of your teeth.