HAVE YOU BEEN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WRONG YOUR ENTIRE LIFE?

Brushing our teeth is something we've all done for as long as we can remember. And when you've been doing something for almost your entire life, you'd like to think you're quite excellent at it. But that may not be the case, as there's a chance you're brushing your teeth wrong your whole life.

BEEN RINSING YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER AFTER BRUSHING TEETH?

After brushing your teeth, do not rinse your mouth with water. You can spit the toothpaste out, but the moment water enters your mouth, the fluoride in your toothpaste loses its effectiveness.

You should rinse your mouth out of habit. Instead of water, use fluoride-containing mouthwash or mouth rinse. Rinse, gargle, and spit out the mouthwash, and you should be OK. However, do not use water.

Note: Wait at least 30 minutes after brushing your teeth before drinking water or consuming beverages.

BEEN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH MORE THAN TWICE A DAY?

Brushing your teeth more than twice a day is not necessary. Some people believe it's fine to wash their teeth three or four times per day, usually after each meal. Brushing your teeth more than twice a day might damage your gums and erode the enamel on your teeth, which is not something you want.

Note: Two minutes is the recommended duration for a tooth brushing session. Anything less than 2 minutes does not provide the fluoride in your toothpaste enough time to bond to the enamel in your teeth.

BEEN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH IMMEDIATELY AFTER A MEAL?

Most people don’t wait after eating an acidic meal to brush their teeth. After eating – the pH levels in the mouth drop and your saliva has a higher acid content. As a result, brushing your teeth can rub these acids deeper into enamel of your teeth.

Note: You need to wait at least 30 minutes after a meal to brush your teeth.