This message from Love Your Smile in Kelowna is about clean, healthy teeth. Everyone wants nice pearly whites, so naturally we should brush more often, right? You would think so. The only trouble with that is some people brush too aggressively, leading to gums receding or pulling away from teeth.
Gum recession is when your gum line exposes more of your teeth, or in severe cases, your tooth root. It creates a pocket of space between your teeth and gum line. Decay-causing bacteria can grow and fester in that pocket. This leads to serious issues down the line. Even tooth loss.
Longer or Harder?
A common misconception we hear occasionally is that to brighten your teeth, you should scrub them really hard.
The best way to get pearly whites (and prevent decay) is to brush longer, not harder. Gently brush your teeth until they’re squeaky clean. Run your tongue over them. Doesn’t that feel great?
When you are finished brushing, it’s time to floss. Be sure to get the floss down into the pocket between the gum and teeth.
Why?
Brushing longer is the key, not brushing harder. When you brush your teeth swiftly, you may not be getting all the fragments of food off. You don’t want the particles of food to turn into plaque.
If you truly desire whiter teeth, be sure you brush your teeth in a slow, circular motion for as close to five minutes as you can. Methodically go over each tooth on every surface. Plus your tongue. If five minutes is impossible, make sure you brush for at least two minutes. Set a timer on your phone. Play your favorite two-minute song.
Use a whitening toothpaste with fluoride. That way, you get all the recent gunk off and your teeth get a little bit whiter each time you brush. And the fluoride helps your teeth remineralize after eating or drinking enamel-weakening acidic foods and beverages.
At Love Your Smile in Kelowna we want all our patients to have healthy teeth and gums. That means brushing properly, and seeing us for a checkup twice a year. We offer a wide range of general dentistry services, and are committed to addressing the dental concerns of all our patients. Schedule an appointment today.
Contact Love Your Smile – Dr. Stephen Malfair:
250-860-8900
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
301-1890 Cooper Rd
Kelowna, British Columbia
V1Y 8B7
