How to brush and floss properly (most people do neither)
Brushing twice a day is not the same as brushing well, and the two most common mistakes are pressing too hard and skipping the gum line. Here is the technique, in detail.
Almost everyone brushes their teeth. Far fewer people brush them well, and the gap between those two things is where most dental work comes from.
None of this is complicated. It is just rarely explained properly after about age six.
The brushing technique, in detail
Angle the brush into the gum line. Not flat against the tooth. About forty-five degrees, so the bristles reach slightly under the edge of the gum.
That junction between tooth and gum is the single most important place in your mouth, because it is where gum disease begins, and it is exactly the strip most people brush straight past on their way across the front of the teeth.
Small circles, not a sawing motion. Short, gentle, circular movements, a couple of teeth at a time.
Go gently. This is the mistake people are most surprised by. You are dislodging a soft film, not scrubbing a roasting tin. Hard brushing wears enamel and makes gums recede, and neither of those grows back.
The test is your brush head. If it splays out within a month or two, you are pressing far too hard.
Cover all three surfaces. Outer, inner and chewing. The inside surfaces of the lower front teeth are the most neglected spot in most mouths, partly because it is awkward. Turn the brush vertical there and use up and down strokes.
Two minutes. Genuinely two. Most people brush for around forty-five seconds and would swear it was longer. Time it once and you will see.
Twice a day, and never skip the night one. Saliva flow drops while you sleep, so whatever you go to bed with sits against your teeth for eight hours with none of your usual defences running.
Spit, do not rinse. This one is easy and it is worth changing today. Rinsing with water immediately after brushing washes away the fluoride you just applied. Spit out the excess and leave the rest to work.
Electric or manual
A good technique with a manual brush beats a poor technique with an electric brush. Neither is magic.
That said, electric brushes make good technique easier for most people, and the two features that matter are the least glamorous ones: the two-minute timer, and the pressure sensor that stops you scrubbing. If you have arthritis or limited hand movement, an electric brush is a real advantage rather than a convenience.
Whichever you use, choose soft bristles. Medium and hard brushes do not clean better. They just do more damage.
Replace the brush or the head every three months, or sooner if it looks tired.
The step half of Australia skips
Here is the fact that makes flossing non-negotiable: a toothbrush physically cannot get between two teeth that touch each other. No brush can, at any price, with any technique.
Those contact points are where a large share of decay and gum disease starts. If you only brush, you are leaving some of the highest-risk surfaces in your mouth completely untouched, every day, for years.
How to floss properly. About 45cm of floss, wound around the middle fingers, guided with thumbs and index fingers. Slide it gently between the teeth. Then, at the gum, curve it into a C shape against the side of one tooth and slide it up and down against that surface. Then repeat against the neighbouring tooth.
The C shape is the part people miss. Snapping the floss straight down and pulling it out again cleans almost nothing and cuts the gum on the way.
If you hate floss, use something else. Interdental brushes are excellent and are usually better if you have larger gaps, bridges or implants. Floss picks and water flossers work too. Once a day with an imperfect tool beats never with the right one.
If your gums bleed, that is a signal, not a reason to stop. It usually means the gums are already inflamed from build-up. For most people the bleeding settles within a week or two of daily flossing. If it does not, get it checked.
Mouthwash, and what it is not
Mouthwash is an addition. It is not a replacement for anything.
A fluoride rinse can help if you are prone to decay. Use it at a different time from brushing, not straight after, or you are just washing off the stronger fluoride in your toothpaste with the weaker fluoride in the rinse.
If you use an alcohol-based rinse and find your mouth dry afterwards, switch to an alcohol-free one. Dry mouths get more decay, not less.
Diet, briefly
The important variable is not how much sugar but how often.
Every sweet or acidic thing starts an acid attack that takes a while to settle. Grazing all day keeps your teeth under attack all day. Keep sweet things to mealtimes, drink water in between, and let your mouth have long neutral stretches.
Cheese, plain yoghurt, nuts and crunchy vegetables are all good between-meal options. Cheese in particular helps, because it prompts saliva and brings your mouth back towards neutral.
And wait about an hour before brushing after anything acidic. Rinse with water at the time, brush later.
The part you cannot do at home
Once plaque hardens into tartar, no amount of brushing removes it. It has to be scaled off with instruments, and that includes the part below the gum line where the real trouble happens.
That is what a scale and clean is for, and it is the reason twice-yearly visits keep being recommended by people who are not trying to sell you anything.
A full check-up and clean is a fixed $249, which covers the exam, the scale and clean, fluoride and any bitewing x-rays you need. We claim your health fund on the spot, and many funds cover it in full.
Read more: What your mouth says about the rest of your health
Preventive care FAQ
Electric or manual toothbrush?
A good technique with a manual brush beats a poor technique with an electric one. That said, electric brushes make good technique easier for most people, mainly because of the built-in timer and the pressure sensor that stops you scrubbing. If you have arthritis or limited hand movement, an electric brush is a genuine advantage.
How hard should I brush?
Much more gently than most people do. You are dislodging a soft film, not scouring a pan. If your brush head splays out within a month or two, you are pressing too hard, and over years that wears enamel and pushes the gums back.
Should I brush straight after eating?
Wait about an hour after anything acidic, such as citrus, wine, juice or soft drink. Acid temporarily softens enamel, and brushing it in that state scrubs some of it away. Rinse with water straight after instead, then brush later.
I hate flossing. Is there an alternative?
Yes, and the alternatives work. Interdental brushes are excellent, especially if you have larger gaps, bridges or implants. Floss picks and water flossers also work. The tool matters far less than doing something between the teeth once a day.
My gums bleed when I floss. Should I stop?
No, that is usually the opposite of what to do. Bleeding is a sign the gums are inflamed from build-up that is not being removed. For most people the bleeding settles within a week or two of flossing daily. If it does not, have it looked at, because that is worth checking properly.
