Britt Jones
If you scrub your teeth in the morning and night, a dentist wants to have a word with you.
We’ve all been in front of the bathroom mirror, scrubbing until our gums are red and our teeth feel as smooth as marble.
But we’ve got it all wrong. Even though brushing your teeth has been ingrained in every single one of us since being taught at home, at school, and at the dentist - apparently, we’re still doing it wrong.
According to dentist Dr Mark Burhenne, aka Ask A Dentist online, said most of us are making ‘the biggest mistake' when brushing, and you might not know what it is.
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In a YouTube Short, Dr Burhenne said it mostly comes down to how we’re holding the toothbrush, which can be fixed with a few simple adjustments.
He said that brushing your teeth too hard is causing issues.
“We are holding [our toothbrushes] like a hammer or screwdriver,” he said, adding that we should ideally hold them ‘like a pencil’.
He added: “You have to hold it with your fingers... the handle... shouldn’t be up against the fleshy part of your palm.”
If you lighten up your grip, you can ease the pressure on your teeth.
Not only is brushing hard an issue, but so is rinsing out your mouth.
Doctor Shadi gave her advice on Instagram, where she said: "I have been a dentist for 10 years now, and this shocks me to this day."
The dentist added: "When we brush, we need to spit and not rinse out.
"This is because we need to leave the protective fluoride that's in the toothpaste to do what it needs to do, and that takes time."
The expert shared that fluoride makes the teeth stronger and kills the bacteria that causes tooth decay.
She continued: "If you go in with your mouth wash and rinse that protective fluoride away, your teeth are going to become quite susceptible and weak, and this can basically damage them every time you have something sugary."
People in the comments were shocked how little they knew about brushing their teeth.
One said: "Most people do this because we have never been educated by our dentists to do otherwise, thanks for educating us."
Another added: "We have been taught how to clean all wrong from a young age.
"Where have u been all my life! Implementing a few of ur advices has changed the game for me personally."
At least you can change how you brush from here on out.