The Top 5 Common Dental Mistakes

13 Jan The Top 5 Common Dental Mistakes

For many, brushing their teeth is an ingrained part of their day; it’s like muscle memory, you don’t think about doing it, you just do it. While there is no harm in getting into a routine, it can be easy to slip into bad habits and not catch yourself. It doesn’t help that many live busy lives, so catching yourself when you make minor slip-ups can become impossible to do.

To help you become more mindful of any potential dental care blunders, check out this list of common dental mistakes that you might be making.

1. Multitasking While Brushing

We know many live a fast paced life, but you really should not multitask while you brush your teeth. While you might be able to get things done quicker, when it comes to your teeth, you should be giving it all of your attention for those few minutes. If you are too distracted you will not do as thorough of a job cleaning your teeth; it’s better if you give your teeth all of your focus, believe us, it will pay off down the road.

2. Not Brushing Long Enough

This goes along with the mistake above; many people do not brush their teeth for long enough because they are multitasking or are rushed. Because of this, many don’t spend the time they need to be spending on their teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth for two to three minutes, but many people do not brush for that long. Go ahead, time yourself – you will be surprised to see that you are probably one of the many individuals who don’t brush as long as they should. The next time you brush your teeth bring along a timer so you can help ensure you are going the distance.

3. Using the Wrong Brush

Using the wrong type of brush is a very common mistake. Using stiff bristles can damage your mouth, so be sure to buy a soft or ultra-soft toothbrush in order to minimize any abrasions done to the mouth. All in all, there are many different types of toothbrushes out there, and they come in all different shapes, sizes, and stiffness. Work with your dentist to help you pick out the best type of toothbrush for your own personal needs.

4. Leaving Out the Tongue

Many don’t give their tongue the daily TLC it needs and deserves, in fact, many often brush their teeth and ignore their tongue completely! When you are performing your bi-daily brushing routine, you should be incorporating a good old tongue cleaning. Take the time to use a tongue scraper, not your toothbrush, to clean off the excess bacteria that accumulates in your mouth. Cleaning your tongue is just as important as brushing your teeth, since it helps ensure that the bacteria that causes bad breath and gum disease aren’t left hanging around.

5. DIY Dentistry

This is just a bad idea; while the internet is excellent for obtaining knowledge, unfortunately not everything you read is 100% true. Many social media sites nowadays, such as Pinterest, feature many DIY dental tips, but not all of them are helpful. In fact, many can do more harm than good; such as the tip that suggests you close your teeth with DIY rubber band braces. We do NOT support this, as this can be very harmful to your teeth and smile. Don’t let social media become your dentist, for the love of your teeth, go see a real one.