Give plaque the brush-off!

    Brushing your teeth twice a day can save you hundreds of dollars--sometimes thousands--in dental work. But in spite of it being such a simple task, lots of people brush their teeth incorrectly, either skipping around so much they don't really clean anything, or rubbing so hard that they actually damage their teeth and gums. We'll show you the proper way to brush your teeth and keep your smile in tip-top shape.

    Before you begin...

    Choose your toothbrush 

    Dental researchers have discovered that toothbrushes with soft, nylon or polyester bristles with rounded tops do the best job of brushing teeth. Stiff bristles with sharp edges can damage teeth and gums, while natural bristles are porous and can harbor bacteria.

    Your toothbrush should be easy to handle, and its head should be small enough to fit into your mouth easily. The modern trend in toothbrushes is toward smaller heads that can be used more precisely around gumlines and between teeth.

    If the bristles on your toothbrush no longer stick up straight but rather flare to the side, it's time for a new one. Dental experts say it's a good idea to replace your toothbrush every two to three months.

    Choose your toothpaste

    Here's what toothpaste can do for you:

    Remove plaque

    Resist decay

    Promote remineralization of the teeth

    Clean and polish

    Remove stains

    Freshen breath 
    There are a wide variety of toothpastes, but whatever you choose, make sure it includes fluoride. Fluoride only makes up about 0.24 percent of any toothpaste, but it's the most essential ingredient for dental health because it fights plaque and cavities. Beyond fluoride, take your pick from formulations (gel, paste, powder) and extras like tartar control and whiteners.

    Learn the proper brush stroke 

    Does technique really matter? Yes it does. The most popular technique, called the Bass technique, concentrates on the third of the tooth nearest the gumline and the gum itself, where plaque tends to concentrate. By thoroughly cleaning this area before brushing the rest of the tooth's surfaces, you can wipe out most of the problem-causing bacteria in your mouth. 

    To practice the proper brush stroke, hold the toothbrush head (without any toothpaste on it yet) at a 45-degree angle toward your gums. The bristles should be gently flexed so they surround the gum tissues and the portion of the tooth closest to the gumline. Using either a circular or jiggling, up-and-down motion, brush this area with your toothbrush. After several seconds cleaning this area, slide the toothbrush away from the gum, over the tooth's surface toward the open mouth area. This will clean the rest of the tooth's side surface and brush the loosened bacteria away from and off of the tooth. This technique also stimulates the gum.

    A modified version of this technique uses more up-and-down motion over the entire tooth, usually one-and-a-half teeth at a time. Yet another technique uses a circular or elliptical motion over the entire tooth, one-and-a-half teeth at a time.

    Brush your teeth

    To brush your teeth, put a pea-sized drop of toothpaste on your toothbrush, then cover all the surfaces of all the teeth in your mouth, using the Bass technique. Brush all outside surfaces first, both upper and lower, and then all inside surfaces next, upper and lower. Don't skip any teeth as you go around. Once you've done all the sides, you can gently use that old back-and-forth motion to clean the top chewing surfaces of your teeth.

    Finally, you'll want to gently brush your tongue to remove more bacteria and freshen your breath. If you have trouble with gagging, stick your tongue out to brush it, or consider purchasing a tongue scraper. You can also brush the roof of your mouth.

    When you're finished, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water and spit out the toothpaste. 

    The whole process should take about three minutes. Most people take less than a minute to brush their teeth, but this isn't long enough to do a thorough cleaning.

    When you think about it, three minutes twice a day is a small investment in terms of all the prevention it will give you. Cavities and gum disease are no fun. Brush them away with your handy toothbrush, and you can smile all the way to the dentist's office.

    拒绝牙斑

    每天刷两次牙会让你在牙齿的投资上节省几百美元，可能有时几千美元的开支。尽管是如此小的的一项工作，但还是有许多人不会正确刷牙，不是草草了事，不能真正清洁，就是使劲太大伤到牙齿和牙龈。那么，我们接下来就会告诉你正确的刷牙方法让你的微笑最迷人。

    在刷牙之前，要选好牙刷。

    牙齿方面的研究人员发现，那种带圆头的尼龙软毛或聚酯鬃毛的牙刷最有效。那种硬毛尖头的牙刷会伤害到牙刷和牙龈，而那些天然的能渗透的鬃毛会滋生细菌。

    对牙刷要求其实很简单，刷头小到正好能适合你的口腔。在牙刷上现在的趋势是偏向小刷头，正好能贴合牙床刷到各个牙齿。

    如果牙刷的鬃毛不再整齐竖起，而是歪到一边，那么就要再换一个新的了。牙科专家说最好每两个或三个月换一个牙刷。

    挑选牙膏

    下面是牙膏的功效：

    清除牙斑

    提升牙齿矿元素

    防蛀

    清洁提亮牙齿

    去除牙垢

    清新口气

    牙齿的品种很多，但不管你怎么挑选，一定要确保它含氟。牙膏含氟只有0.24%，但却是牙齿健康的最基本成分，因为它能抵抗牙菌斑和龋齿。除了氟之外，还要其他的成分和额外的像控制牙垢和漂白剂等。

    学会正确的刷牙技巧

    这些技巧真的管用吗？是的，确实。最流行的一种叫Bass法，集中在最靠近牙床和牙龈的第三个牙齿那彻底清洁此区域，因为这牙菌斑容易集中这，这样能消灭口腔中的细菌。

    练习正确的刷牙技巧，握着牙刷以45度的方向靠近齿龈。使鬃毛轻柔的弯曲使其很好的贴合齿龈组织和最接近牙床那的牙齿。在此区域用牙刷轻摇来回上下移动，几秒钟后，把牙刷移到靠近张口区域的牙齿表面。这样会清洁到牙齿侧面的地方能去除牙齿上松散的细菌。

   对此有个修正版的刷发，就是在整个牙齿上上下移动，通常一下能刷到一个半牙齿。而令一种是圆形或是椭圆形的方法刷牙，一下刷到一个半牙。

  牙刷时挤出豌豆大小一粒的牙膏到牙刷上，用Bass法，覆盖到口腔里所有牙齿的表面。首先，刷牙齿外面，上下都要刷到，然后是里面。不要漏掉任何牙齿。一旦所有的都搞定后，你就可以用老式的刷法，左右来回轻柔的刷动，清洁牙齿上面用来咀嚼的地方。

    最终，轻柔地刷刷舌头去除更多的细菌清新口气。如果往口中塞东西不舒服作呕等情况，把舌头伸到外面刷，或考虑买一个舌板式刮刀。也要刷到口腔上部。

    刷完之后，吐掉牙膏彻底地漱口。

    整个刷牙过程大约有3分钟。大部分人一般刷牙不到一分钟，但时间太短不能彻底清洁好牙齿。

    想一想，一天两次，每次只花费3分钟的时间，是防护牙齿的一项小的投资。龋齿和牙龈疾病可不是闹着玩的。手边的牙刷刷掉这些细菌，你就能从容摆脱牙科诊所。