Most people today will agree that brushing their teeth is essential and is an important part of general hygiene. It entails the ancient act of cleaning the teeth, gums, and mouth.
Of course, this oral hygiene has been in existence for a long time, even before toothbrushes were invented. However, people in the older generations grew up cleaning their teeth with chew sticks.
Thankfully, oral hygiene has since evolved from chewing sticks to soft brushes and to what is now known as electric toothbrushes.
This article will teach you some essential things you should know about the electronic toothbrush and how to brush your teeth with it.
How To Brush With An Electric Toothbrush
Why brushing is Important For Oral Hygiene?
Indeed, brushing your teeth regularly is very important to your oral hygiene for so many reasons. Some of them include the following:
- It helps remove stains from your teeth.
- It helps prevent gum diseases and tooth decay. Refusal to clean your teeth regularly can lead to the formation of plaque in your mouth, which will, in turn, erode your teeth or cause other damages to them.
- Brushing your teeth also helps to prevent bad breath and mouth odor. You don’t want people running away the minute you open your mouth because of your bad breath.
Different Toothbrush Types
There are different types of toothbrushes used in the present day.
However, the most common ones are the manual toothbrush and electric toothbrush.
Manual toothbrushes are quite common and affordable, although you have to do most of the work yourself.
Electric toothbrushes, on the other hand, are costly.
However, they are comfortable to use and very efficient.
They help to clean hard-to-reach places and reduce the incidence of plaque and gingivitis in your mouth.
Electric toothbrushes are used mainly by children, and older people, especially those with arthritis and people who have braces.
How to brush with an electric toothbrush
Electric toothbrushes often make use of oscillatory motions to function. This motion could be in the form of rapid to-and-fro movement of the toothbrush head or vibration of the bristles. They usually require electricity or a battery to function.
A good number of them also come with a built-in timer which makes it easier to brush for the appropriate number of minutes.
Brushing with an electric toothbrush is quite different from brushing with a manual toothbrush. This is because the toothbrush oscillates on its own.
Here are some steps involved in brushing with an electric toothbrush:
Step 1.
Put a small quantity of water on your toothbrush, then add a little amount of toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Note that Fluoride is the main ingredient in toothpaste that functions to provide a cleaning action. So, ensure you buy fluoride-containing toothpaste whenever you go shopping for one.
For babies, use a tiny smear of toothpaste and a pea-sized amount for children between 3 – 6. Toothpaste containing fluoride helps to strengthen the teeth and remove plaque.
Step 2.
Activate your electric toothbrush by pressing the “on button,” hold it at an angle of 45-degree toward the gum line so the bristles of the toothbrush can sweep and clean under the gum line (where plaque can hide) and start cleaning the molars of your lower dental arch.
Note: if your electric toothbrush works on electricity, ensure that you charge it every night after brushing. If it runs on battery, try getting spare batteries around the house so the old ones can easily be replaced without delay.
Step 3.
Clean your teeth in an orderly manner, one tooth at a time, from your molars to canine to incisors, rubbing each tooth with the bristles of the vibrating toothbrush. There is no need to brush hard or scrub your teeth. Let the toothbrush do the hard work.
Step 4.
Switch to the upper dental arch of your teeth and repeat the cleaning process by rubbing the bristles of the vibrating toothbrush one tooth at a time.
Step 5.
Clean along the biting and chewing surfaces of your teeth with the electric toothbrush head.
Step 6.
Use the electric brush head to stimulate and clean your tongue and the roof of your mouth, moving the brush slowly across the surface of your tongue and roof of your mouth.
Step 7.
Spit out the remnants of toothpaste and saliva in your mouth.
Step 8.
Finally, finish by rinsing your mouth with water and mouthwash.
Step 9.
Rinse off your toothbrush with water to wash off the toothpaste and keep it in an upright position to dry.
It is important to brush at least two times daily or after every meal for two minutes.
Do not forget to put your toothbrush on the charger when you are done, or you might end up using a manual toothbrush the next time.
Bottom Line
Electric toothbrushes make brushing easier and work better to remove plaque.
Although they are quite expensive and can be easily damaged compared to manual toothbrushes, they make brushing fun and helps to clean hard-to-reach places in the mouth.
The presence of the timer also ensures that we brush for the exact 2 minutes, which dentists prescribe. This article has listed practical steps to help you learn how to use the brush. Visit the Lifestyle Reviews homepage for more expert advice & information.
