I’ll admit it: As a mid-40s mom of three kids 5 and under, including a 7-month-old who’s still nursing, I sometimes nod off on the couch before I make it to my nighttime oral care routine. Meanwhile, I’m in the trenches of teaching my 3- and 5-year-olds to brush. “Up and down, back and forth, left and right, top and bottom — make sure you hit every tooth all around!” I recite every morning and night in a singsong voice.
Between my own slip-ups and that singsong script, I started thinking about how rote brushing has become. Surely, something has changed in the roughly 40 years since I started brushing my own teeth. Abdul Dalghous, a specialist oral surgeon and owner of Yorkshire Dental Suite in Leeds, England, sees it all the time: “Most people aren’t brushing badly because they don’t care. They’re brushing on autopilot.” So if you’re ready to take your routine off autopilot, here are the tweaks dentists and hygienists suggest you start today.
Go soft (or extra soft) when it comes to bristles
You will be hard-pressed to find a dentist or hygienist who suggests anything other than soft or extra-soft toothbrush bristles. In fact, it’s a bit of a mystery why they’re even sold. “Medium and hard bristles don’t clean better. They wear away gum tissue and enamel at the gumline. I’d like to see medium brushes retired entirely,” says Catrise Austin, cosmetic dentist and owner of VIP Smiles Dentistry in New York City. A 2019 review study published in International Dental Journal found that soft or extra soft brushes “tend to be safer” and less likely to contribute to gum lesions.
Pay attention to your electric brush’s features
If you opt to use an electric toothbrush instead of a manual one, take advantage of its features, especially the two-minute timer and pressure sensor. These offer an assist to make sure you’re brushing for the right amount of time while avoiding damaging habits like pressing too hard against your teeth, the aftermath of which dentists see a lot of. “If yours has a pressure sensor, listen to it,” says Priya Sridhar, cosmetic dentist at PS Dental Studio in Kenmore, Washington. In fact, if you’re looking to upgrade from a manual brush, when used correctly, electric versions have been associated with less plaque and lower rates of gingivitis, and have even been linked to keeping more teeth over time.
Stop scrubbing like you’re cleaning your bathroom
To that end, whether you’re using a manual or an electric toothbrush, you shouldn’t be going to town on your pearly whites like you’re trying to scrub the scum off your shower door. “Apply light pressure when using a manual toothbrush and no pressure if it’s electric,” says Oksana Mishler, clinical associate professor and dental hygiene program director at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Dalghous agrees, specifically noting the importance of going light with an electric brush: “Rest it on each tooth for a couple of seconds and let it do the work.”
Hold your brush like a pen
If you’re having a hard time breaking your scrubbing habit, a simple switch in hand position could help. “Hold the brush like a pen, not a fist. A fist grip turns brushing into scrubbing, and scrubbing causes recession and sensitivity,” says Austin.
Pick your toothpaste like a treatment
Don’t just grab whichever toothpaste is the cheapest or the one you’ve been using your whole life. “Your brush removes plaque; your toothpaste is the treatment,” says Sridhar. This means you need to select ingredients and features that match with your specific oral care needs. Sridhar suggests the following:
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For sensitivity, look for potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride in a lower-abrasion paste
For high cavity risk, ask your dentist about prescription fluoride
If you want to avoid fluoride, consider hydroxyapatite, which Sridhar says is “an option to discuss with your dentist.”
And keep in mind that just because you want whiter teeth doesn’t mean whitening formulas are right for you. “Many whitening pastes are highly abrasive. Paired with hard brushing, they wear enamel near the gumline and expose the yellow dentin underneath … Look for a low-abrasion paste, ideally one rated RDA 70 or lower,” says Austin.
Give tartar hotspots extra attention
“People brush the teeth they can see in the mirror,” points out Sanyukta Kothari, principal dentist at Blue Light Dental & Aesthetic Clinic in London. “The inside of the lower front teeth is where I find the most tartar, every single week.” Go ahead and spend a little extra time on those easy-to-overlook spots, and try holding your brush vertically if you have a hard time reaching them with your horizontal grip.
Make the night brush the most thorough
Remember how I said I sometimes miss my nightly cleaning out of sheer exhaustion? Apparently, this is my wake-up call, both literally and figuratively. “Never skip the night one. Saliva drops while you sleep, so plaque left at bedtime does the most damage,” explains Kothari.
Time yourself
While the evidence comes from an older, smaller study, there’s a reason the American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines say you should brush for two minutes every time you brush your teeth: hitting that full 120 seconds can remove significantly more plaque than a shorter timeframe. If you’re not using an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer, you need to pay attention to this detail. “Time yourself while you brush. It’s a really simple experiment, and most people are surprised by how short their normal brushing time actually is,” says Linda Perkins, dentist at Parkview Dentistry of Scottsdale.
Keep brushing even if your gums bleed
You may see bleeding gums as a sign you need to stop brushing, stat. And certainly, if you’re scrubbing like crazy, it could be a sign to back off. But backing off and quitting are two different things. “Bleeding usually means plaque is irritating the gums. Gentle, thorough brushing tends to settle it within a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t, see your dentist,” says Dalghous. So hold your gentle brushing steady, even when you spit red — the habit should help solve the problem.
Floss first, not last
Here’s another brushing mistake I personally make, carrying it over from my childhood instruction to brush first, then floss. Research from 2018, though the study was small, indicates doing the opposite may be more helpful for reducing interdental plaque. Also, “Cleaning between your teeth before you brush clears the way for fluoride to reach the spaces where cavities often start,” says Sridhar.
Try disclosing tablets
I think the last time I tried “disclosing tablets” was in elementary school. I remember being fascinated (and mildly disgusted) by the evidence of how poorly I brushed my teeth. “They stain plaque so you can see exactly what you’re missing. Most people are surprised the first time,” says Dalghous. So if you’re not sure how well you’re brushing, it might be worth the experiment. These are going in my cart, for me and my two brushing trainees.
Wrap things up with your tongue
No, not like that cherry stem trick you played in college. If you’re concerned about bad breath, cleaning your tongue with a scraper after flossing and brushing may just help reduce halitosis, although research certainty is low. “A few gentle strokes finish the job,” says Austin.
Put brush-head swaps on autopilot
It’s incredibly easy to forget to replace toothbrushes or swap brush heads on your electric model every three to four months. Instead of relying on memory or inspecting your toothbrush every so often, put this part of your routine on autopilot with a recurring order. Many electric toothbrush brands, like Quip, put your brush heads on autoship so you don’t have to think about it. But you can also subscribe to recurring orders on sites like Amazon or Walmart for manual or electric replacements.
Meet our experts
Catrise Austin, DDS, cosmetic dentist and owner of VIP Smiles Dentistry in New York City
Priya Sridhar, DMD, cosmetic dentist at PS Dental Studio in Kenmore, Washington
Sanyukta Kothari, principal dentist at Blue Light Dental & Aesthetic Clinic in London
Oksana Mishler, RDH, MS, DHSc, clinical associate professor and dental hygiene program director at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry
Linda Perkins, DDS, FAGD, dentist at Parkview Dentistry of Scottsdale
Abdul Dalghous, BDS, PhD, specialist oral surgeon and owner of Yorkshire Dental Suite in Leeds, England
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Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
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