I won't say that I am an expert in brushing teeth but I find the task so easy that I don't even have to think when I'm doing it. I thought it will be effortless to write about it. What a fool I have been for thinking wrongly! I underestimated the power of these no-brainer tasks.
My problem came immediately as I began: what is the first thing you do when you brush your teeth? I was torn between washing the toothbrush then putting some toothpaste on and putting toothpaste on the toothbrush then moisten it. Being a scientist-in-training, I Google-ed my query and researched in toothpaste boxes and TV advertisements. I found out that most toothpaste boxes recommend to use only a small amount of toothpaste but does not tell how to start brushing your teeth. On the other hand, I found lots of guidelines on how to properly brush your teeth through Google. Now, I am equipped with personal experiences and Google references.
So, how should we brush our teeth?
Well, ma'am, sir, first, you have to wet your toothbrush with just enough water. We don't want dripping and soaking wet toothbrushes, do we? Then, you open the tube cover and squeeze out the toothpaste. (You squeeze by pressing the tube slowly and evenly and carefully, knowing that whatever is inside can be spewed instantly by a sudden, miscalculated movement.) Make sure to have your toothbrush on the ready to catch only a small amount of toothpaste. According to toothpaste boxes, a pea-sized amount will do just fine.
Before putting the toothbrush with toothpaste in your mouth, you should gargle with water to moisten your mouth. It's more efficient to clean a wet mouth than a dry one.
Here comes the brushing. First, give a big smile showing your teeth. Brush your incisors and canines (those would be your front teeth) in a circular motion, at least for a few moments to get that pearly white teeth every TV ad boasts. Second, brush your way towards the teeth underneath your cheeks (otherwise known as pre-molars and molars) and continue brushing in circles. Make sure you brush the left and right sides all the way back to the last molar.
After cleaning the sides, open your mouth big and wide and brush the crowns (or the biting surface) of your molars. You can start with your upper right teeth and continue clockwise (lower right, lower left, upper left), counter-clockwise (upper left, lower left, lower right) or freestyle. Heck, you can start anywhere you like, as long as each side gets cleaned-- no more food particles and plaque on and in between teeth. Make sure that you reach the very last teeth at the back. (By the way, you can spit out the bubbles-food particle-saliva-toothpaste mix whenever you want.)
For a completely clean mouth, brush your tongue and the insides of your cheeks. If you have a cheek-and-tongue cleaner o or separate your toothbrush, use it to scrape off whatever debris your mouth has. I hear most of the germs are not found on your teeth, so clean them up because it is better to be safe than sorry.
After all the brushing and scraping, spit everything out and rinse with water or mouthwash, your choice. Make sure your mouth is not soapy or bubbly anymore. Don't over-rinse though, the fluoride that's supposed to protect your teeth might just be washed away. Then wash your toothbrush until there is no more bubbles or particles on it.
Afterwards, check your teeth in a mirror. If you still spot dirt, however minute it might be, you have not brushed your teeth properly and might as well brush it again. Also you might want to check your breath too, by placing your hand in front of your nose and mouth and exhale through your mouth. With a good brush, you're sure to have the same scent as your toothpaste, or even better. Otherwise, you might have just fainted.
That, ma'am, sir, is how you brush your teeth. (And It is definitely easier done than said.)
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