10 Common Oral Hygiene Mistakes

A good at home oral hygiene routine is indispensable for good oral health. Yet many people keep making the same mistakes over and over again, causing them to lose lots of money, time, and giving them negative experiences along the way. Here is a list of 10 of the most common oral hygiene mistakes that many people commit.

Oral hygiene mistake 1. —  Flossing is NOT optional

You should only floss the teeth you wish to keep. Dental floss is absolutely mandatory, if you do not use it, you will definitely get caries and gum disease.

Oral hygiene mistake 2. — Brushing too hard

If you have vertical line on your tooth enamel, it is because you are brushing too hard. A lot of the damage on our teeth is self-inflicted, with overly zealous, way too vigorous brushing being one of the top culprits. Hold the toothbrush gently but firmly, otherwise you risk removing some of your tooth enamel in the process, weakening your tooth’s ability to withstand bacterial attack.

Oral hygiene mistake 3. —  Not using mouthwash

If you are not using mouthwash, you are doing yourself a disservice. Liquids can get into the tiny nooks and crannies that floss and bristles of the toothbrush cannot, and thus can clean in a very effective manner. It also disinfects the mouth, not just removes large pieces or breaks up biofilm, but actually soaks the soft tissues.

Oral hygiene mistake 4. — Overuse of mouthwash

Mouthwash can be used to frequently, and this can be harmful, as it dries out the mucous membranes, making them less able to produce saliva, which will lubricate your teeth and fight off bacteria, leaving you more likely to have tooth decay and gum disease.

Oral hygiene mistake 5. —  Neglecting the tongue

The tongue is a giant swab of soft tissue that has relatively good bacterial resistance, but not by any means complete. This means it needs to be cleaned time and again, with the use of a toothbrush, tongue scrubber or mouthwash. Neglecting the tongue can lead to halitosis and tooth decay as bacteria can easily live and thrive in the tongue, thus it needs to be cleaned.

Oral hygiene mistake 6. — Infrequent brushing

One of the main problems that we see is that people just do not brush often enough. This means that they are not removing the bacteria before it does damage to the tooth enamel, and thus, even if they do brush, it is just not often enough. Brush at three times a day.

Oral hygiene mistake 7. — Too frequent brushing

This problem is much less frequent, and mostly affects patients suffering from some form of OCD, although not only! This is a problem because it can damage the tooth enamel if it is being constantly brushed, and the gums will start to bleed as well. Many of these patients go and brush immediately after meals, which is also a no-no. Wait at least half an hour, otherwise you risk destroying your enamel, as it is weakened from acid in your food.

Oral hygiene mistake 8. — Not rinsing after meals and snacks

If you do not have time to brush after every single snack and meal you eat, at least rinse your mouth out. This will remove stuck on food particles, thus depriving bacteria with a source of food, and it will also break up the biofilm and trigger saliva production, which is your body’s way of dealing with bacteria in the mouth.

Oral hygiene mistake 9. — Too little time

Most people spend about 45 seconds brushing their teeth. This is simply not enough, as a tooth brushing session should be at least 2 minutes of gentle, but firm brushing. Spend at least that long just on the brushing and you are still under 5 minutes with flossing and mouthwash as well. If you think you do not have time for this, think of how much time and money you will lose if you do not do this, and you will see that this is the faster and cheaper solution.

Oral hygiene mistake 10. — Vertical brushing

Brushing up and down is bad, it does not get the job done, but can harm your teeth. By going up and down you are pressing some of the biofilm and thus some of the bacteria underneath the gums, into the alveolar pockets, where they can proliferate and thrive. This practice can also harm your tooth enamel, and leave ridges in your teeth. Instead, use gentle but firm use circular motions starting from the gums and moving down or up.

Check out our actual offers!

More information about dental hygienic treatment