Your teeth will thank you for this dental care brush-up

Read time: 5 minutes

If you were asked to list the basics of good oral care, you’d probably know most by heart. Here are a few of them according to the American Dental Association (ADA):

Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes.
Clean between your teeth daily.
Eat a healthy diet that limits sugary beverages and snacks.
Drink water.
Avoid tobacco products.
See your dentist regularly for prevention and treatment of oral disease.
Look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance on oral care products.

What are the reasons for these guidelines, as well as answers to other questions you might have?

Check out our “lightning round” of dental Q&As. (Please check with your dentist to see how these might apply to your specific situation.)

Q. What are the best two times a day to brush my teeth?

A. Once in the morning (after waking up, before eating, to remove the overnight buildup of bacteria) and every evening before bed (to remove food particles, plaque and bacteria accumulated throughout the day, which will help prevent tooth decay during sleep).

Q. Should I also brush after every meal?

A. Brushing twice a day is generally sufficient. But if you have a high susceptibility to cavities or wear braces, you might want to brush after every meal. When brushing isn’t possible, rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash to remove food particles.

Q. Should I wait after eating to brush?

A. Yes. Dentists suggest waiting at least 30 minutes to an hour after eating to brush your teeth, especially if you ate acidic foods or drinks like citrus or soda. Brushing too soon can rub acids into your enamel.

Q. Why fluoride toothpaste?

A. Studies have shown fluoride-containing toothpastes are effective in cavity control versus a placebo or toothpaste without fluoride.

Q. Why two minutes?

A. Studies found that brushing for two minutes was associated with greater reduction in plaque than brushing for just one minute. Two minutes per mouth is 30 seconds per quadrant or about 4 seconds per tooth. Get the front, back and tops of your teeth.

Q. Manual or electric toothbrush?

A. The ADA doesn’t prefer one type of toothbrush over the other. Both are effective when used consistently and properly.

Q. What does “properly” mean? What’s the proper brushing technique?

A. Use a soft-bristled brush, which is gentle on enamel and gums, providing an effective clean without abrasion. Brush for two minutes. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and use gentle, circular motions. Brush your tongue to help reduce bacteria and freshen breath.

Q. Why is daily flossing recommended?

A. Flossing (or “interdental cleaning”) gets to the tight spaces between your teeth where food particles and plaque live. Dental floss slides between your teeth and under the gumline, removing debris and bacteria to help prevent plaque buildup — which, if not removed, can harden into tartar and must be removed by your dentist.

Q. What’s better — dental floss or a water flosser?

A. Flossing can be difficult for some people who might not have a lot of strength or dexterity in their hands. Ask your dentist for advice on which method or tool might work best for you: dental floss, interdental brushes, water flossers such as a Waterpik, or wood sticks. Like a workout routine, the best method for you is the one you’ll regularly use.

Q. What’s the best time to use mouthwash?

A. Ask your dentist (there are different thoughts on timing), along with which one you should use. More than likely, it’ll be a therapeutic mouthwash with active ingredients to kill bacteria and help reduce plaque, cavities and gingivitis — versus a cosmetic one that freshens breath but doesn’t reduce cavities or gum disease risk. Also, mouthwashes advertised to remove or loosen plaque may kill plaque-causing bacteria, but can’t remove plaque, which requires the processes of brushing and flossing.

Q. Should I leave toothpaste on my teeth after brushing?

A. Yes. When you’re done brushing, spit out the excess toothpaste but don’t rinse your mouth with water. Let the concentrated fluoride from your toothpaste sit on your teeth for at least 15 minutes after brushing before you rinse. This can help further strengthen your tooth enamel and protect your teeth against cavities.

Q. What’s the ADA Seal of Acceptance?

A. The American Dental Association maintains guidelines to evaluate dental products for safety and efficacy. Today, more than 400 over-the-counter dental products sold to consumers carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance. These products can be used with assurance that they have demonstrated safety and efficacy according to ADA requirements.

Q. Can brushing with baking soda whiten your teeth?

A. Brushing teeth with baking soda can be an inexpensive way to whiten teeth. However, brushing with baking soda alone isn’t approved by the ADA because it lacks fluoride. Look for an ADA Seal of Acceptance toothpaste that has both fluoride and baking soda.

Q. How else can I whiten my teeth?

A. Talk to your dentist about these possible options: stain removal toothpastes, in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching from your dentist, and over-the-counter bleaching products. It’s important to know why your teeth changed color. Is it tobacco use, food and drink, trauma, age, medications? Your dentist, knowing your oral health, can advise you on which method is best for you.

Q. Why is snacking in between meals bad for my teeth?

A. Every time you snack on sugary or starchy foods, bacteria in your mouth breaks these foods down into acid byproducts — which then bombard your teeth for about a half hour. But when you eat a full meal, your saliva production increases, neutralizing acids and rinsing bits of food off your teeth. So, a “least worst” time to indulge in your favorite dessert would be right after a regular meal since your mouth is already in a plaque-fighting state.

(The best between-meal snacks for a healthy mouth are low in starches and sugars: raw veggies, fruit, plain yogurt, cheese, and raw nuts. Disregard this advice if you need to keep a different assortment of small snacks on hand for a health condition.)

Final thoughts …

Teeth as tools. Using your teeth to tear off clothing tags, open packaging of some kind, and more can result in a chipped or cracked tooth, irritation or damage to your gums, weakened enamel and infection from having a foreign object in your mouth. Don’t do it!

At-home orthodontic treatment. Both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and do-it-yourself (DIY) orthodontia are forms of orthodontic treatment not advised by the ADA due to patient safety concerns.

Oral piercings. For the young and young at heart, the ADA discourages oral piercings due to the incidences of tooth fracture, tooth wear and gingival recession.

In the market for dental insurance?

If you or a loved one are shopping for dental insurance, look for coverage that:

Has no annual maximum on the cash benefits you can receive
Has no deductible
Gives you the freedom to see any dentist — and enjoy savings from network providers
Provides immediate benefits for preventive and basic care
Pays benefits for a wide range of dental procedures … from cleanings and fillings, to crowns, root canals, and dentures
Has guaranteed acceptance regardless of your dental health