What Is the Right Way to Brush?
Brought to you by Colgate
Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that's right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows:
Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
Clean the chewing surfaces
For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too
Sweep Away
Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline.
Back-and-Forth
Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes.
Brush Your Tongue
Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath for a fresh, clean mouth.
Sweep Away
Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline.
Back-and-Forth
Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes.
Brush Your Tongue
Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath for a fresh, clean mouth.