To Floss or Not to Floss? 4 Common Toothbrushing Mistakes

Do you brush your teeth both morning and night? When should you wet your toothbrush, and is it better to use dental picks or floss?

Dr. Suhail Patel, a dentist, warns against several common toothbrushing mistakes and aims to prevent damages that could harm your oral health.

1. Wetting the Toothbrush

According to him, water dilutes the moisture in the toothpaste, leading to foam that makes you spit out the paste quicker, reducing the quality of brushing. Therefore, do not wet the toothbrush either before or after applying toothpaste.

2. Using Dental Picks

Dr. Patel recommends using dental picks over floss, as he finds them more effective. The picks reach corners that a toothbrush can't.

Rabbi Avraham Yosef - Is it permitted to brush teeth on Shabbat?

3. Using a Straight-Bristled Toothbrush

Additionally, it is recommended to use a toothbrush with straight bristles, not ones that lean to the sides.

4. How Many Times to Brush Teeth?

He suggests it is better to brush once a day thoroughly and properly than twice a day poorly. Focus on quality over quantity to avoid missing certain areas of the mouth.

If you continue to brush just once a day, it's better to dedicate time to evening brushing.

Further Reading

Are your teeth hurting? Grandma's remedies to ease the pain

What are you brushing your teeth with? Think again

Surprisingly: The mistake we all make after brushing our teeth