Am I Brushing My Teeth at the Wrong Angle?
You are probably brushing your teeth at the wrong angle if your bristles only point straight at the front of your teeth. The brush should sit at about 45 degrees, so the bristles meet the line where the tooth meets the gum. The proper technique, and the spots most people miss, are in our How to Brush & Floss Like a Dentist System.
The Problem This Angle Actually Solves
A brushing technique that only cleans the front side of teeth will still leave areas uncleaned, and as the gumline sits in a shallow groove, a brush held flat can skip straight over it, so tipping the bristles up to 45 degrees is what aligns them into the groove and helps you clean those areas properly.
Brushing Harder Does Not Correct the Bristles’ Positioning
People’s natural response to bleeding gums is to brush harder, but it does not work that way.
Pressure does not change where the bristles are pointed. If they are aimed at the face of the tooth, more force just cleans the face of the tooth more forcefully. The groove at the gumline is still sitting above them, untouched.
Why Show This on a Model
It’s hard to picture the actual 45 degrees, so I hand the patient a model and show them the position, then have them do it back to me. It takes a minute or two in the chair, and it does more than any instruction I could give them in words.
When people discover these small mistakes, it helps them understand, with reason, what they actually lack in their technique.
FAQs
Does the angle matter more than how long I brush?
Yes, because how long you brush will not determine if your teeth are cleaned properly.
Does an electric toothbrush hold the angle for me?
An electric brush does the movement for you, but the brush head still has to be pointed towards the gumline.
Does the same angle apply to the back teeth?
Yes, the bristles are aimed at the gumline all the way round.
How would I know if I have been getting it wrong?
Tartar building up along the gumline is usually the sign that the technique is missing that area.
Nobody Is Ever Really Taught This
Nobody is ever really taught this, because you got handed a toothbrush as a child and are expected to work the rest out. The exact mistakes people make, and how to correct them, is what our How to Brush & Floss Like a Dentist System is designed for.
If you have facial swelling, fever alongside tooth pain, pain spreading towards your eyes or neck, trouble swallowing, or limited mouth opening, contact your dentist and seek urgent care immediately.