TIL I was brushing my teeth wrong for 30 years

I went to a new dentist in Austin last month and she watched me brush for maybe 10 seconds before stopping me. Turns out you're supposed to hold the brush at a 45 degree angle toward your gums, not just scrub straight across like I've been doing since I was a kid. She said I've been missing all the plaque along the gumline that way. Has anyone else had a routine habit totally turned around by one professional observation?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_moore1mo ago

@evan_green52 maybe your dentists just didn't care, or mines a control freak. Also TIL I've been brushing like a caveman.

hollyl251mo ago

Wait, did you see that thing going around about how most people brush too hard and wear down their enamel over time? I read somewhere that a lot of dentists recommend soft bristles and gentle circles instead of scrubbing back and forth. Maybe your new dentist is just trying to protect your teeth long-term, even if your old ones never mentioned it.

evan_green521mo ago

Gotta call this one out. I've had three dentists over the years and none of them ever said a word about my brushing technique. Pretty sure if I was doing it that wrong for that long, my gums would be a mess by now. My teeth are fine and my hygienist always says I'm doing a good job. Sounds like your new dentist might just have her own preferred way of doing things, not necessarily the only way.