Three ways to brush your teeth

Cavities and gum disease or two of the most common problems that we see here in our clinic, and both are caused by the cumulation of bacteria in the mouth. For this reason, it’s important to brush your teeth twice a day to fight bacteria and maintain good oral health.

Believe it or not, many techniques exist for brushing your teeth. It’s important to find the technique that works best for you because it might not be the same as what everyone else is using.

In this post, we’ll cover three methods for brushing your teeth: the Bass technique, the Stillman technique and the Charter technique. Read on to find out more!

The Bass technique

This technique focuses on cleaning your gums as much as your teeth. This makes the Bass technique great at preventing gum disease, which is a very common problem, especially in older patients.

To perform the Bass technique, follow these simple steps:

1. First, put the toothbrush next to your upper teeth.
2. Point the bristles of the brush upwards towards your gums. The brush should be at a 45-degree angle.
3. Brush your teeth using a small, gentle circular motion. Make sure to clean under the gumline as this is where gum disease usually occurs.
4. Once you’ve cleaned one area, move onto the next one. You should be able to clean two to three teeth at a time with the circular motion.
5. Once you’ve finished cleaning the outside areas of your teeth, move onto the inside areas.
6. Finally, brush the chewing surfaces of your teeth as well as your tongue.

The Stillman technique

The Stillman technique is very similar to the Bass technique but it can be more effective for some people.

To perform the Stillman brushing technique, follow the same instructions as the Bass technique except that after making little circles, pull the brush downwards to scrape off any remaining food or plaque on your teeth.

The Charter technique

The Bass technique and the Stillman technique both involve pointing the bristles of the toothbrush upwards towards your gumline. The Charter technique, in contrast, involves pointing the bristles downwards instead.

Dentists often recommend the Charter technique to people with braces and dentures. You might also benefit from the technique if you have gum recession or if you’ve had periodontal surgery.

To perform the Charter technique, follow these instructions:

1. Place the toothbrush against your upper teeth.
2. Point the bristles up towards your gums so they’re at a 45-degree angle. As mentioned, unlike the Bass and Stillman techniques, the bristles should be pointing upwards instead of downwards.
3. Use small, gentle circular strokes to clean your teeth, one area at a time.
4. Once you’ve finished cleaning the outer surfaces of your teeth, move on to the inner surfaces and then finally, the chewing surfaces.

Need more information?

If you’d like to speak to a dentist about these brushing techniques, or indeed about any dental issue, then don’t be shy – make an appointment with us today by simply calling 01282 428435. We look forward to seeing you!