I Asked Dentists How to Brush Better—Here Are the 4 Tips That Changed My Routine
For a ritual we've all been doing for about as long as we can remember, most adults aren't brushing their teeth completely right. Even though the routine seems mostly intuitive at this point, there are different techniques for brushing your teeth that will help you maximize the health benefits.
Brushing your teeth isn't just to make your teeth whiter and your breath better—it is an active part of maintaining your oral health and overall health. When you brush your teeth the right way, you're not only helping stop tooth decay and gum disease, but you're also promoting healthy blood circulation and even fighting heart diseases linked to poor oral hygiene. We asked the experts for some tips on brushing your teeth the right way and got great advice for adopting a new-and-improved routine.Meet Our Expert
Dr. Mirissa Price, consumer advisor spokesperson for the American Dental Association
Dr. Houston Symmes, dentist at Peace Haven Family DentistryDon't Rinse Immediately After Brushing
Though it may feel like muscle memory to immediately spit out your toothpaste and rinse your mouth with water after brushing, it's actually better to let the paste sit on your teeth for a few minutes.
"Because fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, leaving it on the teeth for at least 15 minutes after brushing can help make the enamel more resistant to cavity-inducing acids," says Dr. Price. "Not rinsing immediately can help the fluoride be even more effective."
Use Toothpaste With Fluoride
Though there are plenty of options for fluoride-free toothpaste, both of our experts recommend using a toothpaste with fluoride.
"It is important to use a toothpaste with fluoride, which is any toothpaste with the ADA Seal," Dr. Price says. "Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel."
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in sources of water and food that the ADA calls "nature's cavity fighter." According to the ADA, fluoride helps "rebuild weakened tooth enamel and reverses early signs of tooth decay." When you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, the fluoride is applied to the surface of your teeth, which provides a "topical benefit."
Wait to Brush After Eating Acidic Foods
Just finished up an early morning glass of orange juice or a late-night sour candy snack? It's best to hold off on brushing your teeth for a bit.
"Acids soften the tooth surface," Dr. Symmes says. "Enamel can weaken if you brush it after consuming acidic beverages and meals."
"Waiting for 30 minutes allows saliva to wash away the acids and the enamel to harden or re-mineralize," says Dr. Symmes. In the meantime, he recommends swishing water around your mouth to help neutralize the acids.
Related: Ask a Beauty Editor: Should You Brush Your Teeth Before or After Breakfast?
Brush at a 45-Degree Angle
If you're brushing your teeth straight-on, you might want to switch up your angle, according to our experts.
"When brushing, the toothbrush should be placed at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently moved back and forth in short, tooth-wide, strokes," says Dr. Price. "This motion helps to clean the space where the tooth meets the gums, which is important because that is one of the areas where bacteria and debris tend to stick."
Dr. Symmes notes that this angle "effectively eliminates plaque but is easier on your teeth and gums."
Read the original article on Real Simple
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"Never Has America Been More Vulnerable" — People Are Horrified After RFK Jr. Announced He's Cutting $500 Million In Funding For mRNA Vaccines
I'm not sure if you've heard, but everyone's least favorite Health and Human Services Secretary, RFK Jr., recently announced that he's canceling $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development. mRNA vaccines, which stand for messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA), are "highly effective" and "safe," according to the National Council on Aging, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of older adults in the US. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the mRNA vaccine helps teach your body to fight infectious diseases. More specifically, mRNA technology is utilized in the COVID-19 vaccine, which infectious disease experts say is what helped to slow the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in the US. In a now-viral X video, RFK Jr. tried to explain the funding cuts saying, "HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risk than benefits for these respiratory viruses." Twitter: @SecKennedy According to CBS News, RFK Jr. reiterated that "HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them." Related: In response to the news, Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases and pandemic preparations, recently said it's "one of the worst decisions I've seen in 50 years of public health preparedness work." Following these vaccine funding cuts, millions have expressed deep concern for the future of medicine, as well as the impact of future pandemics in the US. Here's how medical professionals, lawmakers, and citizens are reacting: Commonly, people threw some personal digs at RFK Jr., with one person calling him a "despicable quack." ...and a pediatric MD calling him an "anti-vaxx weirdo." Related: While other medical professionals directly contradicted RFK Jr.'s claims about the mRNA vaccine, calling them "simply false." And called out RFK Jr.'s "fundamental misunderstanding of immunology." Another infectious disease doctor argued that RFK Jr.'s decision came from "ideology" and "online anti vax talking points." Related: And this medical professional and health writer called mRNA vaccines "one of the most important tools we have for preventing future pandemics." Another person expressed their anger about "throwing away" years of research: Even politicians have weighed in, with Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock calling the funding cuts a "tragedy." Related: "Whatever your reason for not voting or voting 3rd party, I promise it wasn't worth destroying our country over," this person wrote. And this person made a scary observation, writing: "A diseased population is easier to control..." And finally, this Reddit user summed up what many are feeling: "Imagine being so privileged to have lived in a tiny slice of human history when MILLIONS of people have been spared from pyrogens at the hands of vaccines……only to be somehow convinced the answer to the threat humanity faces going forward is to stop researching the most proven and effective medicine mankind has ever known." What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News:
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Venus Williams Exposed Health Insurance Defects
Venus Williams returned to professional tennis due to insurance reasons, citing her need to pay for COBRA, a federal law that allows individuals to temporarily continue their employer-sponsored health insurance. The US system of health insurance is built on employer-sponsored coverage, which has "scant labor market or health justification" and is driven by "entrenched interests" rather than producing good health outcomes. Bloomberg's Kathryn Anne Edwards has more on the story.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Researchers Discovered Two Basic Habits That Can Prevent Alzheimer's, And My Aging Millennial Brain Is Paying Attention
Can delaying a disease as monstrous as Alzheimer's be as simple as walking and eating nutritious foods? To some degree, yes. A June 2025 study in Molecular Neurodegeneration assessed this topic and concluded that 'up to 45% of dementia risk can be attributed to modifiable risk factors,' namely exercise and diet. What happens, the study explained, is that those two habits boost BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is a protein that aids neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to adapt, learn and remember. HuffPost spoke to a doctor about the study's findings, and he said they make sense. Related: 'Walking and diet are two of the simplest ways we know to boost BDNF, a key protein that helps brain cells grow, repair and communicate,' said Dr. Alexander Zubkov, a neurologist and board advisory member of 1MD Nutrition who specializes in neurodegenerative disorders and functional medicine. 'Higher BDNF levels are strongly linked to better memory and slower cognitive decline.' The opposite holds, too: A decrease in BDNF is often seen in people who have neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's, according to a 2015 study in Archives of Medical Science. But what does 'delaying Alzheimer's' even mean in this case? And how much walking and which foods are most helpful? Ahead, we'll answer those questions and more with insights from the study and Zubkov. What does 'delaying Alzheimer's' even mean? Related: Is 'delaying Alzheimer's' the same as preventing dementia diseases completely, or can it only be applied to people who are currently or about to develop the condition? 'When we talk about 'delaying Alzheimer's,' we're not talking about preventing the disease entirely,' Zubkov said. 'We're talking about slowing how quickly the symptoms appear or progress.' For someone who's starting to experience early changes in their brain, he continued, that could mean a few extra years of clear thinking and independence. That's significant. How does walking generate BDNF? Related: As mentioned, walking is a crucial way to increase BDNF expression. A 2025 study in Brain Sciences reported that walking, particularly at moderate to high intensities, increases BDNF levels, especially right after the exercise. It also found that walking increased BDNF by 11%. But how does that happen? 'Something as basic as a brisk daily walk increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which naturally stimulates BDNF release,' Zubkov explained. How much should you walk a day to delay Alzheimer's? Zubkov said there's no 'one magic number' of steps, but he's seen research consistently assert a certain range. 'Most data points to about 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day as a realistic sweet spot for brain and heart health,' he said. That's roughly three to four miles, or an hour to a little over an hour, of walking. The pace matters, too. He encouraged aiming for a brisk pace — aka, fast enough that you can talk, but not sing — for maximum benefits. Additionally, the study found positive results with both acute and long-term exercise. So, try to keep your exercise consistent, but don't give up if you skip a few days. Every walking session counts. What foods can help delay Alzheimer's disease? Related: Nutrition is another key piece, though perhaps not as key as walking. According to the original study mentioned, researchers need more and consistent information on the most beneficial dietary factors and how different foods affect different biomarkers (the latter includes certain proteins, blood pressure and tumors, for example). Additionally, it's important to note that most current research looks at a combination of factors, not diet alone. 'Pairing [walking] with nutrient-rich foods … gives the brain the building blocks it needs to stay resilient,' Zubkov said. With that said, knowledge about brain-healthy foods does exist. The study found positive results with the MIND-diet, or the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It's a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) antihypertensive diet. The MIND-diet includes whole grains; dark, leafy, green vegetables; nuts; olive oil; berries; and even red wine, among other foods and beverages. Zubkov recommended a few key nutrients: omega-3s, antioxidants and polyphenols. More specifically, he encouraged people to eat fatty fish, walnuts, leafy greens and berries, and to drink green tea. Are there other ways to generate BDNF? The other tips Zubkov shared are the typical self-care recommendations you've heard from your doctor: aerobic exercise, resistance training, quality sleep, and stress reduction. Here's a glimpse into what each of those can look like: Aerobic exercise: dancing, swimming, the elliptical, cycling, running Resistance training: push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, using free weights Quality sleep: around six to eight hours, and not 'junk sleep,' aka too little or not solid sleep Stress reduction: deep breathing, talking to friends, meditation, listening to music He added that some early research is looking at peptides, or building blocks of proteins, such as Semax, Selank, and Dihexa, when it comes to influencing BDNF. But beware: 'These are still experimental and should only be used under medical supervision,' Zubkov clarified. Let's keep it simple: If you want to delay Alzheimer's onset, focus on walking and adding nutritious foods, such as walnuts, whole grains and dark green vegetables, into your diet. As both studies and doctors will tell you, these daily habits have a significant impact on your article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in Goodful: Also in Goodful: Also in Goodful:
