Researchers determined advice on tooth brushing techniques from dental associations and toothpaste companies are "unacceptably inconsistent."
The findings, published in the British Dental Journal, looked at brushing advice given by dental associations in 10 countries as well as a number of toothpaste and toothbrush companies' dental textbooks, University College London reported. The team found a wide range of recommendations on brushing time and technique in the materials, and found very little consistency between them.
"The public needs to have sound information on the best method to brush their teeth," said Aubrey Sheiham, Emeritus Professor of Dental Public Health (UCL Epidemiology & Public Health), senior author of the study. "If people hear one thing from a dental association, another from a toothbrush company and something else from their dentist, no wonder they are confused about how to brush. In this study we found an unacceptably inconsistent array of advice from different sources."
The most commonly-recommended technique included jiggling the toothbrush in small motions, with the intention of removing small food particles as well as bacteria and plaque. No large scale study has ever confirmed the effectiveness of this method.
"Brush gently with a simple horizontal scrubbing motion, with the brush at a forty-five degree angle to get to the dental plaque," Professor Sheiham advised. "To avoid brushing too hard, hold the brush with a pencil grip rather than a fist. This simple method is perfectly effective at keeping your gums healthy."
"There is little point in brushing after eating sweets or sugary drinks to prevent tooth decay. It takes bacteria from food about two minutes to start producing acid, so if you brush your teeth a few minutes after eating sugary foods, the acid will have damaged the enamel," she said.
The research highlights the need for more research on tooth care, as of right now the researchers recommend a gentle scrubbing technique
"I advise my patients to focus their brushing on areas where plaque is most likely to collect - the biting surfaces and where the teeth and gums meet - and to use a gentle scrubbing motion. All too frequently I am asked why the method I am describing differs from how previous dentists have taught them in the past," " said dentist and lead author Doctor John Wainwright, who carried out the study at UCL.
