Stuck to the mirror is my new miniature hourglass that times two minutes (more on that later).
#And then you clean me and then you say easy manual
In my bathroom, armed with my bamboo-handled, Nylon-bristled manual toothbrush, I prepare to attempt the modified Bass. This requires considerably more manual dexterity than the vague put-the-brush-in-your-mouth-and-look-busy method that many of us use, as I soon find out. One of the most effective ways to clear the biofilm is known as "the modified Bass technique". So what exactly is the best way to do this? "The teeth will then be brushed automatically." "Think of brushing your gumline, rather than the teeth themselves," says Hirschfeld. In fact, "brushing your teeth" is something of a misnomer. This is where microbes are best able to infiltrate the gum tissue and cause inflammation, and eventually conditions such as periodontitis. The most important place to remove it from is not in fact the teeth, but the gumline. "This sticky film can't be easily rinsed off – it really needs to be manually cleaned." "They are living in the sticky film stuck to the teeth and also to the soft tissues," says Hirschfeld. It is made up of around 700 different species of bacteria, the second-greatest diversity in the human body after the gut, as well as a host of fungi and viruses. These bacteria and other microorganisms grow inside everyone's mouth, and form a claggy biofilm commonly known as dental plaque. It's much more important to remove bacteria from the teeth." "Lots of patients understand that what they need to do is remove food remnants," says Hirschfeld. So what exactly are most of us getting wrong, and how can we change our routine to make sure we brush our teeth effectively? ( Read more about how this might reduce the dangers of hidden deep gum disease in part one of this two-part story)
The 13 types of smile that don't mean you are happy.How Neanderthal teeth grew faster than ours.Why bad teeth are harmful to your health.This confusion is amplified by the array of dental products available to buy, from tongue-scrapers to interdental waterjets. "I think it's very confusing for the consumer," says Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation in the UK. One study found at least 66 differing, sometimes conflicting, pieces of expert advice.
Perhaps that is not surprising, given the bamboozling variety of information available on how you should brush your teeth. "From my experience, this will be the vast majority of the population in any country." "It is very likely that anyone who has not had formal instructions from their dentist or hygienist brushes incorrectly," says Josefine Hirschfeld, associate professor and specialist in restorative dentistry at the University of Birmingham in the UK.
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