Dentists say people are brushing too hard. Using the wrong technique or a stiff toothbrush can cause gum recession and lead to periodontal disease.
The American Dental Association recommends a soft or extra-soft toothbrush. Even the softest one, however, causes damage when people brush too aggressively or too long.
Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth and work it up and down or in circles to the gum line, never back and forth. Dentists say brushing once a day before bedtime is OK if you do a thorough job and floss.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
