17 February 2023 , 15:21
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If you've invested in an electric toothbrush, you'd be forgiven for thinking you've automatically boosted your dental hygiene.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. While experts back the tools - one dental hygienist went so far as to call them game-changing - it turns out many of us are making crucial mistakes.
"So many people use their electric toothbrush like it is a manual toothbrush and they can do more harm than good," warns dental hygienist @krystaroseheath.
Posting to TikTok, the expert demonstrated how to properly use an electric toothbrush, plus why you shouldn't rinse - and people were baffled.
The dental hygienist said lots of people use their electric toothbrush wrong (krystaroseheath/Tiktok)
And can cause more harm than good (krystaroseheath/Tiktok)First things first, the pro talked viewers through proper brushing technique. "You want to angle [the brush] at a 45° angle toward your gums," said the hygenist.
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She went on to advise splitting your mouth into four sections, before cleaning your teeth. The expert stars at her back molar - which she says you can reach by closing your mouth a little to move out your cheek - then drags it along each tooth as the brush spins. Next, she repeats on the inside of her teeth and chewing surfaces, allocating 30 seconds to each quadrant.
"You do that and your teeth are going to be so much cleaner," she recommends. "Please do not scrub with your toothbrush. Do not scrub, you are not cleaning grout."
For her final tip, the expert explains why you shouldn't rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth.
She advises holding the brush at a 45° angle (krystaroseheath/Tiktok)
And says not to rinse (krystaroseheath/Tiktok)"If you rinse with water after you brush your teeth and you have used toothpaste, you just lost all the benefits of using toothpaste by rinsing. Spit out, don't rinse. It's gonna (sic) be weird but trust me it'll work," Krysta concluded.
In response, commenters thanked the expert for creating the viral video, but many were as shocked as they were appreciative.
"They should teach kids in school how to properly brush. I did it wrong this whole time! I always rinsed with water!" read one reply.
"Love this! As a dental student it makes my skin crawl when I see people scrub with an electric brush," said a second.
Someone else replied: "I'm so glad you did this video. Nearly everyone I've seen use an electric toothbrush uses it wrong!"