Using an Oral-B electric toothbrush is straightforward; the brush does most of the work for you.
Essential Steps for Effective Brushing
Oral-B electric toothbrushes are designed to make brushing simple and effective. Unlike manual brushing where you scrub back and forth, with an electric brush, your primary job is to guide the brush head and ensure it reaches all surfaces.
Here’s a simple guide incorporating key steps:
- Apply Toothpaste: Apply a small amount of toothpaste to the moist brush head. Electric toothbrushes often require less toothpaste than manual ones because of their oscillation or vibration.
- Place the Brush: Place the brush head against your teeth at a slight angle towards the gumline. Do not turn the brush on until it is in your mouth to avoid splashing toothpaste.
- Turn On the Brush: Activate the toothbrush. It will immediately begin its cleaning action.
- Guide the Brush Head: Keep the toothbrush head on each tooth for a few seconds. According to the reference, you should brush each tooth for about three seconds.
- Move Systematically: Move forward from tooth to tooth, guiding the brush head along the outside, inside, and chewing surfaces of your teeth. Keep your toothbrush heads at the same angle as you move from one tooth to the next. The brush's movement will then do all the work for you.
- Cover All Areas: Ensure you spend equal time on all sections of your mouth (e.g., upper outside, upper inside, lower outside, lower inside) for the recommended two minutes of brushing. Many Oral-B brushes have built-in timers that signal when to move to a different quadrant or when the full two minutes are up.
- Brush the Tongue: Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath.
- Rinse: Rinse your mouth and the toothbrush head thoroughly.
- Store Properly: Turn off the toothbrush and store it in an upright position to allow it to air dry.
Key Points to Remember:
- No Scrubbing: You don't need to scrub hard. The electric motion cleans the teeth.
- Focus on Each Tooth: Spend those three seconds per tooth mentioned in the reference, ensuring the brush cleans around all surfaces.
- Consistent Angle: Maintaining the same angle helps the bristles effectively clean along the gumline and tooth surface.
- Let the Brush Work: Trust that the brush's technology is cleaning; you are just guiding it.
By following these steps, especially focusing on placing the brush head on each tooth for about three seconds and moving systematically while maintaining the angle, you can effectively clean your teeth using an Oral-B electric toothbrush.
