Are You Being a Little Too Hard on Your Smile?     A common problem that patients complain about is sensitive teeth. One of the avoidable causes of sensitive teeth that is truly 'in your hands' is aggressive brushing. Many people are under the misconception that brushing harder with a firm bristled tooth brush will better clean their teeth. This, coupled with an improper brushing technique (using a back and forth motion) can damage enamel, exposing dentin and resulting in tooth sensitivity. Using a soft bristle brush, a proper technique, along with regular cleanings at our office, will be more effective at keeping your smile beautiful and healthy. How To Properly Brush: Use a soft toothbrush for thorough and gentle cleaning. Hold your brush at a 45 degree angle. Begin by brushing the outside of the front teeth. Use gentle, half-tooth wide, back and forth strokes. Next, brush the outside back teeth, starting along the gumline. For the inside back teeth, use short, angled brush strokes. For the inside front teeth, tilt the brush vertically, and use an up-and-down motion. For the chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat, and use a gentle motion. We also recommend using an electric toothbrush: studies have shown that electric tooth brush users generally brush longer, with better results than those using a manual brush. The electric tooth brush will safely give your teeth that smooth clean feeling that you may be trying to achieve through your current aggressive brushing technique. If your teeth have become sensitive to hot or cold, or give you pain when you brush them, come in and see us. If aggressive brushing is the problem, we can fix damaged teeth and offer you suggestions to care for your teeth. If the sensitivity is caused by a more serious problem, we can start you on the path to better oral heath and a pain-free mouth.