Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Courtney Pochin & Aaliyah Rugg

Dentist's warning over common tooth brushing mistake

A dentist has warned against a very common mistake people make when brushing their teeth.

Dr Sahil Patel, of Marylebone Smile Clinic, has shared some of the common errors people make when brushing their teeth, with the main one being wetting your toothbrush before adding toothpaste. According to the Mirror, this is one of the biggest blunders people make when they go to brush their teeth.

The dentists said: "If you wet the toothbrush before you put the toothpaste on, you're diluting it. Toothpaste already has the right amount of moisture. If it's wet, it makes it foam up faster and makes you spit it out sooner."

READ MORE: Parents of 'beautiful soul' pay tribute to mum who 'lived for her children'

Dr Patel added that people should also clean the back of their teeth due to it being the "hardest part to clean" as he said: "If you start at the front and do the back last, you're more likely to stop and put it down, missing the back or not cleaning the back properly."

And instead of using floss, it is recommended instead to use interdental brushes, this is because these can get to the tricky areas and corners.

The ECHO previously reported the worst things you can do to your teeth, according to two Liverpool dentists. MJ Rowland-Warmann, of Smile Works in Liverpool One and Dr Salman Khan, of Baycliff Dental Surgery, said making simple changes can help improve your oral hygiene and would likely lead to less urgent trips to the dentist.

Top tips included avoiding anything high in sugar or high in acid, taking care to take note of hidden sugars. It was also suggested to snack in one go rather than throughout the day to avoid repeated sugar exposure.

The dentists also advised to brush your teeth twice a day, avoid using mouthwash straight after brushing your teeth and visit the dentist regularly, recommended every six months. Dr MJ added: "Another prominent thing, don't go to whitening deals that aren't from dentists.

"They can damage teeth and gums. We see it a lot when people go to practitioners on Instagram and a lot of the time it doesn't work, but it can be very damaging.

"Dental tourism is a problem. We are unable to offer help when it goes wrong and you find yourself in quite a significant spot of bother and stuck with a bill many times higher than the original cost. Just play it safe and keep it healthy. Prevent any problems before they occur and don't be enticed by deals that are often too good to be true."

Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here

READ NEXT:

These are the faces of 30 criminals jailed during May

Parents of 'beautiful soul' pay tribute to mum who 'lived for her children'

Nightmare tenants leave landlord with 'trash mountain'

Mum's warning after being 'surrounded' on the beach within minutes

Shoppers praise 'amazing' £29 face wash that 'really works' to clear up skin

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.