9088 5808

What Is The Right Way To Brush Your Teeth?

You’ve likely been brushing your teeth for many, many years. And when we do something so often, for so long, it’s easy to get complacent and fall into bad habits – this happens with teeth-brushing routines quite often.

The truth is, even the most diligent and consistent brushers have room for improvement, and it’s important to keep your skills sharp and refreshed.

Here, Melbourne’s leading dental clinic, Victorian Dental Group, outlines the right way to brush your teeth, step by step:

Use soft bristles

Firstly, you should always choose a toothbrush or electric toothbrush head with soft or extra-soft bristles. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) recommends soft bristles as they’re easier on the gums and enamel.

The right way to brush your teeth: step by step

Step 1: Apply toothpaste to your brush and begin with the outer surfaces of your teeth. Gently brush the upper teeth, then the lower teeth. Brushing tooth by tooth can help ensure you don’t miss any spots.

Step 2: Tilting your brush at a 45° angle, brush along the gum line to remove any trapped plaque or food debris. Use short, back-and-forth strokes that are tooth-wide.

Step 3: Now, brush the inner surfaces of your teeth. Use a 45° angle and brush back and forth to clean these areas, removing trapped plaque or food debris.

Step 4: Clean the chewing surfaces. Use short back-and-forth strokes to brush the tops of your back teeth, where food can easily get trapped and lead to decay.

Step 5: Brush your tongue to ensure fresher breath. This removes odour-causing bacteria, and boosts your confidence.

Step 6: Rinse with water.

Tips and tricks for better brushing

Here are our top tips for better brushing:

Go gently

Always brush gently to protect your gums. Overly vigorous brushing can cause abrasions, gum recession and sensitivity.

Frequency and brushing time

Always brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time. Allocate 30 seconds each to the upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right sections.

Use a fluoride toothpaste

Fluoride helps protect your teeth from tooth decay. Always use a toothpaste with fluoride in it.

Replace brush every 3-4 months

Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or at the first signs of wear – whichever comes first.

Floss!

A tooth has five sides, and brushing only cleans three of them. Keep up with your flossing to clean the other two sides of your teeth.

On top of a solid brushing routine, it’s important to make an appointment with the dentist every 6 months. Say hello to better dental care when you make an appointment with Victorian Dental Group. We’re Melbourne’s leading dental clinic for accredited general, specialist and cosmetic family dental care. Not only is our team focussed on delivering expert dental care to the highest standards, but it’s also our goal to provide a gentle and nurturing experience for patients. Make an appointment with our Malvern dental clinic today and experience a better way of going to the dentist.

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VICTORIAN DENTAL GROUP
291 WATTLETREE ROAD, MALVERN EAST, VIC, 3145, AUSTRALIA
(03)90885808
INFO@VICTORIANDENTALGROUP.COM.AU

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We are taking a short break

The clinic will be closed from Thursday 2nd April 2026, and will reopen on Tuesday 7th April 2026. Online booking remains available for scheduling appointments.

Victorian Dental Group will be closed for annual maintenance on 3rd and 4th of October. Online booking remains active and our team will be available from Monday 7th October.

(03) 9088 5808

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9088 5808

What Is The Right Way To Brush Your Teeth?

Use soft bristles

The right way to brush your teeth: step by step

Tips and tricks for better brushing

PREVENT

RESTORE

RECREATE

We are taking a short break

(03) 9088 5808

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