The Brush To Use
Hard bristles were once recommended but are now thought to betoo abrasive to the teeth and gums. We now suggest a soft,rounded-end nylon bristle brush. Be sure to discard brusheswhen the bristles are bent or frayed or approximately every threeto four months.
How To Brush
Begin by placing the head of the brush beside your teeth, withthe bristles angled against the gum line (where the teeth andgums meet ). Think of the brush as both a toothbrush and a gumbrush. With the bristles contacting both tooth and gum, move thebrush back and forth several times across each tooth individually.
Use a short stroke and a gentle scrubbing motion, as if the goalwere to massage the gum. Don't try to force the bristles underthe gum line; that will happen naturally, especially with a brushthat has soft, flexible bristles.
Brush the outer surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. Then usethe same short back-and-forth strokes on the inside surfaces.Try to concentrate harder on the inside surfaces; studies showthey're more often neglected. For the upper and lower front teeth,brush the inside surfaces by using the brush vertically and makingseveral gentle up--and-down strokes over the teeth and gums.
Finish up by lightly scrubbing the chewing surfaces of the upperand lower teeth. You should also brush your tongue for a fresherbreath.