Tooth (And Gum) Brushing Technique

If your tooth brushing technique is in fact a part of what has caused your gum recession, which is highly likely, you are going to have to habituate a completely different and more gentle type of motion. Changing the way you’ve been doing something your entire life is going to take a little perseverance until you get use to it, so be prepared to work through an adjustment period.

The last thing you want to do is brush your teeth from side to side as if you’re scrubbing on a washboard as this motion causes the highest amount of gum damage. Instead, brush your top teeth with downwards only motion and your bottom teeth with an upwards motion, away from the gums. You should actually run the brush gently from your gums then along your teeth, and imagine brushing your gums back into their correct place. In fact, some people have reported that after using this brushing technique for a few months it actually has caused their gums to begin moving back into the proper position.

TIP: Try to ensure that only your wrist moves as you brush, not your elbow or shoulder. This may be difficult at first but you will adjust over a period of a week or two. It won’t take long before you’ll notice your gums feeling soothed after brushing rather than agitated. If you are using an electric toothbrush minimize your own arm motion as much as possible and let the automated rotation do all the work for you.