Tip of the week: Four keys to cleaning teeth

Get over your toothpaste. “It’s your technique that removes bacteria, not the toothpaste you use.” Abrasive toothpastes can wear down tooth enamel, so consider brushing instead with just baking soda and water, provided your water’s fluoridated. “Fluoride is a must.”

Don’t work blind. Brush from the back teeth to the front and pull your lips aside as needed so you can see that you’re missing nothing: “The bristles should hit where the gum meets the tooth.”

Tongue and gums next. “Bacteria camps out on your tongue,” so brush the top from back to front or use a tongue scraper. When you floss, “the floss should make contact with the tooth as it goes under the gum.”

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Pick helpful foods. Eating apples, carrots, or celery actually cleans teeth; strawberries temporarily make teeth appear whiter.

Source: Allure