The brushing mistake most adults are still making
By Dr. Deepanna Neshika Preethy · 4 April 2026 · 3 min read
Scrubbing harder does not clean better. It causes notching at the gum line and gum recession.
Plaque is soft. It takes almost no force to remove. What removes plaque is contact time and correct angulation, not pressure.
Hold a soft-bristled brush at 45 degrees to the gum line so the bristle tips slip just under the gum margin. Use short, gentle vibratory strokes on two teeth at a time, then roll away from the gums. Two full minutes, twice a day.
Horizontal scrubbing with a hard brush produces wedge-shaped notches at the neck of the tooth called abfraction lesions, plus gum recession. These are irreversible and often need fillings that fall out repeatedly.
Brushing cleans three of the five surfaces of a tooth. The two surfaces between teeth need floss or interdental brushes, which is exactly where most adult cavities and gum disease start.
Finally, do not rinse with water after brushing. Spit out the excess and leave the fluoride on your teeth - rinsing washes away the very thing that remineralises early decay.
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