The two minutes that actually matter

Almost everyone we see brushes. Far fewer brush for two minutes, and almost nobody stops rinsing at the end. Those two habits do more for your teeth than any product on the shelf.

Two minutes is longer than it feels

Timed in the chair, most adults brush for about forty-five seconds. Play one song, use the timer on an electric brush, or count thirty seconds per quarter of your mouth. The difference between forty-five seconds and two minutes shows up as less bleeding within a fortnight.

Do not rinse

Spit the toothpaste out and stop there. Rinsing with water washes the fluoride off your teeth minutes after you put it there, which is the one part of brushing that actually strengthens enamel. If the taste bothers you, use less paste, not more water.

Angle the brush at the gum line

Decay starts where the tooth meets the gum, so that is where the bristles should sit, tilted at about forty-five degrees. Small circles, light pressure. Scrubbing hard sideways wears a notch into the tooth and does nothing for the plaque in the crevice.

Floss before, not after

Flossing first lifts the debris out so the fluoride can reach between the teeth. If floss defeats you, interdental brushes clean better anyway, and the right size is the one that needs a gentle push.

Change the brush before it splays

Every three months, or sooner if the bristles have bent outwards. A splayed brush cleans the mirror and not much else.

Bring your brush to your next cleaning and Nora will show you the two spots you are missing. Everyone has two.