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How to Brush Teeth Properly, Then Floss: The Two-Minute Routine
To brush teeth properly, use a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, twice a day, with the brush at a 45-degree angle to your gums. Then clean between your teeth once a day. A probiotic tablet like ProDentim is an optional extra and does not replace either step.
Written by the ProDentim label teamUpdated · 4 min read
How do you brush your teeth properly?
Brush twice a day with a soft-bristled brush, holding it at a 45-degree angle to your gums and using short, tooth-wide strokes (ADA MouthHealthy, Brushing Your Teeth).
Use fluoride toothpaste and brush for two full minutes. Most people stop at about 45 seconds, so a timer helps.
Be gentle. Hard scrubbing does not clean better and can irritate the gums. Let the bristles do the work along the gum line, where plaque collects first.
Angle the brush
Tilt the bristles 45 degrees toward the gum line.
Use short strokes
Move about one tooth wide at a time, back and forth.
Cover every surface
Outer, inner and chewing surfaces, then the tongue.
Spit, do not rinse
Spit out the extra foam and skip the water, so the fluoride stays on the teeth.
How long should you brush your teeth?
Brush for two minutes each time, which adds up to four minutes a day. ADA pages say to brush for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste (ADA MouthHealthy, Brushing Your Teeth).
A simple way to split the time is to give each quarter of your mouth 30 seconds. The timer below counts it for you.
- Upper left
- Upper right
- Lower right
- Lower left
The ADA says to brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste (ADA MouthHealthy, Brushing Your Teeth). Spend about 30 seconds on each quarter.
Replace your brush every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles fray.
Two minutes feels long the first few times. Try brushing while you listen to a song or watch the clock, and do not rush the back teeth, which are the easiest to miss. If you brush at night, leave out snacks and sweet drinks afterward so the fluoride can keep working while you sleep.
How do you floss properly?
Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or another cleaner, such as picks, tiny brushes or a water flosser (ADA MouthHealthy, Flossing).
Plaque that stays between teeth can harden into tartar, and only a dental professional can remove tartar. Any time of day that fits your schedule is fine.
Slide the floss gently up and down against the side of each tooth. Do not snap it into the gum, and never use fingernails or safety pins.
| When | What | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Brush with fluoride toothpaste | 2 minutes |
| Once a day, any time | Clean between teeth | About 2 to 3 minutes |
| Night | Brush with fluoride toothpaste | 2 minutes |
| Every few months | New brush head | None |
Why does the toothpaste need fluoride?
Fluoride toothpaste helps protect enamel from decay. A Cochrane review found fluoride toothpastes cut decay by about 24% on average compared with toothpaste without fluoride (Cochrane, fluoride toothpaste strengths).
Sugary drinks and snacks feed the bacteria that make acid, so fewer and less frequent sugary drinks help your teeth (ADA MouthHealthy, Sugary Drinks).
An ADA Seal on toothpaste, floss or a brush shows the maker sent data for review (ADA Seal of Acceptance). The Seal program does not list a category for oral probiotic supplements.
Where does a probiotic tablet fit in?
At the end, as an optional extra. The sales page says to slowly chew one ProDentim tablet every morning, and it does not say whether to do that before or after brushing.
Ask your dentist or pharmacist if timing matters for you. Keep seeing a dentist regularly and keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed.
The full routine is on the how to take ProDentim page.
FAQ01
Brushing and flossing, short answers
Should you brush before or after breakfast?
Either works, but waiting a little after acidic food or drinks protects softened enamel (ADA MouthHealthy, Dietary Acids). Brushing before breakfast is a common choice. Pick the time you will keep every day.
Does an electric brush make the 45-degree gum-line angle easier?
The sources we read describe technique, not brush type. With any brush, tilt the head toward the gums, keep strokes short and brush for two minutes with a fluoride paste (ADA MouthHealthy, Brushing Your Teeth). Ask your dentist which handle suits your teeth.
Do you need to floss if you use a water flosser?
Daily cleaning between teeth is the aim, and the ADA lists water flossers among the tools that count (ADA MouthHealthy, Flossing). Choose the one you can use every day, and ask your dentist about technique.
How much toothpaste should adults use?
A pea-sized amount is the usual advice for fluoride toothpaste. Our sources do not give an exact figure, so check your tube and ask your dentist. Spit out the extra and skip the rinse.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, NIDCR, FDA, CDC, ADA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a USA authorized ProDentim retailer, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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