Proper brushing takes at least two minutes, or a 120 seconds. While that sounds very short, the two minutes of brushing can feel like a life time. In fact, most of people do not come close to brushing that long. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restorations.

Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows:

• Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
• Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
• Clean the chewing surfaces
• For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too