You should be following this brushing routine for healthier teeth, according to a dentist

World Oral Health Day took place last week – an ideal occasion to raise awareness about the importance of caring for our teeth. With so many people owning the best electric toothbrushes, access to effective dental tools has never been easier. However, if you're not using them correctly, you might not be getting the benefits they offer.

Oclean is one brand committed to educating people about oral hygiene. Known for its high-quality toothbrushes, we reviewed two of its models last year – the Oclean Flow Sonic Electric Toothbrush and the Oclean X Ultra S Smart Toothbrush. They received four and five stars respectively, showcasing the brand’s dedication to quality and performance.

After three years of researching users' oral care habits, Oclean has developed a six step scientific oral care routine to enhance dental hygiene. Take a look below to find out if you're caring for your teeth correctly, and if you're not, well...you now know where to start.

Step one: Tongue Cleaning

Remove night-time buildup and volatile sulphur compounds with a tongue scraper before brushing. This preps your mouth for a more effective clean.

Step two: Dental Flossing

Many people floss after brushing, but you should actually do it beforehand. Flossing at night helps remove food residue and prevents staining between teeth in the future.

Step three: Water flossing

Water flossers don’t fully replace dental floss, but they offer an added level of cleanliness by flushing out food particles. You could even choose a model like the Soocas NEOS II, which combines a toothbrush and water flosser in one.

Step four: brushing

Brush twice a day for a minimum of two minutes using an electric toothbrush. However, if you're still using a manual toothbrush, you should consider upgrading. Manual brushes generate 300-600 movements per minute, whereas a sonic toothbrush can produce up to 84,000, offering superior cleaning.

Step five: Mouthwash

Mouthwash freshens breath and kills bacteria, but avoid rinsing your mouth immediately after brushing or using mouthwash – fluoride needs time to work on your teeth.

Step six: Sanitise your toothbrush

If possible, place your toothbrush in a UV sanitiser to eliminate bacteria buildup. Some toothbrushes, like the SURI, even come with built-in UV sanitisation in their travel cases.

Take a look at our comparison between manual brushing and electric brushing for more information.