1. How long should I brush my teeth?

Current recommendations from the American Dental Association (ADA) encourage brushing for two minutes, twice per day. If you spend less than two minutes brushing, you won’t remove as much plaque from your teeth.

If two minutes sounds much longer than what you’ve been doing, you’re not alone. According to the authors of a 2009 study, most people only brush for about 45 seconds.

The study looked at how brushing time affected plaque removal in 47 people. The results suggest that increasing brushing time from 45 seconds to 2 minutes may help remove up to 26 percent more plaque.

2. How should I brush my teeth?

Along with making sure to brush your teeth for the recommended amount of time, it’s also important to use a good brushing technique.

The ADA has developed these guidelines for proper brushing:

1. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums.
2. Brush with short strokes about the width of one tooth.
3. Move your toothbrush back and forth along the outside surfaces of your teeth, applying gentle pressure as you brush.
4. Use back-and-forth motion to brush along the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
5. To properly brush the inner surfaces of your teeth, hold your toothbrush vertically and brush up and down along the insides of your teeth.
6. Brush your tongue using a few back-to-front strokes to remove bad breath–causing bacteria.
7. Rinse your toothbrush after you use it.
8. Store your toothbrush in an upright position. If your partner, roommate, or family members store their toothbrushes in the same place, make sure toothbrushes don’t touch each other. Let your toothbrush air-dry instead of storing it in a closed toothbrush holder.

It’s also a good idea to floss once each day before brushing. Flossing helps remove particles of food and plaque between your teeth that you can’t reach with just your toothbrush