If you have not been shown how to properly brush your teeth then follow the directions below.  This technique differs slightly (more significantly in its detail, coverage and approach) from other techniques.

NOTE:1.) Plaque mostly accumulates along the gum line, in between teeth and in pits and grooves.
            2.) The spaces between teeth are generally vertical.  Hence, brush up and/or down.
            3.)  You must remove the culprit (food and bacteria)  from wherever it may go.
            4.)  When in doubt, use slow motion movements and a mirror (if you spray the mirror, you get bonus points) to check your technique every once in a while.
            5.)  WHEN BRUSHING, IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE PULLING THE GUM OVER THE TOOTH LIKE A SHADE OVER A WINDOW .

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How to Brush:

          A.)  Hold your toothbrush with moderate pressure pointing at the gum line (i.e. where the teeth and the gum meet)
          B.)  With a moderate amount of pressure, move your toothbrush in a circular manner (small circle, 2-3 rounds only)
          C.)  This is the important part:   With a motion similar to a motorcycle throttle or scooping out ice cream (semicircular) move the toothbrush bristles from the gum line to the tip of the teeth (i.e. bristles will brush the vertical spaces between the teeth  in a vertical manner).  This part should be done 4 to 5 times per tooth  at first,  then later about 3 to 4 times may suffice.  As stated before, imagine that you are pulling the gum over the tooth like a shade over a window.
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1.)  Outside of the upper and then lower teeth:
            Repeat steps A, B and C starting at the back outside of your farthest back tooth on one side, continuing all the way around on the outside of the teeth, all the way around to the back outside of your farthest tooth on the other side.
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2.)  Inside of the upper and then lower teeth:
             Same as above.  Some patients tend to gag themselves when trying to brush at the gum line, that far back.  In that case, practice and careful observation in the mirror may help.  Also, try a small child's toothbrush.  When you reach the inside of front teeth  you may tilt the toothbrush almost vertically and move the bristles up and down in a purely vertical manner as to brush only one tooth at a time.  Try to have the tip of the toothbrush pressed with  moderate pressure at the gum line to clean the plaque in those areas.

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3)  Brush the top of the teeth (the sharp parts of the  back teeth) in a variety of motions, (i.e. back and forth and circular, etc.) to get to the grooved surfaces as clean as you can.

4.)  Brush the back of the last teeth and any spaces (missing tooth spaces) that you may have by tilting the toothbrush more vertically and brushing in a semicircular fashion from right to left 5 or 6 times.  (visualize the back of the last teeth is surrounded by gum in the shape of a crescent or croissant). This area is commonly missed by a lot of patients.  Remember that there is usually a tooth on each side of a space (sometimes only one tooth).  Therefore, brush along the gum line of each of those teeth.
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In addition, brushing the tongue and cheeks may reduce the total bacterial count in the oral cavity.
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