How are your pearly whites?

BuzzFeed asked dentists to share the biggest brushing mistakes people make:

Brushing too hard  It’s bad for your gums, and probably isn’t helping your teeth either.  The tips of the bristles do the cleaning, but brushing hard makes them splay out and it applies to electric toothbrushes, too.

Rinsing right after you brush  It washes away the fluoride in the toothpaste, so wait at least two minutes before you swish or, ideally, brush last.  The Today show says you should floss, swish then brush.

Using the same toothbrush too long  Replace yours every few months (it’s why they give you a new one at every cleaning) and not just because the bristles wear out…bacteria builds up on it, too.

Brushing right after eating or drinking stuff that’s sugary or acidic  Sounds smart, right? It actually can damage your enamel so wait at least 30 minutes after or rinse with water first (that includes coffee, too).

Brushing with baking soda or charcoal  It might help short-term, but they’re too abrasive and long-term, it can actually damage your enamel.