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Electric toothbrushes - yes, this may sound strange but if you are not using the right technique, they can be useless. With most electric toothbrushes you only need to touch the tooth with the bristles. If you push too hard the bristles bend and are not effective. Take your electric toothbrush with you and ask your dental hygienist for a demonstration. Whitening toothpastes Abrasive tooth pastes such as bicarbonate or whitening pastes. They are abrasive and can wear your enamel away and in the long-term lead to sensitivity and darkening of your teeth as the enamel wears and the inner amber-coloured dentine becomes visible. Rinsing too soon with water after brushing We all use water to clean our teeth but swishing water in your mouth too soon after brushing washes away much of the fluoride with it and minimises your toothpaste's effectiveness. If you feel the need to rinse out your mouth after brushing, use a (non alcohol-based) mouthwash. You shouldn't eat or drink for at least half an hour after brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth too hard Poor tooth brushing techniques can harm your teeth - if you really scrub your teeth too hard, you will wear the sides of your teeth down, leaving V-shaped defects near the gum margins. | 
