Are you brushing your teeth properly? Read here to find out.

Brushing your teeth has become second nature. In fact, a Lemelson-MIT study found that the toothbrush beat out cars, cell phones, computers, and other technology as the invention that Americans can’t live without. Everyone knows how important it is to brush their teeth, but do you know how to do it the right way?

Here is the proper way to brush your teeth:

• Brush your teeth TWICE a day—once in the morning and once at night
• Use a pea-sized dab of toothpaste
  • Covering the entire brushing surface is far too much!
• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums
• Spend TWO minutes brushing the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of the teeth
  • Spend 30 seconds on each section of your mouth—the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.
  • To clean your inner front teeth, angle your brush vertically and make up-and-down strokes
• Make sure to brush your tongue before finishing! Bacteria on your tongue can hinder your oral health.

The American Dental Association found that 30 percent of Americans do not brush their teeth twice and day. Almost 37 percent of adults under 24 have gone two or more days without brushing their teeth in the past year. Furthermore, the average American does not brush their teeth for the full 2-minute period.

Brushing your teeth is a vital aspect of your health. Make sure you’re doing it properly! If you follow these teeth brushing steps, you will be well on your way to flashing a healthy and radiant smile.