Zähneputzen: Bitte nicht irgendwie, sondern mit der BASS-Technik

How do you actually brush your teeth? This question is met with incomprehension by many people. Brushing your teeth has a fixed place in your morning and evening routine, but hardly anyone thinks about how.

It's more a case of putting toothpaste on the toothbrush, putting the toothbrush in the mouth and simply scrubbing back and forth. However, it is worthwhile to brush your teeth more consciously again, because this achieves better brushing results. To do this, you should say goodbye to scrubbing back and forth and instead brush with the shaking method, the so-called BASS technique.

The Bass technique is named after the dentist Dr. Bass and is considered the most common tooth cleaning method in Germany. Dentists advocate brushing with this method because it thoroughly cleans not only the teeth, but also the spaces between the teeth.

Brushing with the BASS method is also recommended if you suffer from gingivitis. However, you should then control the brushing force carefully so that you do not additionally injure the gums. Opinions differ on the use of the BASS technique for exposed necks of teeth, i.e. receding gums. Some experts advise it precisely then, because the problematic areas can be cleaned well with the technique, others are of the opinion that the damage is increased in this way.

How to brush your teeth with the BASS technique

First of all, it is not possible to simply switch to the BASS technique for brushing. The BASS technique is a demanding cleaning method and requires patience to learn. However, with a little practice, brushing your teeth with the BASS technique will succeed and can quickly become a thorough and healthy routine.

Here's how to brush your teeth using the BASS technique:

Place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle on the gum line. The brush should rest on both the tooth and the gum. With short shaking movements, i.e. a quick back and forth movement, you gently loosen food debris and plaque. The brush should not leave its position so that you can clean two to three interdental spaces at the same time. After six to ten repetitions, turn the bristles slightly outward and pull the toothbrush away from the gums to the chewing surface.

You always clean two to three teeth at a time, working your way step by step first through the upper jaw and then through the lower jaw. The outer surfaces are followed by the inner surfaces using the same principle. To clean the chewing surfaces, the toothbrush is placed flat and moved in a circular motion.

The correct pressure is decisive for the cleaning effect. If the pressure is too high, you injure the gums; if you brush with too little pressure, too much plaque remains on the teeth. A pressure of 100 pont (= grams) is ideal. You can test how this pressure feels with a kitchen scale.

Those who have problems with the BASS technique should consider purchasing an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are more forgiving of brushing errors and achieve better cleaning results than manual toothbrushes in scientific tests.