First, I learned that you’re meant to floss your teeth far deeper than I realised.

Then, I found out you should wait for at least half an hour after using mouthwash to eat or drink and avoid using it after brushing your teeth.

Speaking of which, my dentist casually dropped into conversation that the floss picks I’d relied on for years weren’t anything like as effective as the string kinds.

All of which is to say: I’m used to having my understanding of dental hygiene challenged.

But even I was not prepared to learn that I’ve been using electric toothbrushes completely, fundamentally wrong for years – and so has everyone I’ve asked about it since.

How are you meant to use an electric toothbrush?

Folks, we are not meant to scrub.

It’s not even really advised that we “brush” backwards and forwards.

According to Oral-B, you’re simply meant to place their oscillating heads against your teeth at a 45-degree angle and hold it there for three seconds on each surface of the tooth.

No up-down, side-to-side, or all-around motion ― we’re just meant to let the........

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