The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends several different daily habits to people as a way to care for their teeth. These habits include brushing twice daily and using a soft-bristled brush to do so. People who follow this recommendation may have fewer cavities than people who do not, but are you wondering if it would be more beneficial for you to brush more often than this? After all, is too much brushing a bad thing? Here are several things to understand about the effects of overbrushing your teeth.
Brushing Too Much May Damage Teeth
Brushing your teeth is a good thing, right? Yes, it is, but it is also important to understand that too much brushing might not be a good thing. If you spend hours a day brushing your teeth, you might be causing a lot of damage to them. Overbrushing is not necessary at all. In fact, when a person brushes too much per day, that person risks brushing enamel right off his or her teeth. When this happens, teeth are vulnerable to decay. They are not protected. They are at risk. Brushing your teeth a lot might seem like a good idea, but it really is not.
The Amount of Force You Use and the Brush Type Can Also Damage Teeth
One of the factors that you should also understand involves the amount of force you use while brushing. If you brush very gently, you could brush your teeth 5 or 10 times a day and probably not damage your teeth at all. If you brush really hard, though, brushing even twice a day might do more harm than good. You should never brush with a great deal of force. You simply do not need to. You will not clean your teeth any better by doing this, but you might instead damage your teeth.
Following the ADA's Recommendations Is the Right Option
Brushing twice a day with a soft brush and with fluoride toothpaste is the best thing you can do for your teeth, and it is generally enough as long as you complete a few other steps. The other steps include replacing your brush every two to three months, flossing, and visiting a dentist. These are the basic recommendations of the ADA and following them will result in having healthier teeth.
Do you have questions about the way you brush or the toothpaste you use? If so, call a dentist to find even more information about preventative dental care.
If you are tired of coming down with dental problems, the problem might not be your toothpaste. Instead, it could be your habits tied to your dental care. Aggressive brushers, people who have a tendency to forget, and even people who are flossing improperly could be left with serious dental issues, which is why it really pays to focus on mastering the small things. From moving forward with a better brushing routine to doing what you can to identify and resolve ongoing decay, making your dental health a priority is instrumental in preventing pain and added budgetary strains. Check out this blog to find out more.