Want Healthy Teeth? Then Please Avoid Aggressive Brushing
We don’t need to remind you why brushing
your teeth is so important. It’s one of the most basic and important
steps towards maintaining good oral hygiene and dental care. The
American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice a day
to get rid of food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under
the gum line. Brushing twice daily is also said to be essential for the
health of your gums and keeps the acid that causes tooth decay at bay.
That being said, when it comes to teeth
brushing, can there be something like too much of a good thing? Because
in the eagerness to keep our teeth clean, you might be brushing your
teeth a little too hard. Overbrushing basically means vigorous or
compulsive brushing which can be harmful to the enamel and gums and can
lead to oral health issues.
Here’s a look at some common signs that you are overbrushing.
Common Signs Of Over Brushing
1. You have sensitive teeth
Tooth sensitivity can be caused by tooth
decay, worn tooth enamel, a cracked tooth, or even worn fillings
according to the American Dental Association. However, the problem can
also be caused by aggressive tooth brushing that can lead your roots to
be exposed.
Brushing too hard can also wear out the enamel coating which will then
be unable to protect the inner, more sensitive parts of your teeth
causing painful sensations in the area. When this happens, eating or
drinking hot and cold food or beverages can become extremely painful.
If your tooth sensitivity has been persisting, it’s time to set an
appointment with an oral health professional.
2. Your gums are receding
Dentists say that over-brushing can also cause your gums to recede. This
creates big gaps between the teeth and the gum line and it becomes
easier for bacteria and plaque to collect in those spaces. Eventually,
receding gums will expose the softer cementum (a connective tissue
formed along a tooth's root), which can easily wear away and result in
extreme sensitivity and potential tooth loss
3. Your toothbrush is worn out
The next time you are about to brush your
teeth, take a close look at the bristles of your toothbrush. Are they
looking frayed and splayed even though you just bought the brush a month
back? Are the bristles feeling a little hard? If that’s the case then
it's very likely you are brushing too forcefully. Your toothbrush can
wear out quickly due to overzealous brushing and develop tiny serrated
edges that damage the surface of the teeth.
Dental experts recommend changing your toothbrush every 3-4 weeks.
4. You have dental abrasion 
Using a damaged toothbrush can also cause dental abrasion which refers
to the loss of tooth structure by mechanical forces from a foreign
object, according to the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.
Basically, when you forcefully and continuously use a damaged or
worn-out toothbrush, it can wear away at the teeth enamel and also erode
the softer dentin (the part that’s beneath that is beneath the enamel
and cementum) and cementum structures. If you notice shiny and yellow or
brown spots on the tooth, near the gum line, then that may be a sign of
teeth abrasion. It might have happened because you’re pressing too hard
or brushing too frequently. Consult a specialist at once if you show
any signs of such abrasion.
Fortunately, there are some easy solutions to lessen the risk of
developing these dental complications.
Simple Solutions to Deal With Overbrushing
1. Start using a toothbrush with soft bristles
Stiff or hard bristles may look like they will do a better cleaning job
of your teeth, but they can lead to dental abrasion and gum recession as
we have already stated above. So, choose a soft-bristled toothbrush as
it will be much more efficient in removing plaque. Most importantly, it
will be better for people with sensitive teeth and is unlikely to damage
the enamel.
2. Use the proper brushing technique
While you may be conscious of keeping your
teeth clean and getting rid of all harmful bacteria from your mouth, do
know that it does not require aggressive brushing to remove germs.
Following the proper technique of brushing should do the job just as
well. The American Dental Association recommends placing your toothbrush
at a 45-degree angle to the gums first. Then, gently move the brush
back and forth in short strokes. Also, make sure that you pay attention
to brushing the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing
surfaces of the teeth properly. To clean the inside surfaces of the
teeth, it would be better if you incline the brush vertically and then
make several up-and-down strokes.
3. Wait at least an hour after your meal before you brush
Many people tend to brush immediately after having a meal, feeling that
it's the best way to avoid any particles of food getting stuck in the
teeth and to avoid any dangerous bacteria from accumulating there.
However, oral health experts suggest waiting at least an hour after
eating or drinking before brushing your teeth. Follow this strictly if
you’ve consumed something acidic like say lemons or soda. If you want to
make sure that your breath stays fresh after immediately a meal, then
just pop a sugarless gum.
4. Use a low-abrasive toothpaste
What’s kind of toothpaste are you using? A high-abrasive toothpaste
might be harmful to your teeth. The abrasiveness of your toothpaste can
be measured by RDA (Relative Dentin Abrasion). Toothpaste makers have to
regularly measure their product’s abrasiveness to receive FDA approval.
Leading dentists say that an acceptable level of RDA in toothpaste must
be around 200 and shouldn't be higher than 250. However, a toothpaste's
RDA value isn't usually mentioned on the label. Generally, though,
non-whitening tubes of toothpaste are considered less abrasive than the
ones that are designed to whiten teeth or remove stains.
There is, however, an easy way to test a toothpaste's abrasiveness at
home. Take a piece tin foil piece and use the tip of your finger to rub
your toothpaste on it lightly. Now, rinse the toothpaste off under
running water and see if there are any scratches on the foil's surface. A
more abrasive toothpaste is likely to leave more scratches on the foil.
This test has been approved by several reputed dentists.
Bottom Line:
Just remember that vigorous or over-brushing is not the answer to have
spotless clean teeth and a healthy mouth. Follow the proper brushing
technique and make sure you are gentle on your teeth while doing so. We
also recommend visiting your dentist at least once every six months to
maintain your oral health and to prevent the issues caused by rigid
brushing.