Is Brushing Teeth Everyday Good for Your Teeth?
You may be brushing your teeth every day as part of your oral hygiene routine. But are you doing it properly?
Unfortunately, some of us aren’t doing it correctly. How many minutes do you spend on brushing your teeth? Did you know that proper brushing requires at least two minutes to complete? Most of us don’t come close to that.
Brushing your teeth should be done after every meal. However, if you can’t do it, you should make sure that you brush at least twice a day. Then, use fluoride toothpaste. In addition to brushing, it’s also important to include flossing as part of your oral hygiene routine.
Then, make sure to reduce how often you eat snacks each day.
How should brushing be done?
You should clean your teeth at home using a soft-bristled brush. As mentioned earlier, it should be done at least twice a day. The brush should be replaced every three months. It’s vital that you clean the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth.
The remaining food, plaque, and bacteria found in between your teeth can be removed when you floss.
Dental Cleaning
Even if you brush your teeth twice or thrice a day, it’s still vital that you undergo a professional dental cleaning at your dentist’s office every six months or as recommended. It’s necessary to remove completely all hard deposits found on your teeth that brushing can’t remove.
Dental cleaning will also prevent any gum disease. If your teeth are healthy, you should still opt to have your teeth cleaned professionally. But it’s more often if you have dental health concerns.
Never Overdo It
Although brushing is necessary to keep a healthy mouth, you should not overdo it. Brushing more than three times a day may not be ideal as it can cause wearing down of your teeth’s enamel. It may also cause damage to your gums.
When you brush, you should avoid bearing down the brush too hard. Instead, opt to have a lighter touch. If you’re going to use an electric toothbrush, you should just do the brush do the work. What you can do is to guide the toothbrush.
While brushing, make sure that you’re not taking a lot of force. You should only be gentle to your teeth.
It’s also important to choose the right products. Yes, the kind of toothpaste that you use in brushing your teeth does matter. Toothpaste that can brighten your teeth can be harmful as it sands away your tooth structure.
Instead, use a plain old fluoride toothpaste. If you wish to whiten your smile, however, you may talk to your dentist about the utilization of a whitening toothpaste.
Apart from brushing your teeth every day, it’s also vital that you country your sugar and acid intake. Diet sodas, sour candies, orange juice and coffee can soften your tooth enamel. Avoid them whenever you can.
If you can’t avoid them, make sure that you wait 30 minutes before you brush your teeth. It allows your saliva appropriate time to restore your tooth enamel.
How Often Should I Brush My Teeth?
Brushing your teeth is essential for your dental health. Not only that, but brushing your teeth regularly can help improve your overall health as well. It is important that you follow the American Dental Association’s recommendation of brushing a minimum of two times a day for two minutes. This will help to keep both your teeth and your gums healthy.
Proper Brushing Technique
In addition to brushing twice a day for two minutes, it is also important that you use the proper technique when brushing. First, always use a soft-bristled toothbrush that has been approved by the American Dental Association. Though toothbrushes are sold with medium and hard bristles as well, these have the potential to damage your tooth enamel and gums.
Second, when brushing your teeth, keep your toothbrush angled 45 degrees from your gums. Use a gentle, circular motion when brushing. Never try to “scrub” the teeth clean; instead, think of massaging the dirt and plaque from your teeth and gums. Be sure to brush both the front, back, and chewing surfaces of your teeth.
Once you’ve brushed all of your teeth and gums, it is important that you also brush your tongue. Continuing to use a gentle pressure, brush back and forth in order to remove any bacteria. This will also help to keep your breath fresh.
The Rest of Your Dental Hygiene Routine
Brushing your teeth is only one part of an essential dental care routine. In addition to brushing, you also need to:
- Floss between your teeth at least once a day. As you eat, food debris, bacteria, and plaque can build up between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach.
- Maintain a regular schedule of bi-annual visits to your dentist for professional cleaning. Even brushing twice a day and flossing once per day isn’t enough to completely remove all of the plaque and tartar build up that naturally forms on teeth.
- Eat a diet full of healthy vegetables and fruit, and avoid sugary drinks and snacking between meals whenever possible.
You can ask your dentist for recommendations on what the best dental products will be for your teeth. If shopping on your own, be sure to choose toothbrushes, toothpastes, rinses, and floss that carry the American Dental Association seal of approval.
When should we begin using toothpaste and how much should we use?
You should choose your child’s first toothpaste at the same time as you choose their first toothbrush. Before the first primary teeth erupt, you can clean your child’s gums with a soft washcloth and water. Once the first teeth erupt, however you should begin using a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste. There are a number of infant formula toothpastes available at your local supermarket or drugstore today, or you can ask your dentist to recommend one.
Go easy on the toothpaste!
It is important that you avoid using too much toothpaste in order to minimize swallowing early on. When your child is still an infant, a small “smear” of toothpaste on the toothbrush will be plenty to properly clean the teeth and gums. Once your child is two years old, a small amount about the size of a pea should be enough to keep your child’s teeth healthy. It will be important that you continue to help your child brush their teeth, and remind them to spit out and now swallow their toothpaste after brushing.