The dentist reveals 4 common brushing mistakes that can damage your teeth

During an average lifetime, we spend approximately 82 days brushing our teeth. It’s an important step in our daily routine and, for many of us, we do it on autopilot.

Good oral hygiene is essential for preventing tooth decay and gum disease, but it can also play an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease, dementia and respiratory infections such as pneumonia. And yet, many of us are making that mistake.

Newsweek spoke with Dr. Smita Mehra, lead dentist at The Neem Tree Dental Practices, to find out what mistakes many of us are making when it comes to brushing and what we should be doing instead.

Mistake 1: Using whitening paste every day

According to US Census data, approximately 37 million Americans used teeth whitening as of 2020, spending billions of dollars each year on at-home whitening products. Many others opt for tooth whitening pastes in an effort to maintain that perfect smile. But are whitening toothpastes a good idea?

“While whitening pastes are generally safe to use, using them daily or at high levels can have the potential to damage teeth or irritate gums without professional advice from dentists,” said Mehra. Newsweek. “This is because the peroxide content in some whitening gels and toothpastes has the potential to cause ulcers or gum tissue irritation if used in large amounts.”

She added: “Not only that, but the peroxide levels in some whitening toothpastes can also cause tooth sensitivity, which can be extremely painful. So it’s important that, if you want to use a whitening toothpaste, you ask professional dental advice before doing this. They will be able to guide you on how often you should use whitening toothpaste, or may be able to suggest natural alternatives that you can try.”

Alongside traditional whitening toothpastes, recent years have seen an increase in the use of charcoal toothpastes, which promise to whiten teeth by absorbing surface stains. However, while activated charcoal can help remove surface stains to some extent, it doesn’t seem to offer much benefit over regular toothpaste, and its abrasive nature can cause enamel damage if used daily for long periods of time. long periods of time.

“While charcoal toothpaste has grown in popularity on social media in recent years, it actually doesn’t have as many benefits for your teeth as you might believe and, in fact, contains lower levels of fluoride than regular toothpaste. normal, which is essential. for preventing tooth decay,” said Mehra.

Mistake 2: Brushing your teeth immediately after eating

How many of you eat breakfast and then immediately go to the bathroom to brush your teeth? While it may be tempting to rinse your mouth immediately after eating, you may be doing more harm than good.

“There’s a lot of debate about how soon you should brush your teeth after eating,” Mehra said. “In general, as dentists, we recommend that you wait about an hour before brushing after eating, especially foods that are particularly acidic. This can include things like soft drinks or citrus fruits.”

This is because brushing your teeth right after eating these foods can damage your enamel. “You’re basically washing the acid in your mouth all over your teeth,” Mehra said. “Leaving time between brushing and eating allows the saliva in your mouth to wash away any acid, giving the enamel on your teeth time to harden again.”

It’s also worth leaving a gap after brushing your teeth before consuming these acidic foods and drinks.

“Many brush their teeth as soon as they wake up,” Mehra added. “Again, avoid eating or drinking anything acidic right away, like tea with lemon or orange. Try to leave a gap of about an hour before anything acidic.”

Mistake 3: Brushing your teeth too hard

Mehra said that many “assume that by putting more pressure on your teeth, you’re getting rid of more bacteria in your mouth, but actually brushing too hard can contribute to the breakdown of enamel and gums, which can contribute to sensitivity and long-term gum disease.”

Mehra added: “As dentists, very often we see people coming in with damaged teeth or gums as a result of brushing too hard.”

So how should we bathe?

“The best way to brush your teeth to ensure maximum cleaning and minimal damage is to brush gently, but thoroughly, using a soft brush,” said Mehra. “An electric toothbrush is highly recommended, as the smaller head allows it to reach those hard-to-reach areas, and you can be gentler.”

Pressure isn’t the only thing to consider when brushing your teeth.

“Many people think you should brush your teeth in an up-and-down or circular motion,” Mehra said. “However, the most effective action is to brush at 45 degrees to the gums and then use a sweeping action across the jaw teeth. This ensures that the gum-tooth interface is cleaned without excessive pressure on the gums. “

Mistake 4: Skipping the bedtime brush

While official guidelines recommend brushing twice a day, many of us consider brushing in the morning as a priority. But while your morning breath may feel worse, brushing your teeth before bed is perhaps even more important.

“When we ask patients about the most important time to brush, morning or evening, they always seem to say morning,” said Mehra. “Actually, the answer should be at night.”

She added: “Never forget to brush before bed. This is the time when all your dinner is stuck in your mouth and bacteria are having a field day. Also, while you sleep, the act of brushing your mouth ie saliva your. also reduces, and therefore not much cleaning occurs naturally You have been warned!”

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