Oral Care: How Many Times a Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?

Brushing your teeth has always been an essential part of good oral health management. It removes food particles between the teeth after eating, and decrease the risk of dental plaque build-up in our teeth. Brushing promotes good oral hygiene that is beneficial to all of us in more ways than one. Not only that it makes our breath fresh, but it also protects our teeth from tooth decay and keeps our gums healthy. Please visit https://www.maroondahdentalcare.com.au/ for more info.

Neglecting one’s oral health may lead to adverse effects. Tooth decay may develop an infection from accumulated plaque build-up, which can lead to various types of gum diseases and teeth loss. Treatment is possible because of modern dental techniques, however, there are cases that a complex surgery may be required to save the tooth, or prevent further complications from gum infections. You don’t have to go through such an ordeal, because the solution lies within your hands.

That solution is to brush your teeth regularly after meals and definitely before bed time.

How Many Times a Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?

Regular brushing is the key to maintain your oral health. But the question is, how many times a day should you brush your teeth? We were told when we are young that brushing your teeth after every meal is the right way. However, dentists suggest that the recommended number of brushing is at least twice a day for 2 minutes. Brushing your teeth is not the only way in terms of oral hygiene to have good oral health. Proper flossing and gargling mouthwash are as important when you brush your teeth.

Proper Way to Brush Your Teeth Every Day

Oral health can only be maintained with good oral hygiene. Here are the recommended steps for a correct brushing technique at least twice a day:

• Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the surface of your teeth
• Use a small amount of toothpaste (pea-size)
• Gently stroke with a circular motion, then up and down
• Make sure to clean hard to reach surfaces
• Gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper
• Rinse with mouthwash
• Repeat process for 2 minutes

And that answers the question how many times a day should you brush your teeth? As recommended by the ADA also known as The American Dental Association, you should brush your teeth twice a day. How much time? At least two minutes. Additional ADA recommendations include using an ADA-accepted toothpaste with fluoride and replacing your toothbrush three or four-month, depending on the condition by regular use.

These are the recommended guidelines by the ADA to help ensure the wellness of our oral health. Although generally, regular brushing promotes good oral hygiene, there are situations that brushing may lead to overbrushing, which could ultimately result in unwanted oral problems.

Overbrushing

Over vigorous brushing may cause more harm than good. You may develop sensitive teeth or abrasions in the gums that may lead to infection. Here are some of the negative effects when you brush your teeth too hard:

• Bleeding Gums – Several factors may cause your gums to bleed. However, one of the most common reasons is overbrushing. Brushing too hard causes damage to your gums, and wounded gums have an increased risk of accumulating bacteria by external factors such as food, drinking alcoholic drinks, or smoking. This may still happen even if you regularly brush your teeth. So, always be careful when you brush, in case you notice blood on your spit, visit your dentist in Lindfield near Killara Dental clinic, or proper assistance.
• Sensitive Teeth – Like Bleeding gums, there are also a lot of factors that may cause teeth sensitivity. It could be hereditary, or brushing over vigorously, and old age. A sensitive tooth usually exhibits a short and sharp pain that triggers when you drink a cold beverage. Other external factors may also cause pain, such as hot drinks, sour food, and intake of cool air. Overbrushing may exacerbate the degree of sensitive teeth. The enamel that envelope your teeth thins out and wears off gradually making your teeth sensitive to external factors.
• Receding Gums – Gum recession might be because of aging, it could be hereditary, or it can also be because of aggressive brushing. You will know that your gums are receding when the roots are exposed, and when a tooth appears longer. Small creases between the tooth and gum line may cause plaque to accumulate, and bacteria to manifest. This increases the likelihood of gum infection.

Do you brush your teeth too hard?

The most common sign of overbrushing is blood on your spit. Your gum tissues gradually decrease as you brush your teeth too hard. When this happens, the gums recede, exposing the roots- and may eventually lead to oral health problems as stated above.

Brush your teeth two times a day

Brush and floss your teeth every day. There is no specific time, but at least after meal and before you go to bed. Don’t forget to floss. Brushing your teeth at night just before bedtime also helps. In the morning it’s also ideal to brush your teeth. You should also not neglect to visit your dentist for your annual check and clean.