The most common mistake most of us make when brushing our teeth is that we brush them too roughly.
It is quite natural to presume that the harder we brush the whiter and cleaner or teeth will be. This is in fact far from the truth!
When we apply too much pressure while brushing our teeth, we are being too aggressive and wearing our teeth and gums prematurely.
After all, our teeth must serve for a long time, so it is important to preserve them throughout the years.
Avoid using abrasive toothpaste and hard toothbrushes, and if you notice that your toothbrush is frayed before the end of a few weeks, then something is not right. Toothbrushes should last at least six to eight weeks if you are using them correctly.
The most common troubles due to aggressive teeth brushing are receding gums.
If when you examine your teeth, you find that they are unnaturally long, this is a sure sign you are brushing too hard and it is essential you stop, for receding gums can lead to tooth loss in old age or in some, more drastic cases sooner.
Your teeth may also become more sensitive as a result of abrasive tooth brushing; this is due to the exposure of the neck area of the tooth, where the nerves are.
What happens is that with time and abrasion the gums and layer (cementum) that protect this area is consumed with aggressive brushing thus rendering our teeth more sensitive.
This can also make us more susceptible to tooth caries, for the acid food and drink we consume will effect the tooth more directly.
It is therefore important to drop any bad habits we have in our teeth hygiene if we want to keep a perfect smile longer.
First step, throw your hard toothbrush out, if you are using one and choose a medium or even soft toothbrush.
What you should actually be doing when brushing is removing any plaque accumulated, re-applying minerals, due to the fluoride content in the toothpaste, and removing any stains.
This is where the choice of toothpaste comes in. Opt for toothpaste that is less abrasive, if you do not need to remove smoking stains or other similar stains.
The less abrasive a toothpaste is, the less damage you will be doing to your teeth. Do not fall in the trap most of us do and presume that the whiter our teeth the cleaner they are, for it is a common and fatal mistake.
You should be aiming at the hygiene and care of your teeth, not at a flashing bright smile. If your teeth are bright white, chances are they are damaged by abrasion and permanently spoilt.
Try changing your brushing technique in order to apply less pressure on your teeth. Some dentists suggest you hold your toothbrush as if it were a pen, by doing so you are compelled to apply less pressure thus causing less damage.
Although it may seem a contradiction, you should avoid brushing your teeth immediately after having consumed sour food, such as orange juice, sodas or other acid food, or else brush it just before.
Apparently researchers have found that the acid in food or drinks awakens the tooth’s structure, if you brush immediately after having consumed acid drinks or foods you will be causing abrasion.
It is essential to re-integrate the minerals in our teeth, and we can do so by using a toothpaste that contains fluoride, or by simply rinsing our mouth after each meal, after all, water is also rich in minerals!
