People think that if they
brush twice as hard, they will do twice as much good, In fact,
overzealous brushing can cause significant damage to the periodontal
tissues and bones that support the teeth. If you used the same amount of
force and brush the side of your arm, you could take your skin off.
One way to avoid damaging
your teeth and gums is to purchase a "soft" toothbrush featuring
rounded bristles which are less abrasive to teeth. You should hold the
brush between the thumb and forefinger, not with the fist. When
brushing, do not `scrub' the teeth with a horizontal, back-and-forth
motion.
Instead, start at the gum
line and angle the brush at a 45-degree angle. Brush both the teeth and
the gums at the same time. Push hard enough to get the bristles under
the gumline but not so hard that the bristles flare out. It's also a
wise move to limit the amount of toothpaste because it is abrasive.
The irony is that
dentists want people to brush longer, not harder. Children and adults
tend to spend less than one minute at a time brushing their teeth, even
though removing plaque from the mouth requires at least two to five
minutes of brushing at least twice a day. Remember: brush longer, not
harder.
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