We all have been brushing our teeth for years and yet it is quite surprising that many of us still manage to do it wrong.
If you are one of the lucky ones whose dentist took the time to teach the right brushing technique, and you followed through, there is a possibility that you brush your teeth well and your teeth are healthy. However, if you are like most others, you either brush too hard or too light and your teeth are not in the best of conditions.
If you are brushing too lightly, it can create problems as you will not be able to remove all food residue stuck between your teeth and the crevices in your mouth. And this is especially true if you don’t floss regularly. On the flip side, brushing hard has its share of problems also. Look for these 3 signs to know if you are brushing too hard and correct the problem:
#1 Your Teeth Bleed When You Brush
One of the easiest ways to spot hard brushing is bleeding of gums. This is because you put too much pressure on the brush and it scratches your gums making them bleed. If you are not careful enough, this can lead to dental and gum problems in the future. Worse, you can get infections because of the scraping of your gums. You might have to go for endodontics treatment if your teeth or gums get infected.
#2 Your Brushes Lose Bristles Regularly
If you brush your teeth religiously twice a day, your tooth brush will start to look a bit frayed after a few weeks of use. However, if you brush too hard, your tooth brush might look frayed within a few days of using it and you may also see bristles falling out. This is definitely not a good sign since not only will you be buying more tooth brushes but also harm the environment since plastic brushes are one of the leading plastic wastes produced on the planet. Speaking of the environment, switch to bamboo brushes or other brushes made out of eco-friendly materials if you can find them near you. Small steps by each of us will add up to create a better planet for our children.
#3 Your Teeth are Sensitive
If you brush too hard, you will damage your tooth enamel, which is the (hard) outer layer of the tooth. This will start to wear off and your teeth will become sensitive to hot and cold food. You might also feel some pain when you chew on hard foods since your teeth get weaker because of hard brushing. You can go for a root canal treatment or simply start being a bit gentle when you brush if things have not gone out of hand already
Brushing is important and you need to learn the right techniques so that you are not too soft or harsh on your teeth. Even if you are a grown-up, do not feel embarrassed asking questions to your dentist even if it is about how to brush your teeth
Looking for the endodontist (root canal specialist) in North Virginia? Call 703 650-9990 now to make an appointment with Dr. Arundhati Sauparn-Misra at Specialist Care Endodontics.