Everyone knows that brushing your teeth for two minutes two times every day is recommended by most dentists. However, some people like to clean their teeth more often, some after every meal. While cleaning your teeth is, of course, a good thing, is there too much of a good thing when it comes to oral care? Here’s how you can know if you’re cleaning your teeth too often and exactly how it’s impacting your smile.
Over Bushing Can Damage Enamel
Did you know that there is such a thing as over brushing your teeth? Teeth that are brushed too often or too roughly can experience enamel damage. This means that the outer protective layer will erode away and can lead teeth to experience tooth decay.
Brushing more than twice a day—such as after every meal or numerous times per day—increases the likelihood that your teeth will suffer enamel erosion from your consistent brushing. If you feel the need to brush after every meal, ensure that your brushing is done gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush and never before 30 minutes after you’ve eaten your last meal.
Overuse of Mouthwash Can Harm Bacteria
Using mouthwash can be a great asset to your oral health routine. Not only does it help kill germs that can cause bad breath, but it can also help prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth and remove food particles from tight spaces that your brush can’t reach.
However, using mouthwash too often can actually harm your beneficial oral bacteria. Your mouth is home to up to 700 different types of oral bacteria, and not all of them are bad. There are some types of oral bacteria that actually help protect your smile. When you use mouthwash too often, you can upset your bacterial balance and damage your teeth and gums. How often is too often? Two times a day is safe, three times or more is considered harmful!
Flossing too Much Can Cause Gum Damage
Flossing is excellent for your oral health and should be done once a day. This helps remove stuck food, cleans the surfaces of your teeth that you can’t reach, and helps prevent cavities and gum disease. Flossing is great, but flossing too much could hurt your gums.
If you haven’t flossed in a long time, you’re familiar with that sore feeling—and maybe even a bit of blood—that comes with flossing for the first time. When you floss too often, the same can happen to your mouth. Your gum tissue and even your enamel can be damaged from flossing too often. Instead of helping your smile, it could contribute to gum recession and cavities!
How often is too often? Once per day is all you need, two or more is considered excessive. Are you a little too good at keeping your smile clean? Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash numerous times per day may seem like beneficial steps to protect your smile, but they can actually end up being harmful. Getting dental checkups regularly can help you protect your smile, and all you need to do is brush, floss, and use mouthwash as directed!
