05 Jan Negative Effects of Brushing Too Hard
Many people believe that the best way to remove stain and plaque is to scrub their teeth with a hard bristle brush using a heavy hand. In addition many tooth pastes and gels on the market today contain abrasive elements that can damage dental enamel, especially when there are issues already present like gum erosion. Managing dental health requires a daily oral regimen, but when issues occur there are options available with affordable dentistry to get your oral health back on track.
Brushing too hard can lead to:
- Worn dental enamel
- Premature gum erosion
- Bleeding gums
Solutions include switching to a soft bristle tooth brush. Too much pressure can damage teeth even without using a hard bristle tooth brush. One of the best ways to eliminate this problem is perhaps to switch to an electronic tooth brush. Using this type of brush allows the patient to merely guide the tooth brush while it does all the work with the correct amount of pressure. One additional advantage is that most electronic tooth brushes have a built-in timer which encourages the user to brush for the recommended two minutes each time.
If gums bleed while brushing, this could be indicative of the onset of gum disease. If bleeding gums persist, a visit to the dentist will provide a correct diagnosis and a treatment plan to correct this problem.
If gum tissue has eroded exposing a portion of the tooth that normally lies beneath the gums, there might be sensitivity to cold, hot, or sweets. If this occurs, the dentist might recommend placing a bonding material over the exposed root. This not only corrects the sensitivity, but this form of affordable dentistry provides a cosmetic enhancement as well.
Dental enamel can be worn down for other reasons as well. Teeth grinding and clenching are often the result of a dental malocclusion where the top teeth do not align with the bottom teeth.
Seeing your dentist for regularly scheduled visits will allow your dental provider to monitor any of these issues you may be facing. You are also able to address the best way to stop these and any number of other dental maladies that are preventable if you brush and floss daily coupled with having your teeth cleaned and examined twice per year by our dentist, Dr. Philip R. Kozlow.