Though you may believe that you’ve got excellent brushing technique, you may in fact be treating your teeth and gums to a workout that they simply don’t deserve. While everyone wants pearly white teeth and healthy pink gums, allowing the toothbrush bristles to do the majority of the work is always the best course of action. Brushing with too much pressure can actually irritate the gums and cause previously healthy areas to become swollen. Seriously inflamed gums can make chewing painful, especially when salty, crunchy snacks are being enjoyed. Reputable orthodontists offer the following tips so that the worst problems can be avoided:

  • Recognize that thorough brushing is better than hard brushing
  • Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or switch to a quality electric toothbrush
  • Do not squash the bristles of the brush against the teeth
  • Speak with your orthodontist about brushing with braces

Preserving Enamel

By brushing twice each day and avoiding harsh strokes, you can also preserve your enamel, which is the hard outer layer of the teeth. The enamel keeps the teeth looking pearly white and also prevents the yellow dentin underneath from becoming exposed. If hard brushing has already worn away some of the enamel, your trusted orthodontist can likely fix the problem by adding bonding material to specific locations within the mouth.

Brush Twice Each Day

Brushing two times each day should be enough to remove the plaque, which is actually quite soft. If you’ve been in the habit of brushing three or even four times per day, you may be doing more harm than good. By limiting your brushing to once in the morning and once in the evening before you go to bed, you can remove nearly all of the plaque that has become bound to your teeth.

Help Others Smile

Dr. Samuel G. Papandreas is an excellent orthodontist in North Royalton and Brunswick, who provides a variety of specialized orthodontic treatments such as:

• Surgical orthodontics
• Dentofacial orthodontics
• Two-phase treatment
• Palatal expanders
• Invisalign
• Braces

You can visit Papandreas Orthodontics to learn about the best type of orthodontic treatment for you and your children to improve your smile correct your dental bite.

Papandreas Orthodontics
3511 Center Road, Suite B
Brunswick, OH 44212
tel: 330-558-9092

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14200 Ridge Rd
North Royalton, OH 44133
tel: 440-582-8585
https://drpapandreas.com/

Toothbrushing Mistake No. 4: “Brushing Too Often or Too Hard”