Brushing Habits that Harm the Teeth

Brushing is the best way to keep your teeth healthy and clean on a daily basis, but using bad brushing techniques can harm your teeth. Our West Hollywood dentist describes some of the brushing habits that can harm a patient’s teeth.

Using a toothbrush with hard bristles might seem like it can better scrape away bacteria and plaque, but hard bristles can also scratch tooth enamel. Enamel is like a protective coating on the outside of teeth, and if it gets scratched, bacteria will be able to penetrate to the inner portion of the tooth easier. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush for best results.

Brushing at a 45 degree angle and using a circular motion is the right movement to use when brushing your teeth. Aggressive brushing in a side-to-side manner can scratch the enamel as well. By using a circular motion and concentrating on a small area at a time, the brushing you perform will have a greater effect.

Not all toothpastes are made the same. Many of them contain baking soda because it can help remove stains from teeth. However, too much baking soda can actually hurt the tooth because it can be quite abrasive. Look for fluoride toothpaste because fluoride creates a film on teeth that can act as a seal to protect them from harmful bacteria.

Brushing twice a day, and using the right technique when doing so, will help keep your teeth bright and clean between visits to our West Hollywood dentist.