Did you know that if you don’t brush your teeth correctly that you can do more harm than good? Not only is there a correct way to brush your teeth, there are definitely things that you should not do when brushing. Studies have proven that if you brush your teeth incorrectly, you can harm your teeth and gums. Read on to find out how not to brush your teeth.

Studies

According to studies, there are several factors that indicate the effect tooth brushing has on your teeth. Those factors include:

How often you brush: While you may think the more you brush the better, the fact is you should not brush your teeth more than four times a day. Too much brushing can irritate your gum tissue, and wear away your protective tooth enamel.

Firmness of the bristles: Most dentists recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush because medium and hard bristles can be too firm and cause damage to your tooth enamel. While you may think the stiffer the bristles the cleaner the teeth, which is generally true, research shows that the difference between the amount of plaque a soft and hard bristle brush remove is so slight that it does not justify risking the damage a hard bristle brush can do to your teeth.

How you brush: The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth using gentle circular motions. Vigorous brushing, brushing too hard, too fast, or too long, can cause gum recession and lesions, and damage to your tooth enamel.

Quality of toothpaste: Most toothpastes contain abrasives to help remove plaque and stains, especially whitening pastes. To minimize enamel damage, steer away from these types of toothpastes or use only a small amount of paste.