Prosthodontist warns brushing your teeth too hard or overbrushing can be dangerous for you and do more harm than good | Health

Brushing your tooth will not be essentially the most glamorous exercise, however it’s essential for a more healthy you. Somewhat than treating brushing — one thing that is really helpful you do twice a day — as simply one other field to test, why not study what the most effective dental practices are? For example, do you know that brushing your tooth proper after each meal is just not the most effective dental well being behavior? Additionally learn | Skipping brushing your tooth earlier than sleep? Physician explains how your coronary heart is paying the worth Earlier than you brag about brushing your tooth too arduous or too usually, know the results of your dental routine. (Freepik) In an interview with HT Way of life, Dr Sanjeet Shankar, a prosthodontist and founder and CEO of Epikdoc.AI, defined that individuals who brush too regularly run the danger of elevated dental points.  Warning in opposition to ‘extreme care’, he mentioned: “In city clinics from Mumbai to Bengaluru, dentists are seeing sufferers, usually younger and health-conscious professionals who stroll in with gum recession and enamel put on, not from neglect however from brushing too arduous. This isn’t about missed appointments or skipped flossing. It’s about doing an excessive amount of of factor.” Dangers of overbrushing or brushing hardBrushing twice a day is usually thought-about non-negotiable. However in keeping with Dr Shankar, individuals who brush too regularly usually focus much less on their brushing high quality and method. “The strategy, not simply the frequency, decides how lengthy the tooth and gums keep wholesome. Scrubbing the tooth with strain, particularly with arduous bristles or whitening toothpastes, progressively strips the enamel,” he mentioned. Dr Shankar added that when that outer layer is thinned or worn, dentin, which is extra porous, extra delicate, and fewer immune to decay, stays. “Some individuals brush after each meal. Others brush with the identical depth they might use on a stained pan. Neither helps. What follows is just not power however breakdown, first of the enamel, then of the gum line. The irony is that the very effort to take care of oral well being turns into its undoing,” he mentioned. Brushing twice a day is usually thought-about non-negotiable. However individuals who brush too regularly usually focus much less on their brushing high quality and method. (Freepik) Indicators you might be brushing arduous or overbrushingAt many clinics, Dr Shankar mentioned, dentists are seeing early gum recession in individuals as younger as 28 or 30: “The gumline begins to tug again, exposing the foundation floor. It doesn’t occur in a single day. However a toothbrush that’s too agency, paired with forceful actions, can convey this on quietly.” In accordance with him, one noticeable sample is asymmetry. “Proper-handed individuals usually brush the left aspect of their mouths with extra power. The canines, which are inclined to jut out barely, are brushed extra aggressively and start to indicate early indicators of wear and tear. As soon as the gums recede, these roots are tougher to guard and simpler for micro organism to succeed in,” Dr Shankar mentioned. Aggressive flossing is unhealthy tooThe downside is just not restricted to brushing. Dr Shankar mentioned that some sufferers floss with such vitality that the tissue between their tooth, the papilla, begins to tear. “Over time, this creates black triangles, these small gaps that type when gum tissue recedes from between the tooth. These should not simply beauty considerations. They make cleansing tougher and meals lodgement extra frequent,” he mentioned. Dr Shankar added that mouthwashes, particularly those who promise ’24-hour safety,’ may cause issues when used too usually. Rinses with alcohol or peroxide, when used a number of occasions a day or for too lengthy, can irritate mushy tissue and, in some circumstances, result in fungal overgrowth, he mentioned. In accordance with him, oral hygiene merchandise work finest carefully. When the toothbrush turns into the issue“The instrument itself usually tells the story. Bristles that fray inside two or three weeks are a pink flag. So is a toothbrush that appears flattened or feels coarse on the suggestions. Dentists counsel changing a toothbrush each three months beneath regular use. Whether it is carrying out in half that point, it’s not the comb; it’s the behavior,” Dr Shankar mentioned. He mentioned one other mistake is brushing proper after consuming one thing acidic, like citrus, tomatoes, or cola. Dr Shankar defined: “Acid softens the enamel. If brushing follows too quickly, it hastens erosion. A wait of half-hour permits saliva to neutralise the acid and defend the enamel throughout brushing.” Dentists counsel changing a toothbrush each three months beneath regular use. (Freepik) What occurs whenever you underbrush your tooth?Dr Shankar mentioned that whereas some sufferers brush too arduous, others do too little and the consequences are clearer: plaque buildup, swollen gums, bleeding, and protracted unhealthy breath. “Poor method may be simply as damaging as no brushing in any respect. Brushing too shortly or lacking the gumline permits micro organism to develop undisturbed. Over time, this results in gingivitis and finally periodontitis, a situation that doesn’t cease on the gums however can affect bone and result in tooth loss,” he added. What it is best to truly be doing“Brushing is just not a exercise. It’s a two-minute routine, performed gently, twice a day. The comb needs to be soft-bristled, the movement mild and round, and the angle barely tilted towards the gum line. There isn’t any must press arduous or prolong the session. If something, the softer strategy gives higher long-term safety,” Dr Shankar mentioned. In accordance with him, flossing ought to observe the curve of every tooth with out snapping into the gums: a single light go between every hole, as soon as a day, is sufficient. Mouthwash, if used, ought to keep within the mouth for not more than 30 seconds and ideally be alcohol-free, he added. Repairing the harm is tougher than preventionDr Shankar mentioned, “As soon as the enamel is gone, it doesn’t develop again. Therapies for erosion embody fillings, bonding, or, in some circumstances, crowns. Gum recession, if it turns into extreme, might require grafting or specialised methods just like the pinhole surgical technique. These procedures are efficient, however they’re costly, usually invasive, and preventable with higher habits.” He added that the harm brought on by overbrushing isn’t sudden: “It builds over months, even years, with small alerts which are straightforward to overlook, reminiscent of additional sensitivity, delicate adjustments within the gumline, or a worn-out toothbrush too quickly. What is usually lacking is just not effort, however restraint. Oral care doesn’t ask for power. It asks for consistency and care.” Be aware to readers: This text is for informational functions solely and never an alternative to skilled medical recommendation. At all times search the recommendation of your physician with any questions on a medical situation.