What Can Happen to Your Teeth If You Brush Them More Than Twice a Day

If we want good oral hygiene and healthy teeth and gums, dentists recommend brushing our teeth regularly. But it can also be possible to be too diligent about dental care and fall into the mistake of over-brushing. Brushing your teeth more than twice a day can do more harm than good, as it can damage the teeth and achieve exactly the opposite of the desired effect.

We at Bright Side looked into the dangers of brushing the teeth too often and wanted to share our findings with you too.

Your teeth can become stained.

The enamel is a thin layer that covers and protects your teeth. Although the enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, it can still be damaged easily. If you brush your teeth too often, you can wear down your enamel.

If your enamel wears down, the dentin, the second layer of the teeth, might start showing in patches or on the whole tooth. The dentin is yellow-colored, so if your enamel gets damaged, your teeth can become yellow too.

It can cause tooth sensitivity.

Another side effect of enamel damage is increased sensitivity of the teeth. Eating and drinking hot and cold foods and beverages, or anything that’s highly acidic or even sweet can trigger painful reactions. To solve this issue, you can change your toothpaste, brush your teeth more gently, and do so only twice a day.

You might start getting more cavities.

While we usually brush our teeth regularly to prevent tooth decay and cavities, brushing too often can lead to just the opposite of the desired outcome. If you brush your teeth more than twice a day for a longer period of time, you can wear down not only the enamel but the dentin too. Cavities, if not treated quickly, can even lead to infection and tooth loss.

It can cause your gums to recede and become inflamed.

Another symptom of brushing your teeth too often is damaged gums. Your gums can become red, inflamed, and swollen. This can even cause bleeding and it may become very painful. Receding gums can also expose the roots of your teeth to infection and tooth decay.

What to do instead of over-brushing your teeth

Most people who brush their teeth too often do so in hopes of better oral hygiene and healthier, whiter teeth. But there are a few other alternatives to over-brushing. Incorporating flossing and a mouth wash in your routine is very important and can achieve much better results.

Besides brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, you can also use mouth wash twice a day. It is important to floss slowly and thoroughly at least once a day as well. If you want your teeth to feel clean throughout the whole day, you can enjoy sugar-free chewing gum after meals.

How often do you usually brush your teeth? Do you think you could be over-brushing?

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