Brushing Benifits

Brushing

When and how often should you brush your teeth?

The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day.
When you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque — a sticky film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria. After you eat a meal or snack that contains sugar, the bacteria can release acids that attack tooth enamel. Repeated attacks can break down tooth enamel and lead to cavities. Plaque that isn't removed also can harden into tartar, making it harder to keep teeth clean.
In choosing when to brush your teeth, you might also consider your diet. If you've eaten an acidic food or drink, avoid brushing your teeth for at least 30 minutes. These acids weaken tooth enamel, and brushing too soon can remove enamel. If you know you're going to eat or drink something acidic, brush your teeth beforehand.
In addition to brushing your teeth, the American Dental Association recommends that you:

Floss daily
Eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks
Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed
Schedule regular dental checkups

Comments

How much toothpaste are you using?

The bristles do most of the cleaning, so we’re actually overdoing it when it comes to toothpaste. All you need is a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste to get the job done. Kids younger than 6 should use even less—about the size of a grain of rice.

How Long Should You Wait After Eating Before Brushing Your Teeth?

You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating, before brushing those pearly whites. High acid levels in your saliva immediately after eating, combined with the abrasive action of the toothbrush can wear away tooth enamel.

Dry Mouth

We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and to digest food. Saliva also prevents infection, by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When you don't make enough saliva, your mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. What Causes Dry Mouth? A common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma, and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives. Preventing Tooth Decay Due to Dry Mouth: Without saliva, tooth decay and gum disease are more likely to occur. If you have a dry mouth, to combat tooth decay and gum disease, you need to be extra careful about following good oral hygiene habits, which consist of: Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, but even more preferably, afte...

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