can you brush your teeth too much?

[Sailrgrl]

I brush twice daily and use my Waterpik a lot. I love it!
(Damon ceramic uppers placed May 2013, metal lowers placed November 2013. Just stepped up to firmer wire yesterday and having a LOT of pain today!)

[chloespeaks]

I'm hearing a response to a few factors:

Enamel: I don't think you can wear off your enamel just with brushing...it can be ground slowly but not if you aren't using an abrasive with a hard brush. You probably shouldn't be using hard brushes anyways...Like when you go get your twice annual cleaning - they use some silica abrasion paste with a soft rotating head to polish your teeth, and yes, steel scrapers to remove the calcium! your teeth are harder than stainless steel. (well, i guess some people may have demineralized teeth and then maybe not!)

Gums: I think this is the reason why you shouldn't be brushing so hard. It is definitely possibly to Recede your gums by brushing too hard with a hard brush and too often! I have heard this many times before from the dentists. Best results are many many brushstrokes with a soft brush, gently. (i.e. with a soniccare or something, not pressing) worst results are brushing fast and briefly with a hard bristle toothbrush.

common sense tells me if you're brushing often but gently, what harm is there?

[cs2thecox]

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/dentalhealth ... guide.aspx

Brush your teeth for at least two minutes in the morning before breakfast and last thing at night before you go to bed.
Never brush your teeth straight after a meal as it can damage your teeth, especially if you've had fruit, fizzy drinks, wine or any other food that contains acid.
This is because tooth enamel is softened by the acid and can be worn away by brushing. Instead, wait an hour after a meal before brushing your teeth to give your saliva chance to neutralise the acid.

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/health ... h-mistakes
http://www.deltadentalins.com/oral_heal ... shing.html
http://www.brooklinevillagedental.com/t ... ng-advice/

So brushing often per se is not the problem, but there are loads of other things to take into account, like the level of acid in your mouth, your kind of toothbrush, how you brush etc etc etc.
Because of all these other risk factors, the general recommendation seems to be to not brush more than 3 times a day.

Personally, I spend enough time poking at my teeth and braces without brushing *more* times a day

[pjade1]

I am glad I am not the only one that was obsessive about brushing my teeth. From what I have been reading here and on the internet, I think I will just brush 3 times a day and use my waterpik in-between brushings to get the food out of my braces. I was brushing my teeth at least 5 to 7 times a day. This will make my cleaning routine faster.

[Basher]

I have had my Ceramic brace 2 weeks now,i brush my teeth after every meal,my wife says my breath is like dog breath now! I use mouthwash also,any ideas what else i could do?

[cs2thecox]

Presumably something is still in there getting stinky... Are you flossing, using a WaterPik or using interdental brushes? They all help a lot. Just brushing might not be enough to fully clear the food out.
Also, tip your head back and gargle properly with mouthwash to really get the nasties out the back.

Otherwise, I guess it's time for a trip to the hygienist to see if they have any ideas...

[VikkiHanley]

Im so glad Im not the only one! Brushed my teeth 4 times today, after every meal then before bed! I wasn't always the best with oral hygiene so I feel like Im slightly over compensating now. Watched a video on youtube about what happens to your teeth after braces and it scared the life out of me!
Not doing well and only on day 2 *sigh*

[GeezLouise]

My dentist recently wrote "The Art of War on Dental Health," which provides clear explanations of why and how with regard to flossing and brushing. Although she doesn't go into the variations associated with orthodontic braces, it's useful information all the same. It's on Amazon.

[girlgonemild]

Oh man, this thread is making me reconsider brushing after every single thing I eat. I've been brushing about 6 times a day, so I'll cut back.

[clouds1]

I think I brushed too much at the start and I'm worried that I caused a bit of enamel erosion. I was just so paranoid of ending up with cavities after brace removal.

I always wait half an hour after eating lunch and dinner and might switch to brushing before breakfast.

[coryjames]

Great thread!
I'll be brushing 3 times a day and picking up a waterpik TODAY!!

[ThoriatedFlash]

I brush 3 times a day right after each meal. So far, not wanting to brush again has prevented me from snacking. Make sure your toothbrush has soft bristles to avoid too much wear on the enamel, especially if you brush even more than 3 times a day. Make sure to rinse a bunch too.

[braceyfacey]

I've just got my braces put in and I've been brushing 2 or 3 times a day. I've also read about waiting an hour after a meal to brush your teeth so you don't damage enamel but sometimes it's not convenient to do that so I just rinse and go about with my day. (On a similar note, I've also heard that you shouldn't eat anything acidic for an hour AFTER you brush your teeth but I can't scientifically back it up.)