Too long brushing your teeth damages enamel and gums

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 19 Jun 2003 - 0:00 PDT


Conscientious tooth-brushers learned the awful truth today: their tedious marathons at the basin may do more harm than good.

Well meaning health propaganda could be leading people to brush too hard for too long, to the detriment of gums and even enamel, according to university researchers.

Hours of tests on brushing and scrubbing volunteers have found that more than two minutes triggers a risk of damage to gums, particularly if the toothbrush user presses too hard.

'Once you go beyond approximately that point you aren't being any more effective than if you had stopped,' said Peter Heasman, professor of periodontology (the study of structures surrounding and supporting teeth) at Newcastle University. 'You could actually be harming your gums and possibly your teeth.

'Pressure is equally important to get right. The force you apply to your toothbrush could seem quite light, but the pressure will be much greater because you are applying that force to a very small area.'

Prof Heasman, whose school of dental science reported three years ago that two out of three Britons could not use a toothbrush properly, called for clearer advice from dentists. Timing the morning and evening sessions was essential, he said, although getting the pressure right was harder and might prove a long, error-strewn exercise.

'It is virtually impossible for the average user to gauge how much pressure they are applying,' said Prof Heasman. His best advice was to compare the ideal pressure, 150 grams, with the weight of an orange. Holding an orange in one hand and brushing with the other is impractical and possibly embarrassing, however, the study accepts.

'If you are unsure, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with your dentist or dental hygienist who will be able to train you in the correct techniques and show you in practice approximately how much pressure,' said Prof Heasman.

'It's a genuine problem. You have to brush your teeth reasonably long and hard to get rid of the harmful plaque which causes dental diseases. But anecdotal evidence within the dental profession suggests that the majority of the population still believe that the longer and harder you brush, the better for your teeth it is.'

The study, which involved complex brushing regimes for volunteers over a month, is published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

Prof Heasman meanwhile offered his five tips for ivory castles: get the shape of your brush right, and change it when it gets manky; check your technique with the dentist; do not scrub, brush; floss or use interdental brushes; and brush on the two minutes/150 grams formula at least once a day.

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