I just realized I was brushing my teeth way too hard for 30 years

I went to the dentist last Tuesday for a routine cleaning and he told me I have gum recession on my lower front teeth. He asked if I brush really hard and I said yeah, I always figured more pressure meant cleaner teeth. Turns out I was basically sanding my gums down with a medium bristle brush. He showed me on a model how the gum line should look versus mine and it was a real wake up call. I had no idea you're supposed to use a soft brush and just let the bristles do the work with gentle circles. Now I feel like I owe my gums an apology for all those years of scrubbing. Has anyone else been doing it wrong this long without knowing?

2 comments

2 Comments

ray32421d ago

The soft brush thing is huge but don't sleep on your technique either. I switched to an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor and it literally buzzes at me if I push too hard, which happens more than I'd like to admit. Also, if you haven't already, grab some Sensodyne or a toothpaste for sensitive teeth since your gums might be tender now that you're not sandblasting them. One more thing, flossing is way more important than I ever gave it credit for, especially with recession you want to keep those pockets clean so stuff doesn't get trapped. Took me a full year of gentle brushing before my gums stopped bleeding at the dentist, so be patient with yourself.

ben48621d ago

Man that sucks. Soft brush and gentle circles changed my whole mouth. My hygienist told me the same thing a few years back. Never knew I was scrubbing my gums off like a dirty pot.