Why does brushing your teeth from side to side damage them?

Hi there -

Over a period of time, the harsh back-and-forth scrubbing motion can not only damage enamel, it can abrade it away. Enamel is the body's hardest substance (almost twice as hard as bone), but it is not impervious to years of scrubbing.

When you brush your teeth (except for the biting surfaces of the back teeth), you should be very gentle, and think of it as actually brushing the gum line. You aim the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gum line, and, doing only 2 or 3 teeth at a time, use GENTLE little vibratory strokes, that clean the plaque from the crevices. Then you sweep up and towards the biting surface of the tooth. And you should only use a soft toothbrush - never hard, or even medium.

It seems strange to think a toothbrush can wear down this very hard enamel, but think of a waterfall over a period of years spilling out onto a rock - in time, the hard stone will start to wear away from the force and continuous pressure of water, which is only a liquid.

The first place people will notice toothbrush abrasion is on the upper canine and premolar teeth. Because of the curve of the dental arch, these teeth are very prominent, and bear the force of back-and-forth scrubbing.

I am enclosing 2 links for you - 1 is a picture of toothbrush abrasion (a rather severe case!), and the other is the proper way to brush - not only to minimize abrasion, but to most effectively remove plaque from the teeth and gums.

***Hope this helped!

My uncle brushes his enamel as quickly as an afternoon and rotates the comb up and down and around the gums. he's seventy 8 yrs previous and nonetheless has maximum of his own enamel apart from some crowns. Dentist says his gums are great for an elderly guy or woman. you do no longer could comb so often.

Well its possible that if u go to fast ur teeth can chip or brake. Well thts wht happend to my friends mom.