Why Should I Brush My Teeth?
Why do we brush our teeth? Simple answer: to prevent cavities. We need to remove plaque, the transparent layer of bacteria that coats the teeth. We have heard it over and over again: the best way to do this is by brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Brushing also stimulates the gums, which helps to keep them healthy and prevent gum disease.
Why is this important? Besides complicating your social life, neglecting to brush your teeth can land you with more than just a couple cavities. It could actually stop your heart. Gum disease has been linked to an increased prevalence of numerous other conditions such heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and bronchitis. But how? Because your mouth is full of bacteria, if you have poor dental hygiene those bacteria can potentially make their way into your bloodstream and thus infect distant parts of your body.
HOW we brush our teeth is more important that WHAT we brush with.
For more information about the difference between electric, sonic, and manual toothbrushes, click here. With that said, we also need to note that: HOW we brush our teeth is more important that WHAT we brush with.
Okay, then HOW should I brush my teeth?
How much attention do you dedicate to learning about your mouth and the needs of your oral health? In the rush of our daily routines, it’s so easy to neglect our teeth and gums. How often, when you are running late, do you usually skip brushing your teeth – of course, teling yourself “I will get to it later”. On these rare occasions, I might even bring my toothbrush and toothpaste with me, convincing myself I will brush at the office or after lunch. To be honest, it very rarely ever happens. I am much more likely to grab a piece of gum to freshen my breath and (hopefully) whiten my teeth temporarily.
With the dangers presented above, it is so important to make “conscious brushing” a part of our daily routine, twice a day. What do I mean by “conscious brushing”? I mean being aware of the plaque you are cleaning off of your teeth and be aware of how you are stimulating and massaging your gums.
Rule of tongue: Brush until teeth feel clean (which may take more than 2 minutes).
All humans have this amazing sensor built into our bodies. It’s called: the tongue.
How many times have you experienced your tongue feeling something on your teeth or stuck between two teeth and your attention is laser focused on removing that goober until the job is done?
Our tongues are really, really good at feeling the plaque on our teeth.
But, be careful. If you allow yourself to brush unconsciously for 10 minutes, you will scrub your gums too hard and they will scream at you tomorrow for your lack of awareness while brushing. So, the rule here is to stay conscious while brushing for longer periods of time.
Here are some benefits to consciously brushing you teeth according to the rule of tongue:
- Your teeth will undoubtedly be cleaner than they have been in a long time.
- You will give your teeth the ultimate remineralization treatment while ‘stewarding’ your oral biome.
So, the next time you brush, keep in mind the several reasons why we brush our teeth to help you gain maximum benefit of this habit most of our culture does unconsciously.
