It’s important to brush your teeth properly and the correct number of times each day. This means using a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste twice daily. Doing so will help you maintain good oral hygiene, which is why some people presume that brushing more often will benefit their gums. Unfortunately, this is incorrect.
Overbrushing Your Teeth Negatively Impacts Your Gums
Overbrushing your teeth or brushing your teeth too vigorously can wear down the enamel on your teeth. This can also cause other damage in your mouth, like pushing back your gums. When this happens, the sensitive area of your roots can become exposed.
Overbrushing Your Teeth Causes Abrasion
Abrasion is defined as the loss of tooth enamel and root covering (cementum) because you’ve brushed your teeth too hard or too often. You’ll know when this happens because you’ll develop notches around the area where your tooth and root meet. This is something that can also be exacerbated by certain foods, which is why you should wait at least 30 minutes after you’ve eaten anything acidic (e.g. citrus fruit) before brushing your teeth. Doing so will prevent you from scrubbing the acid around your teeth.
Overbrushing Your Teeth Also Makes Them Sensitive
Brushing your teeth too much or too often can wear down your tooth enamel. This can be caused by either abrasion or erosion. Regardless of its cause, the result is that the nerve endings that are located in your dentin layer become exposed. When this happens, you’ll experience sensitivity (and possibly even pain) when you eat food that’s either hot or cold.
Sometimes cold air touching your teeth can be enough to make you feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, if this happens, there are some kinds of toothpaste that you can use to make your teeth feel less sensitive and more comfortable for you.