The Benefits of Brushing Your Teeth Twice a Day

Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is a healthy daily habit to cultivate from childhood.

In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends this essential oral hygiene routine for children and adults because of the benefits it provides.

As an adult, you may forget to upkeep the habit when life gets too busy or stressful.

Here are five ways you’ll benefit from maintaining a strict oral health routine.

Prevent plaque buildup

Plaque is a sticky, off-white substance appearing on the surface and in between the teeth. Plaque production is a normal and ongoing process caused by food particles and sugars in the mouth.

Plaque formation typically occurs within 4 to 12 hours and hardens into calculus within four to eight hours. This then hardens into tartar within 10 to 12 days.

While you can’t prevent plaque from forming, brushing regularly as recommended by the ADA will prevent plaque from accumulating and turning into a hard layer called tartar. 

Since tartar cannot be removed with a toothbrush, your dentist will have to scrape it away using a special dental tool.

Prevent cavities

Plaque and tartar contain bacteria. The bacteria produce acids that weaken the tooth’s enamel or hard white outer covering of your teeth.

The ADA recommends brushing with fluoride toothpaste since it contains a substance that scrubs away plaque and bacteria that causes bad breath and tooth decay. Fluoride toothpaste also contains special minerals that strengthen the enamel and further minimize the risk of cavities.

By brushing regularly, you’ll protect your teeth and avoid the need for tooth fillings or a root canal.

Guard against bad breath

A build-up of bacteria in the mouth can lead to temporary bad breath, a condition that naturally causes people to feel insecure.

Fortunately, smelly breath can be prevented by brushing your teeth and gums twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

This helps remove food particles, thereby limiting the growth of odor-producing bacteria as well as the formation of plaque and tartar on and between your teeth.

If you’re brushing twice a day but experience persistent bad breath, it could be a sign of inflammation of the gum tissue (gingivitis) or a more chronic condition known as gum disease.

Both oral conditions can be treated.

Avoid tooth loss

Research shows that half of US adults have lost at least 1 tooth between the ages 20-64.

A common cause is poor oral hygiene, leading to gum disease (periodontitis). Gum disease is a chronic condition that destroys the gum tissue and the bone that holds the tooth in place if it is left untreated.

Although tooth loss is prevalent amongst US adults, you don’t have to become a statistic.

Simply brush twice daily.

That is in addition to flossing, rising daily with an antiseptic mouthwash, and getting professional dental cleanings at least every six months.

Save money on expensive oral procedures

You may have realized by now that poor oral hygiene has a domino effect.

Plaque build-up, tartar, bad breath, tooth decay, gum infection, loose teeth, and eventually tooth loss.

Gum disease, tooth abscesses, tooth decay, and tooth loss often require more costly dental procedures down the line such as antibacterial treatments, fillings, root canals, or tooth replacement.

You’ll maintain healthy teeth and gums and save money by not having to do remedial dental treatment when you upkeep your oral hygiene.

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