Negative Effects of Brushing Too Hard

Negative Effects of Brushing Too Hard

November 21, 2016 / in pediatric teeth cleaning / by FWCD-Admin
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You may think that you’re fostering good oral health habits by encouraging your child to brush twice a day, but did you realize that if your child is using improper technique, he or she may actually be doing more harm than good? For example, if your child is brushing too hard—which is fairly easy to do— he or she can actually damage the teeth and gums.

Excessive force with brushing can cause wear and tear on enamel, which may require additional treatment from your kid’s dentist. Furthermore, such brushing technique can also create inflammation in the gum tissue, and that can result in gum disease.

The hygienist may notice these signs of overzealous brushing during a pediatric teeth cleaning. For example, gum recession will be quite evident during a cleaning, as will any damage to the teeth.

If your child complains of sensitive teeth, you should bring this to the attention of a kid’s dentist, as this condition can also result from brushing too hard. This condition also can make your child resistant to having a pediatric teeth cleaning, so you may need to reinforce the importance of this routine oral health care.

Not only does learning good brushing technique during childhood benefit a child’s smile for a lifetime, but it also may prevent the premature loss of baby teeth. Teeth that are damaged due to overly strong brushing may be more susceptible to decay or breakage, which can cause them to be lost sooner than normal. That can lead to issues with the eruption and alignment of the permanent teeth.

It’s great if your child wants to take charge of brushing his or her teeth, but it’s important to use correct technique. Check in with your child and monitor teeth brushing to make sure that it’s not being done too vigorously. You can also ask one of our expert team members for a demonstration the next time you are in the office.

Contact our office today!