Can You Brush Your Teeth Too Hard?

By Amber-Lee, IRDH16 Years Experience

~27 sec watchVideo FAQ

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Quick Answer

Yes. Scrubbing hard from side to side wears away enamel and gum tissue, and over time it can wear a notch into the tooth at the gumline. That can expose the root, which has no enamel and gets cavities more easily. Use a soft or extra soft brush with light pressure. Plaque is soft, so it does not take force to remove.

More about periodontal gum evaluation in Riverview.

Answered by the team at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.

Key Takeaways

1Hard side-to-side scrubbing can wear a notch at the gumline.
2Exposed roots get cavities more easily.
3Use a soft or extra soft brush, never medium or hard.

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Video Transcript: Can You Brush Your Teeth Too Hard?

Full transcript of the video answer on whether you can brush your teeth too hard, given by Amber-Lee, IRDH, at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.

Question: Can You Brush Your Teeth Too Hard?

“You can definitely brush your teeth too hard. I find men especially are aggressive brushers. They get in there and they like to really scrub, scrub, scrub from side to side. It actually wears away the tissue, or the enamel and the gum. It'll wear a notch right through it. This can cause damage, and then you also have risks of getting cavities on those roots. So it's really important that you always use an extra soft or soft brush. A lot of people like medium or hard, and these are very destructive to your teeth.”

What Hard Brushing Does

Gum tissue pulls back when it is scrubbed over and over, and that is called recession. Enamel stops at the gumline, so what gets exposed below it is the softer root. A hard brush wears into that surface and leaves a small groove, the notch Amber-Lee is talking about. Gum tissue that has gone does not grow back on its own.

Signs You Are Pressing Too Hard

Look at your brush first. If the bristles splay out within a few weeks, you are pressing too hard. Other signs are teeth that look longer than they used to, a groove you can feel with a fingernail near the gumline, and sensitivity to cold in that spot.

How to Brush Gently

Hold the brush the way you hold a pen, because a fist adds force without you noticing. Use small circles and let the bristles do the work. If you like an electric brush, you hold it on each tooth and it does the moving. Many have a sensor that warns you when you press too hard.

When to Book

If you can see or feel a notch, or a spot along the gumline has become sensitive, have it checked. Amber-Lee can show you what she sees and help you change how you brush. A deep notch may need a dentist to repair it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions people search right after this one.

Yes. Repeated hard scrubbing can push the gums back and expose the root. A soft brush and light pressure help stop it from getting worse.

Amber-Lee does not recommend medium or hard brushes, because they wear enamel and gums. A soft or extra soft brush cleans just as well when used for the full two minutes.

Bristles that flatten or splay out quickly are the clearest sign. Gums that look like they are shrinking back, or a small groove at the gumline, are others.

Short video answers from Amber-Lee, IRDH — 16 years experience.