Brushing our teeth twice a day is something that we grew up with. We were always told that if we didn’t brush twice a day, every day, that we would be in big trouble. Some were told that it would lead to all their teeth falling out while others were told that it would lead them to have holes in their teeth. Either way, technically these things could happen!
Whatever it was, you were probably raised brushing your teeth twice a day without question. But, why is it so important? What if I skip out on brushing twice a day and just go with once? It’s not just a myth that our parents tell us. There are very important reasons that we brush our teeth.
Ready to learn about them?
1. It Prevents Gingivitis
The top reason that we brush our teeth twice a day is to prevent gingivitis. This is a gum disease that starts with the build-up of plaque on your teeth. That plaque builds up when you don’t brush your teeth often enough.
By itself the plaque just looks gross, but the more that it stacks on top of itself, the worse it becomes. Eventually it develops into Gingivitis. This is a yellow lining on the base of your teeth where they meet your gums. Your gums will puff up, hurt to touch, and bleed if you try to brush them.
Definitely not cute. This leads to a lot of dentist bills and time sitting in the chair.
2. It Keeps Your Breath Fresh
Plaque isn’t the only thing that builds up in your mouth when you don’t brush regularly. Bacteria join in the party and multiple rapidly. Of course, there are some natural bacteria in your mouth that are good (which means you shouldn’t over-brush). A lot of it, however, is from the food you eat and not good for the quality of your breath.
For the breath, it’s important to brush your tongue as well. That is where most of the bacteria sits after eating a meal or drinking something.
3. It Removes Teeth Stains
Your teeth can become stained from almost anything. Coffee, medicine, alcohol, and even certain fruits. Eventually, your teeth will start to become more yellow. There is nothing wrong with having slightly gray white teeth.The sparkly white teeth you see in ads are fake and actually damage your teeth.
But, if your teeth are yellow, extremely dark gray, or even black/brown, that’s a problem. Brushing twice a day allows you to enjoy things like coffee without worrying about stains. Choose the right toothpaste and it will contain mild abrasives that remove debris from your teeth.
4. It Reduces Your Chance of Heart Attack and Stroke
Did you know that not brushing your teeth twice a day could lead to a heart attack or a stroke? Your mouth is closely connected to your bloodstream. The bacteria that builds up in your mouth not only causes your breath to smell terrible, it is also dangerous. It could travel down into your bloodstream.
The bacteria in your mouth are great at helping cholesterol build up in your arteries. Blocked arteries are some of what contributes to a heart attack or stroke, which prevents adequate blood flow to the heart and brain respectively. The bacteria can come directly from the food you eat, which leads to their correlation.
Twice a Day Doesn’t Seem So Unreasonable Now, Does It?
Brushing twice a day might have seemed a lot of effort before reading this article. But, standing in front of the mirror for 8 minutes is worth not having all these drastic health issues. No one wants to spend more time than necessary at the dentist. Brushing your teeth twice a day, every day is the key to only having to go for annual checkups. Get your toothbrush ready!