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My dental hygienist said I was brushing too hard and it cost me $340 to learn that lesson
So I went in for a cleaning about six weeks ago at a place here in Sacramento and the hygienist goes, "You're brushing like you're mad at your teeth." I had no idea what she meant until she showed me the gum line on my lower front teeth and said I had worn down the enamel and my gums were pulling back. She said most people think harder equals cleaner but with a soft brush you only need light pressure, like holding a pencil between two fingers. I was using one of those medium bristle brushes and pressing down so hard the bristles were splayed out flat. She switched me to an extra soft brush and told me to hold it with just my fingertips for two weeks to break the habit. I also started using a sensitivity toothpaste because cold water was making me wince. The difference in how my gums feel now is honestly night and day, no more pink in the sink. Has anyone else been told they brush too hard, and did switching to soft bristles actually fix the gum issues or did you need something else?
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ross.felix21d ago
Man, that pencil trick is smart, never heard that one before. Something nobody mentions though is your grip strength, if your hand cramps up from holding the brush tight you're probably pushing too hard without even knowing it.
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