Can you brush your teeth too much ?

Question

My 2 year old daughter tries to brush her teeth everytime she goes the bathroom , can you brush your teeth too much ?

Answer 1

Yes you can brush your teeth too much. She will end up brushing away the enamel which protects the teeth. Try having her brush them with water if she's so inclined to brush everytime she goes to the bathroom. Tell her toothpaste is only for morning, afternoon and night.

Answer 2

Yes you can brush too much and too hard. For most people, three times a day is fine and an important thing to remember is to use a soft bristle brush. The hard brushes can irritate your gums and can cause erosion of the tooth enamel. Also, be careful that she is not swallowing the toothpaste because children's toothpaste is flavored like bubble gum and other flavors designed to taste good to kids. If she wants to brush more often, try letting her do it with just the soft brush and water instead of toothpaste. It's great that at two years old, she is forming such a good hygiene habit. Congratulations on that.

Answer 3

It's good that your daughter is so keen to brush her teeth at all!
Over brushing is not the greatest thing in the world, it can cause gingival damage and toothbrush abrasion.
Also watch the amount of toothpaste that actually goes onto the brush, a small pea sized amount is recommended for kid's under 7 years of age, younger kid's tend to suck the toothpaste off and to much fluoride can cause mottling of the teeth, this is not decay but whiteish spots on the teeth.
As a qualified dental nurse i recommend that parents of kiddies as young as your little one actually brush the child's teeth, but make it a fun routine at the same time, dont discourage her from brushing but maybe try placing the brush and not just her's out of reach until it's actually time to use it!
Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Good for her...she likes to brush. You may want to visually check her gums and look for signs of redness or abrasion. Brushing often is fine, but using to much pressure is the problem. You may want to remind her and impress upon her to do it gentle. Also, just because shes brushing herself and often, doesn't insure she is doing a good job. You may want to still check all surfaces of all teeth and go in behind her and brush all the areas she may have missed. Another thought...if your area has fluoride or if she is on fluoride supplements and her toothpaste has fluoride AND if she is using toothpaste everytime she brushes (which is often), she may be injesting too much fluoride. You may want to research and monitor the amount of fluoride she is getting. It is not a case where "more" is better, as it will weaken the teeth if the dose is not correct.

Answer 5

Yes you can brush your teeth too much, causing damage to the enamel.

However, since she is two, she probably isn't brushing with the correct position or enough force to do any damage. Also, she only has baby teeth at this point. I would be glad that she sees brushing her teeth as a fun activity and not make too big a deal out of it. If you are concerned, check with her dentist.

Answer 6

For a two year old to cause damage to teeth or tissue would be highly unlikely. She is just showing you that she can, and probably doesn't do any harm to the few she has. It's probably the tooth paste that she likes, just be careful with that. She doesn't need to swallow it, so I would let her brush with just water for those frequent brushings and save the smidgen of paste for morning and bedtime. It might reduce her enjoyment a little, although you don't want to discourage her from her new found talent! Good luck!

Answer 7

It is possible to damage your teeth through too much brushing, if you continually use force each time you brush, or you are using an abrasive product. The enamel can wear off your teeth over time if you brush too much.

Also, over-brushing can lead to receding gums, and in turn, gum disease.

Choose a gentle toothpaste for your daughter to use, and if you notice anything - chipped or cracked teeth or redness in the gums, consult a dentist.

Answer 8

You can take the enamel off the teeth if you brush them too much. You must choose a toothpaste which is not harsh on the teeth if your daughter is keen to brush regularly.

Answer 9

Yes! Overbrushing can irritate the gums, even partially strip them away. My dentist tells me that with proper brushing technique, one needs to brush only 2 minutes (30 seconds per "quadrant"), 1x/day, but realistically speaking, since no one has perfect technique, twice a day, 2 minutes/time. A habit like your daughter's could lead to gum recession, and likewise, sensitive teeth.

Answer 10

Yes you can because brushing your teeth too much can weaken your teeth making them sensative and more easily broken, you should only clean your teeth 4 times a day max!!!!