Tooth Brushing

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Tooth Brushing
Authored By: Tammy Davenport
Yourdentistryguide.com

Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste is arguably the most essential component to the maintenance of good oral health. Tooth brushing cleans and whitens your teeth, while helping prevent the onset of tooth decay and gum disease, one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. Removing tooth stains and avoiding bad breath are added benefits of tooth brushing.

Why We Brush: The Frontline of Oral Hygiene
The foods that we eat contain sugars and starches. When plaque — the sticky substance that forms on the teeth — combines with these sugars and starches, an acid is produced that attacks tooth enamel and causes tooth decay.

Dental plaque can also irritate the gums to the point that they become red, swollen, tender and can bleed easily. Gum irritation can lead to gingivitis, an oral condition that precedes gum disease (periodontitis). Gingivitis can be treated and reversed if it is diagnosed in its early stages. If plaque is not removed, the gums can eventually start to pull away (recede) from the teeth. When this happens, bacteria and pus-filled pockets can develop and the bone that supports the teeth can be destroyed. Once the bone is destroyed, the teeth will loosen and/or require removal.

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