Posted on: 10 October 2017
If you have visited a dentist regularly since your childhood, you have probably been advised more than once to brush your teeth for two minutes twice daily. Your dentist may have even specified the importance of brushing at night before bedtime and in the morning.
Although these instructions may be familiar to you, you may not know why they are often advised. Here are a few reasons why your dentist wants you to brush for two minutes twice daily.
Plaque Builds Up Throughout the Day
Each time you place a bit of food in your mouth, plaque starts to form. Plaque is made up of a mixture of oral bacteria and food particles. The sticky texture of the plaque is caused by the biofilm produced by the oral microbes.
Plaque accumulates throughout your day. Thus, brushing once in the morning is not enough to prevent damage to your teeth.
The bacteria that help form plaque feed on the carbohydrates within the leftover food in your mouth. As they digest the sugars, the microbes release corrosive acid that dissolves the tooth enamel to cause decay. As you brush, the plaque, along with the bacteria that it contains, is removed.
Brushing before bedtime is especially important, because saliva production wanes as you sleep. Thus, there is too little of the clear solution to effectively dilute oral acids. The concentration of acid released by the bacteria remains high enough to damage the teeth quicker.
Plaque Hardens Into Tartar
Tartar is actually plaque that has been left undisturbed for a lengthy period. When plaque is brushed from the teeth, it is eliminated as you rinse and spit. However, plaque that is permitted to rest on the teeth throughout the day calcifies or hardens to form tartar.
Tartar is the porous, yellow substance that the dentist removes during a dental cleaning. The tartar must be scraped from the tooth surface. It is too hard to be removed by regular brushing.
To prevent the buildup of tartar on your teeth, it is important to brush away the plaque while it is still in a soft state. If you brush only once per day, you may find that tartar accumulates rapidly on your teeth.
Brushing for two minutes per session is also important, since it is difficult to brush all of the surfaces of your teeth properly in less time.
To learn more about why your dentist wants you to brush for two minutes twice daily, check out sites like http://www.apollodentalcenter.com and schedule an appointment with a dentist in your local area.Share