Blog Summary:
Is brushing your teeth twice a day really necessary—or is it just outdated advice? In this post, I break down the science behind the so-called “brushing teeth twice a day myth” and I explain why dental experts overwhelmingly recommend brushing in the morning and at night. You’ll learn:
- How Often You Should Brush: Discover why brushing your teeth twice a day dramatically lowers your risk of cavities and gum disease compared to once daily brushing.
- How Long You Should Brush: Find out why a full two minutes of brushing is critical for effective plaque removal—and easy ways to make sure you’re hitting that target.
- The Best Time to Brush: Learn why most people – including dentists – get the timing wrong, and why timing your brushing after meals makes a real difference.
- Why Dental Visits Matter: Understand why professional cleanings and early detection of oral health issues are key to maintaining a healthy smile.
- Better Brushing Tools: Explore how choosing the right toothbrush—like the innovative options from SuperMouth—can make sticking to your twice-daily routine even easier and more enjoyable.
You might’ve heard of the brushing teeth twice a day myth, which essentially states that the need to brush in the morning and at night is excessive, representing outdated advice. While forgetting to brush your teeth at night once in a while might not be the end of the world, the truth is experts agree that brushing your twice daily is essential to your oral health and overall health. Let’s uncover why that is.
Just How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Many people wonder whether brushing your teeth once a day vs twice a day really makes a difference. The truth is that it does, and that’s a fact proved by numerous studies.
For example, while one study shows that meticulous brushing once a day is sufficient to maintain oral health and prevent caries and periodontal diseases, at least in theory, the study also mentions that in practice, most people are realistically unable to sufficiently remove plaque by brushing once a day, therefore “brushing twice a day is recommended by most…dentists in order to improve plaque control”.
Brushing twice a day as opposed to once a day reduces the risk of cavities by 50%. The reasoning? Brushing your teeth isn’t just important for removing plaque, it’s also important for removing bacteria from the mouth that contribute to cavities. If you brush your teeth only in the morning, bacteria have the chance to build up not only during the day, but also overnight.
Not only that, brushing twice a day also helps prevent staining, removes impacted food, and helps prevent bad breath.
How Long Should You Brush Your Teeth?
You should aim to brush your teeth for two minutes.
While studies mainly use plaque levels (not direct measures of cavities or gum disease) to assess the optimal tooth brushing duration, systematic reviews show that brushing for two minutes results in better plaque removal than brushing for just one minute. Two minutes also provides adequate time for the toothpaste to do its magic. This can be broken down as 30 seconds per quadrant or about four seconds per tooth.
Some people find it hard to brush for two whole minutes. To help you hit the two-minute mark, you might want to try using timers, music videos, smartphone apps, or toothbrushes with built-in timers.
When Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Avoid brushing your teeth for at least thirty to sixty minutes after eating or drinking ─ especially if you’ve just eaten or drank something acidic. That is because waiting around half an hour allows for the enamel on your teeth to re-mineralize after being weakened by acids.
Generally speaking, you should brush your teeth both in the morning and at night. Because you should wait to brush after eating or drinking, I recommend brushing your teeth right when you wake up in the morning (before breakfast) and right before going to bed at night.
Looking for more tips about what to do and what to avoid when brushing your teeth? Check out my blog post “Are You Making These 5 Mistakes Brushing Your Teeth?” now.
The Importance of Regular Dentist Visits
While daily brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash are essential for everyone, regular dental visits are equally important. Professional cleanings every six months are the only way to effectively remove tartar buildup along the gumline, and they allow your dentist to spot potential problems early.
Make Twice Daily Brushing Better with SuperMouth
Find a toothbrush that makes brushing twice a day easy and enjoyable. SuperMouth’s groundbreaking line of toothbrushes, created by Dr Kami Hoss, are designed to meet all the needs and preferences of kids and adults. Shop manual, electric, sonic, and musical options now!
