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Why do dentists always recommend to brush 2 times for 2-3 minutes? (lemmy.zip)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I almost always read in the news/press that dentists recommend to brush teeth two times a day for 2-3 minutes.

This drives me crazy, because it does not make sense; The point for dental health is to systematical clean every surface of your teeth twice a day (and use inter-dental brushes/floss once a day). For me, brushing my teeth takes around 6 minutes, if I hurry up. For someone faster it might be possible in 1 minute.

So, why do dentists always give the 2-3 minutes recommendation?

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I think it's an average estimate, not a hard rule.

The exact time doesn't matter, but it's an approximate reference for how long you could aim for

some people don't brush enough
some people brush too much (harms enamel and damages gums)

[–] [email protected] 20 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

In a sense, I guess op is right though — I recently read that ~70% of people in a study were brushing ineffectively, no matter how long they were told to brush. Their brushing only improved after being told to make sure to brush every every "sector" of their teeth.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

When I was growing up they used to say "brush after every meal" and then it became three times per day, now it's "please just brush twice at some point".

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I also got the 'brush after every contact with sugar' thingy.

The common agreement nowadays seems to be twice a day and the points are very clear: before you go to bed and soon after getting up in the morning, to bring some fluid to the nasty bacteria, remove their food and plaque from your teeth.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Please wait at least 30 mins before brushing after sugary and especially acidic things.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Why

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

Acid is still fresh on your teeth and you're just scraping it into the enamel breaking it down. You should wait or at least swish some water around.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

You're right. When I grew up, I was told to brush three times as well, more I brush twice only. Not sure when or why that recommendation changed.