Under Pressure: Are You Brushing Your Teeth Too Hard?

Having always been sure to give our teeth a vigorous scrub, we thought we were acing oral care. But the warning signs that we’re brushing too hard are subtle, so they get missed: teeth less bright than they were, maybe a little sensitivity now and again...

And now, tipped awkwardly in the dentist’s chair, we’re learning our enamel is wearing away. This is not where our ‘pristine’ oral routine was meant to lead!

Enamel wear is a common problem.

As it turns out, aiming to be the Mrs. Hinch of toothbrushing means many of us brush:

Too hard

At the wrong time

Using the wrong toothpaste

Why is brushing teeth too hard a concern for our oral health?

Enamel is tooth armour. When it becomes thinner:

Teeth are more sensitive: We start to wince at hot and cold food and drink.

We’re at greater risk of decay: Rougher tooth surfaces invite bacteria to take up residence more easily.

Abrasion cavities can develop: Ridges can develop in enamel along the gumline.

Teeth lose natural brightness: Dentine shows through thin enamel and it’s naturally yellow, brown or grey.

Apart from the physical compromises, the way you relate to your teeth can affect your mental health too, so keeping enamel strong is paramount.

FROM SCRUBBERS TO ENAMEL LOVERS

Better tooth enamel is a case of building the right oral environment

Many of us are using a last century model of dental care. Those tooth care projects we did in primary school? They were all about exiting Sugar Town, curbing cavities and brush, brush, brushing awareness. (Plus, as a macabre side lesson, we all got to see how Susie’s donated milk tooth dissolved in cola... oof!). No wonder we grew up brushing like our life depended on it!

But to get an A grade in oral health now, things have changed!

Enamel care requires tool switch ups, clinical innovations for preservation and repair, acidic diet awareness, and a new admiration for the role of saliva. Quite the armoury! But no need to dig out the sugar paper and big pens just yet!

Protect and whiten enamel

At Healthy Smile Pharmacy, we’re here to help you

ONE: Repair, protect and revitalise enamel

TWO: Recalibrate your enamel care know-how

Bonus: You may even want to enhance your teeth’s natural whiteness along the way because with VITIS Whitening, your enamel’s protected and repaired, too.

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FIRST UP:

Tooth Enamel: Hard as nails? Softer than glass! Let’s go low abrasivity

Yes, tooth enamel’s the hardest substance in our body, but that doesn’t mean it’s diamond hard!

Enamel’s toughness?

It’s as hard as some steel but softer than a drinking glass, although less brittle, phew!

When it comes to cleaning, we wouldn’t scrub a stainless-steel sink or scour our favourite glassware with a highly abrasive cleaner - put that Vim away, Vera! Likewise, we need to swerve highly abrasive toothpaste and stiff bristled toothbrushes.

And...

HERE COMES THE GOOD NEWS

You can remineralise tooth enamel!

While you can’t regrow tooth enamel, you can remineralise early damage.

Your tooth enamel is made from hydroxyapatite. In its nano form, hydroxyapatite works by depositing minerals back into the surface of your enamel, helping to rebuild and smooth out microscopic damage before it becomes permanent.

Remineralising with nanohydroxyapatite forms an acid-resistant wash on your teeth, giving them resilience going forward.

Sensitivity? What sensitivity?

With a better coat of enamel thanks to nanohydroxyapatite, the nerve rich dentine beneath enamel is less exposed and sensitivity could be solved altogether.

Enamel care with Healthy Smile Pharmacy and nanohydroxyapatite? Sounds like a great way to go about caring for enamel to us!

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LET’S FOLLOW THE SCIENCE

Choose clinical-grade nanohydroxy-apatite with HAPrepair

Preserving, protecting and repairing tooth enamel daily is easier with HAPrepair nanohydroxyapatite.

Subscribing to our Cavity Care and Protect Kit helps reinforce tooth enamel in your twice a day routine. With smoother tooth surfaces, bacteria have fewer places to lurk and generate harmful acids. Take that, plaque!

If you’re looking to brighten and enhance the natural whiteness of your teeth while also loving your enamel, subscribe to a Whitening Complete Kit for a safe way to brighten with low abrasivity whitening toothpaste and a mouthwash to keep topping up your enamel’s own hydroxyapatite. We think it answers the question, What’s the Best Whitening Toothpaste?

Whitening and enamel care

LET’S KEEP THE ENAMEL CARE GOING

Four quick wins for your tooth enamel

ONE: To maintain and preserve tooth enamel go soft!

Your mouth is now a no scrub zone!

Choose a soft bristled toothbrush. We rely on the Soft VITIS Access Toothbrush to cherish enamel. Switch up your head on your electric toothbrush, too. It’s good to use a Oral B Sensitive Clean Head when your motor’s running!
Manual brushers need to think feather-light brushing in circular motions for each tooth. Many electric toothbrushes come with pressure guidance to train you up!

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TWO: Use the dynamic duo of nanohydroxyapatite and fluoride

Think of these two as a twin-system engine for great enamel.

Then think of keeping their enamel care momentum going:

Brush with a nanohydroxyapatite and fluoride toothpaste
Spit, don’t rinse (it keeps your enamel protected and repaired beyond the sink)
Use mouthwash between brushing to top up enamel protection

Subscribe to clinical-grade formulations in both your toothpaste and mouthwash to keep your enamel care going.

Fluoride: Helps harden enamel by remineralising weakened areas. It replaces lost minerals with a stronger structure that’s more resistant to acid. It also makes enamel less soluble when under food or drink acid attack.

Nanohydroxyapatite: Helps to fill microdefects making it harder for bacteria to take up residence at the microscopic level of your tooth surface. If you’re keen to know more about how nanohydroxyapatite works, take a look at this video while you brush your teeth – it takes a handy 2 minutes, just the time you need to brush your teeth for! #alwaysthinking

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THREE: Give your enamel good recovery windows and keep moist!

Enamel is caught in a demineralisation-remineralisation cycle because, let’s face it, we’ve all got to eat and drink!

Saliva works hard on our behalf, delivering minerals to teeth and bringing the environment in our mouth back to safe levels. It’s one of the reasons we need to allow saliva time to work its magic. It also delivers a protein that forms the pellicle membrane. Who knew?!

This enamel friendly tissue:

Acts as a protective barrier against acids from food, drinks, or bacteria
Slows down demineralization of enamel
Helps remineralization by holding minerals like calcium close to the tooth surface

Pellicle, we salute you!

A dry mouth is one of the biggest mineral erosion risks.

If your mouth feels dry (or your hygienist tells you that they think you have a drier mouth than is the norm), then try XyliMelts, mouth moisturisers that stick to your gum. With an active ingredient of xylitol, they help to reduce the threat to weakened enamel from streptococcus mutans – one of the arch villains when it comes to cavities. Remember – cavities start off at a micro level that can be repaired.

XyliMelts

FOUR: It’s not just if you brush your teeth, it’s when you brush them

It’s a chemical world so ‘ph’ind a ‘ph’antastic pH for your enamel

Enamel starts demineralising at a pH around 5.5. Brushing too soon after a ‘healthy’ kombucha tipple or having snacked on pickled gherkins again and you’ll be brushing with acidic pH levels when enamel is at its weakest.

Wait 30-60 minutes before brushing and rinse with water or mouthwash after drinking or eating.

Enamel weakeners:

Lemon water: Ditch the slice, drink the water!

Kombucha: Good gut, yes, excellent enamel, no! Rinse after drinking.

Apple Cider Vinegar drinks: Water or rinsing after drinking helps bring pH up.

Fruit teas – especially berry, hibiscus and citrus blends: Caffeine free is good for saliva flow but fruity acids are anti-enamel health

Energy and sports drinks: Gym bunnies beware - dehydration from exercise reduces saliva flow so swerve acidic recovery drinks.

And, before you think can’t drink caffeine, can’t get fruity, can’t do anything, say hello to water, coconut water, milk, green tea and black tea (don’t forget a subscription to the Whitening Essentials Kit protects and repairs enamel and polishes off stains – take that tannins!)

If you want to enjoy a more acidic drink, have it with a meal or drink in one short period then drink water, or rinse with a hydroxyapatite mouthwash – VITIS Anti-Caries Mouthwash with Nano Repair or VITIS Whitening Mouthwash.

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