how often should I brush my teeth?

Is it bad to brush your teeth 3 times a day? The Answer Will Surprise You


When I was in college, I usually only brushed my teeth once a day. It wasn’t intentional. I just often forgot about doing it being caught up in school and social life. This was a simple problem that I am sure everyone has had at some point.

Well, shortly after college I got married and this approach to bushing my teeth changed drastically. My new wife, at the time, put her foot down and said if I wanted any kisses I needed to start brushing my teeth more. Being an eager new husband, I started brushing my teeth 3-4 times a day.

can I brush my teeth too much?Seems like a lot right? My friends started teasing me and making comments that bushing my teeth that much many actually be bad for me. This statement haunted me. Is is possible to brush my teeth too much? In order to ease my brain and anxiety I did some research on this particular topic and the answer will surprise you.

Is it bad to brush your teeth 3 times a day? No. Brushing your teeth three times a day for about 2-3 minutes is the ideal amount of time. According to dental experts, brushing your teeth too much can cause damage to your gums and give you sensitive teeth.

Here are some tips on how to approach brushing your teeth on a daily basis.

Brush Your Teeth 3 Times a Day

Brushing your teeth can become tedious and often annoying. Many times we find ourselves waking up late, throwing clothes on, rushing out the door, and forgetting to brush our teeth. We then realize, once it is too late, we have arrived to school, work, or a meeting  and our breath is not supreme. If we can learn discipline, this can be an easy solution to a constant problem.

Dental experts say that the ideal amount of times for brushing your teeth is around three times a day for about two to three minutes. An easy calendar to follow is: brush once in the morning, brush once after lunch, and brush once before bed. It’s that easy, even though it often doesn’t feel so easy.

Brushing your teeth after lunch can be hard if you don’t carry a tooth brush in your backpack, purse, or briefcase. Although, those who take the extra step to get that midday brush in often have brighter smiles and better smelling breath. A good plan would be to start with two times a time and make it a goal to brushing three times a day. If you are currently in a relationship or eager to be in one, this can be a great propelling task that will get you on the way to finding the love of your life, or keeping your love happy and falling in love with you every day.

Create Healthy Habits

how often should I brush my teeth?Creating healthy habits is a goal that every person should strive for. Who doesn’t want to be healthy? Brushing your teeth three times a day is one of these healthy habits, but that is just the beginning. You can create healthier habits by limiting your coffee intake, avoiding garlic based foods, avoiding sugar, and anything acidic. These are not just healthy habits for your body as a whole, but most specifically, healthy habits for your teeth, gums, and breath!

Research says that it takes about seven days to create a new habit. That is committing to something for only one week. Think about all of the healthy habits you can bring into your life if you just start with one new commitment a week. You will keep your partner smiling and creating a life that you can be proud of, and, of course, breath that you are not ashamed of.

It is also important to note that research says it takes about twenty-0ne days to break a habit. So if you find that your life is full of bad habits, you may have more work to do than you anticipated. Make a challenge for yourself. Pick one new healthy habit that a week that you want to make a reality, and pick one bad habit a week that you want to start removing from your life. A perfect example could be start brushing your teeth every morning and night until it becomes a part of your daily routine, and start drinking one cup of coffee  day instead of three. You will start to see a major change in your breath and in your smile almost instantly.

Use Soft Electric ToothBrushes

diamond clean sonicareOften when it comes to bushing our teeth, we just pick the first toothbrush we see at the store. We often don’t take the time to research the best toothbrush or read the back of the box at Walgreens. Dental experts say that there are specific toothbrushes that are best for you and specific toothbrushes that can actually damage your gums and are evidently bad for you.

So how we know what toothbrush we should pick?
Believe it or not, electric toothbrushes are the way to go. The combination of your stroking rotation and the rotation of the electric toothbrush can maximize your cleaning session. Electric tooth brushes are a little more pricey, but worth the result you can get with your teeth and will pay out over time.

On top of electric toothbrushes, it is very important that you get top rated toothbrushes that are soft. Even if you don’t get an electric toothbrush, it is most important that you get a soft brush that will not damage your gums. The softness of a brush can ensure healthy gums while ensuring healthy teeth.

According to, some of the top rated toothbrushes that have been approved by dentists are: Foreo ISSA 2, Philips Sonicare DiamondClean, Rotadent Contour, Oral-B Pro 1000, and Philips Sonicare. These brushes are at the top of the line and are highly more expensive than your average brush at Target. However, the argument stands that spending more money on a toothbrush is critical, because your mouth is  one of your main features that everyone sees everyday. Sounds like a good reason to get a good toothbrush right?


Use Healthier Toothpaste

It is also true that there are bad toothpastes you can buy and good toothpastes you can buy. According to Humans Are Free, most toothpastes have poison on them. Yep. You heard me right.

You might be thinking how could any company sell toothpaste with poison in it. The truth is that there is not enough poison in most of these products that would lead to any immediate health issues, but many argue that using these products 3 times a day for years can lead to health issues. Some toothpastes that have been cleared and approved as “poison free” are: Earthpaste, Desert Essence, and Uncle Harry’s Toothpase.

Making these changes and applying this information can lead to a healthier life and happier smile.

should I brush my teeth three times a dayKeep Your Toothbrush Safe

It is important to keep your toothbrush safe and out of reach from its neighbor – the toilet. According to OnHealth, “your toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria including E. coli and staphylococci (Staph) bacteria, according to researchers at the University of Manchester in England.” That is a lot of germs that you are putting in your mouth. An important discipline to acquire is keeping your toothbrush in a closed compartment or in a specific case. A safe toothbrush means a safe mouth for you.

Related Questions

How many times a day should I floss?
It is recommended to floss twice a day. A good rule is to flow every time you brush your teeth. Think about all of the food you eat every single day. Most of that food finds its way in-between your teeth, even if you never see it. Your toothbrush does not have the ability to retrieve every bit of food, so it is critical to floss before your brush.

Should I use teeth whitening products?
Some teeth whitening products are good to use. Specifically the companies Crest, Snow, and Crystal are good products to use and are cleared as safe. However this should only be done about once month in addition to good brushing habits. If you only ever use teeth whitening products, it would be like painting over a hole in the wall – it’s not fixing anything.

Matt McWilliams
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