How toothbrushing is causing your teeth to stain - and how to stop this happening

Can the toothbrush you use cause your teeth to stain?

The purpose of brushing your teeth is to remove plaque from your tooth's surface. Within 60 seconds of brushing the first layer of bacteria will begin to bind to the surface of your enamel. Plaque bacteria is extremely sticky; meaning it picks up stain from the foods & drinks that we consume daily. 
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How to choose the right toothbrush to clean your smile?

​When deciding what toothbrush to buy it's important to look for some key features. The most important part of the toothbrush is the filament head. You should be looking for a manual toothbrush or electric toothbrush head that contains as many bristles as possible. Opting for a smooth brush head that's flat, has no plastic bits with soft/medium bristles is best to remove plaque most effectively meaning a cleaner healthier smile.

Why you should not use a hard bristle toothbrush.

​When cleaning your teeth your goal is to remove the sticky plaque bacteria. A rigid hard bristle brush will not flex enough to remove the soft plaque. Using a soft/medium brush will help you navigate the surfaces of your smile easier. Closing your mouth and sealing your lips around your toothbrush will give you more space to reach the corners of your mouth that people often find hardest to clean. Hard bristle brush has filaments that are unable to optimally disturb the plaque bacteria and so even after you brush your teeth, you may not get that squeaky clean feeling. 

Why you should choose a toothbrush with soft/medium bristles.

​Plaque is soft, a gentle circular motion with the toothbrush head angled towards your gums will clean your teeth most effectively. A soft/medium bristle brush will flex and allow the fine filaments of your toothbrush to disturb the plaque in hard to reach areas, meaning a more thorough clean.

How does plaque cause your teeth to stain?

​There is a form of bacteria, classified as chromogenic bacteria this is a (color-producing bacteria) and it is responsible for causing staining on your tooth's surface. It picks up on colourants in the foods and drinks we consume and leads to staining on your enamel.

What can cause your teeth to stain?

Tea, coffee smoking, red wine, curries and the usual culprits that people are aware of. There is one dental product that I repeatedly see the most staining from when patients visit the surgery for their appointments. The characteristic of this staining is a dark brown residue that binds to the tooth's surface and is impossible to remove with a toothbrush. Mouthwash containing the active ingredient; chlorhexidine is responsible for this staining. Rarely do I advise my patients to use a mouthwash. Times where I have recommended a mouthwash I advise this to be used at lunchtime at a different time to brushing (never after brushing) for most benefits. When I do recommend a chlorhexidine mouthwash I always recommend this to be used for a few days following a hygiene appointment and then the first few days of the month. This gives your saliva a little help is disturbing the bacteria. I don't recommend daily use of mouthwash as this can have negative effects of your saliva and lead to an imbalance in the natural healthy good bacteria in your mouth.

Conclusion

Brushing your teeth is essential to removing the bacteria from your enamel. The more bristles on your toothbrush will help you cover more surface area of your teeth and ultimately remove more bacteria, meaning less stain build up on your smile line. 

Ultimately your toothbrush can only do so much, the technique of how you use your toothbrush is most important. Learn how to effectively clean your teeth with my 28 day program. For more information & to see if it's a fit for you download Kirstys Smile Academy in the App store and watch the FREE into video.

Any questions please DM me.

Kirsty