How effective is brushing your teeth with no Toothpaste?
Brush your teeth without toothpaste – This sounds bizarre but dentists call it “Dry Brushing” and proclaim it as a healthy habit.
Dry brushing is the practice of brushing your teeth with no toothpaste or water for a few minutes. After this, you can carry out your regular brushing activities with toothpaste.
The Journal of the American Dental Association published a report followed by a six-month trial on dry brushing. They reveal that people who do dry brushing before brushing with a toothpaste notice 63% reduction in plaque, and bleeding in gums drop by 55%.
Why do dentists recommend “Dry” brushing?
Dental doctors and Oral hygienists endorse developing this habit due to its key benefits. The important advantages to highlight are here:
- The ingredients in toothpaste give a mouthful of foam may prevent your toothbrush bristles from reaching the mouth’s deeper layers. It means you can clean all the regions of your mouth efficiently with dry brushing.
- This approach is highly efficient in cleaning the inner surfaces of the bottom front teeth and protects them from bacteria accumulation, followed by plaque build-up.
- Frequent snacking and consuming beverages like tea, coffee will stain your teeth. If you do dry brushing 30 minutes after taking such drinks and snacks, you can minimize the stains and teeth discolorations.
- This oral care routine supports strengthening your gums too. When you gently dry brushing your gums every day, it strengthens the gum tissues and prevents inflammation in gums, periodontal diseases. Remember that healthy gums support you in keeping your teeth healthy.
- It is very easy and convenient as you can brush your teeth with just a toothbrush. So you can brush anywhere whilst doing your favorite free-time activities say watching movies, reading books, etc.
Meanwhile, the whitening agents of toothpaste cannot fully scrape the plaque deposits. Dry toothbrushing allows you to brush longer. So you can dislodge the plaque deposits to a certain extent.
What are the important dry brushing tips you should know?
Follow the recommended instructions to enjoy dry brushing’s amenities:
- Use a “Dry” toothbrush – The bristles of a toothbrush are stiffer than a wet toothbrush. They are effective in scraping the microbes and stains also. If you want to soften them, you can add a little water.
- Place the toothbrush at 45 degrees towards the gum line – You should place your toothbrush on your teeth at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. It is essential for regular brushing with water and toothpaste also. We are suggesting this because it helps in cleaning the gum margins where the plaque build-up begins.
- Begin from the inside bottom teeth – Start brushing from inside bottom teeth and move to inside top teeth. Then brush outside. It is because mostly we neglect the inside surfaces that too the regions close to the tongue. It provides a way for bacteria to thrive and lead to dental calculus.
Can I replace my regular tooth brushing with dry brushing?
No. Even though dry brushing offers numerous benefits, you should clean your teeth with a toothbrush.
Apart from the cleaning agents like calcium carbonate, toothpaste contains Fluoride that is paramount to keep the teeth strong. You cannot get those benefits if you abandon toothpaste.
So it is fair to do dry brushing for a few minutes prior to your regular brushing routine. Otherwise, schedule your dry brushing activities when you brush your teeth at night before going to sleep.
Ready to add dry brushing to your oral care routine? Get in touch with our dentists in Sri Lanka to get the right dental tips and consultation.
