Ideally, how long should you brush your teeth?

Despite being one of the strongest parts of the body, teeth that are not properly maintained can erode, have cavities, and eventually fall out. That is why you need to maintain dental hygiene by regularly brushing your teeth. Unfortunately, there are still many people who don't know how long it takes to brush their teeth.

The ideal duration of brushing your teeth

Brushing your teeth is one way to maintain overall body health. The reason is, healthy teeth and mouth make it easier for you to get various nutrients from food.

If you don't take care of it properly, bacteria in the mouth will build up causing infection. In fact, in some severe cases it can spread to other areas of the body, even to the brain and cause infection.

Brushing your teeth can prevent the buildup of plaque, saliva, and bacteria in your mouth. That way, bad breath, cavities, and other gum problems can be avoided.

Unfortunately, not everyone applies it properly, one of which does not take long when brushing teeth. You can do this when you are in a hurry, lazy to brush your teeth, or just simply don't know.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), brushing your teeth should be done for 2 minutes twice a day, namely in the morning and at night.

Why must there be a duration?

Logically, brushing your teeth quickly or in a hurry allows your teeth not to be thoroughly cleaned. Remember, both bacteria and food debris can stick between your teeth and gums, making it take longer for you to clean them.

A study in the Journal of Dental Hygiene strengthens the link between the duration of brushing teeth and the condition of plaque in the mouth. A total of 47 participants were observed for their habit of brushing their teeth. After investigating, most of them brushed their teeth for 45 seconds.

After a closer look, the researchers concluded the old connection between brushing teeth and plaque conditions, namely:

• Brushing for 180 seconds or 2 minutes can remove 55% more plaque than brushing your teeth for 30 seconds.
• Brushing your teeth for 120 seconds can remove 26% more plaque than brushing your teeth for 45 seconds.

The results of this study show that brushing your teeth for 2 minutes is much better at removing plaque than just 45 seconds.

In order to get in the habit of brushing your teeth for 2 minutes, you may need some practice. Initially, set a timer when brushing your teeth. If done repeatedly, you will get used to brushing your teeth with the ideal time.

Apart from the duration, pay attention to the time you brush your teeth

Apart from paying attention to the duration of brushing your teeth, you also need to know the right time to do this. Ideally, brushing your teeth with toothpaste is done twice. Well, you can do it in the morning after breakfast and at night before going to bed.

However, the application is not "really" after breakfast. You need to wait at least 1 hour before brushing your teeth. Leftover food in the mouth, especially those that taste sour, can increase the acid level in the mouth. This acid can cause erosion on the teeth.

If you brush your teeth right away, the coating of your teeth will be eroded further by brushing. To prevent this, you need to give pause to brush your teeth after eating.

While brushing your teeth at night, done when you want to go to bed. This will allow the teeth to stop getting soiled with food and to keep them clean until the next day.