If you’ve been brushing your teeth as long as you can remember, chances are you haven’t taken much time to reflect on your form, and the oral health habit is pretty much second nature.
And that’s a good thing: Brushing regularly helps remove food debris, bacteria, and plaque that can contribute to gum disease and other oral health issues over time.
But some common dental myths could be sabotaging your efforts. Here, oral health experts share mistakes you might be making when brushing your teeth and what to do instead.
1. Brushing Too Hard
Bearing down with your toothbrush can wear away the enamel, or hard outer coating, of your teeth. If too much of that enamel wears away, you might develop tooth sensitivity, says registered dental hygienist Iwonka T. Eagle, director of the graduate dental hygiene program and clinical associate professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
You may also start to wear away the layer below the enamel, called the dentin. Research suggests that using too much pressure and a toothbrush with bristles that are too hard can cause more abrasive wear to the dentin in cows’ teeth, which are considered a close match for human teeth.
Brushing too hard can also contribute to gum recession, which exposes the surfaces of the roots of your teeth and can lead to sensitivity and decay, Eagle says.
Fix It Practice holding your toothbrush with just your thumb and first two fingers, says Anjali Rajpal, DMD, cosmetic dentist and founder of Beverly Hills Dental Arts in Beverly Hills, California. That helps you apply less pressure than if you’re gripping your brush with your entire fist. Plaque is very soft, and all it takes to brush it away is gentle movement of the bristles, she says.
Eagle recommends considering an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor, which vibrates to alert you if you’re pressing down too hard.
2. Not Brushing Long Enough
While it’s easy to rush through this chore, experts recommend spending at least two full minutes brushing your teeth. “You want to make sure you’ve covered all surfaces really well and you’ve spent enough time to make sure all of the plaque is adequately removed,” Dr. Rajpal says. Early research in a lab suggests it may take closer to four minutes of brushing to remove plaque effectively.
Fix It Set a timer. “Some electric toothbrushes have time sensors, so that way you can make sure you're staying in each area long enough before you move to the next area,” Rajpal says. The timer vibrates the brush so you know it’s time to move to the next section, Eagle says.
“If you're using a manual toothbrush, you just have to time it yourself,” Rajpal says. Try setting a 30-second timer for each section of your mouth, rather than setting one two-minute timer.
3. Using the Wrong Toothbrush
You might not notice all the labels on toothbrush packaging. But pay attention to the brush hardness, and look for soft or extra-soft bristles when buying a new brush, Eagle says. Medium- and hard-bristled brushes can wear away your teeth’s enamel, she says, especially if you're also applying too much pressure.
Fix It Buy toothbrushes labeled as having soft or extra-soft bristles. Eagle also recommends looking for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance, which certifies that the brush has undergone third-party testing for safety and effectiveness.
4. Keeping a Toothbrush Too Long
Rajpal gives her patients a new toothbrush every few months when they visit. “Every three or four months is a good time to refresh it, because the bristles get splayed, and it's not as effective as a brand-new brush,” she says.
Toothbrushes also collect bacteria and germs, another good reason to replace them regularly. In fact, one small study from India in children found significant bacterial growth after just 14 days of using the same toothbrush.
Fix It Get a new toothbrush every three or four months. If you don’t get a new toothbrush from your dentist that often, think about adding a regular calendar reminder. Replace your toothbrush sooner if you notice any wear and tear to the bristles, or after you’ve been sick, because bacteria can linger on the toothbrush, Eagle says.
5. Brushing Too Soon After Eating
If you drink coffee and then immediately brush your teeth, you’re making a common toothbrushing mistake. After eating or drinking anything acidic, like coffee, wait at least an hour before brushing. Acid softens tooth enamel, leaving it more susceptible to damage from brushing, Eagle says.
The same applies after vomiting. After you throw up, even though it may leave behind an unpleasant taste, it’s safest for your teeth to rinse with water or even milk rather than brushing right away, Eagle says.
Fix It In the morning, Rajpal recommends brushing your teeth before breakfast rather than after. After eating or drinking anything acidic, wait at least one hour before brushing to let the enamel harden again.
6. Brushing Back and Forth or Up and Down
It’s a common misstep to brush your teeth by moving the brush straight along your teeth from one side to the other or directly up and down over a few teeth at a time. Several studies show that circular brushing motions seem to remove plaque better than vertical movements.
Not using a circular motion can also increase your risk of gum recession and enamel erosion, Eagle says.
Fix It Start by holding your toothbrush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle from your teeth, Rajpal says. Then use a rolling motion to create small circles along your teeth close to your gum line, which also helps you better clean your gums. “If you're just going straight across, you're probably not going to get into the gums very well,” Rajpal says.
7. Forgetting the Gums
While you want to avoid pressing so hard as to cause gum recession, don’t forget about your gums when you brush. Skipping your gums can result in a buildup of debris and bacteria, increasing your risk for gingivitis, or gum inflammation, Eagle says. Gum disease can also cause tooth loss.
Fix It Once again, hold your toothbrush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle, touching the line where your gums meet your teeth, Rajpal says. This angle helps remove buildup where the teeth meet the gums, Eagle says.
8. Overusing Whitening Toothpastes
While a brighter smile may sound appealing, it’s a myth that you can use whitening toothpaste all the time, Rajpal says. Some whitening agents in toothpaste can be too abrasive and cause sensitivity in some people if they erode a tooth’s enamel.
Fix It Whitening toothpastes take longer to work than whitening strips and paint-on gels, and they may cause more damage than a whitening rinse. Rather than using a whitening toothpaste exclusively, try swapping to less-abrasive products after a few weeks.
Look for less-abrasive whitening products, such as whitening strips, if you have sensitive teeth or if you have a higher risk of tooth erosion (or the loss of tooth enamel). Some things that can raise the risk of dental erosion are drinking sugary beverages or having acid reflux, bulimia, or alcohol use disorder.
9. Using an Electric Toothbrush Like It’s Manual
The heads of electric toothbrushes move in small circles, the recommended motion for brushing your teeth. “It’s doing the work for you,” Rajpal says. That means you don’t need to make circles yourself, and you definitely don’t need to brush hard and fast.
Fix It Move electric toothbrushes slowly across the surface of your teeth, taking a few seconds to hold the brush on all sides of every tooth. Make sure you reach the inner, outer, and chewing surfaces.
10. Only Brushing in the Morning
In an ideal world, everyone would brush their teeth twice a day. If you can only brush once a day, you might think it’s best to only brush after you wake up to get rid of your morning breath. But that might not be the wisest move.
“The most important time to brush is nighttime, because at night, that's when all that bacteria starts to cause the most damage,” Eagle says. Bacteria reproduce more at night because your saliva flow is reduced.
Fix It Try to get in the habit of brushing twice a day. When you’re short on time, at least brush before bedtime, Eagle says.
The Takeaway
Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time can help protect your oral health and ward off tooth and gum issues. Still, toothbrushing mistakes are common.
Common dental missteps include brushing your teeth too hard, not using circular motions, and brushing right after eating.
Use a soft toothbrush and gentle toothpaste, following the correct motion for your type of toothbrush. And be sure to include your gumline as you brush.
Replace your toothbrush every few months, and swap it sooner if the bristles look worn or after an illness.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Hamza B et al. Effect of Toothbrush Bristle Stiffness and Toothbrushing Force on the Abrasive Dentine Wear. International Journal of Dental Hygiene. July 22, 2021.
Saghiri MA et al. Effects of Brushing Duration on the Efficacy of Dental Plaque Removal: An In Vitro Study. International Journal of Dental Hygiene. August 2023.
Petker-Jung W et al. What Characterizes Effective Tooth Brushing of Daily Users of Powered Versus Manual Toothbrushes? BMC Oral Health. January 16, 2022.
de Freitas MR et al. Effectiveness and Adverse Effects of Over-the-Counter Whitening Products on Dental Tissues. Frontiers in Dental Medicine. June 24, 2021.
Elizabeth V. Simpson, DMD, is an associate dentist with Meridian Health Services in Indiana and adjunct faculty at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. The bulk of her practice has been in the public health setting.
She attended the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a bachelor's degree in preprofessional studies. After college, she worked in the Indianapolis public schools as a bilingual teaching assistant, which is where she decided to become a dentist. She graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2010 and did a general practice residency at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.
Dr. Simpson has completed three leadership programs. In one for the Indiana Dental Association, she started a mentoring program pairing high school students from underrepresented groups who were interested in pursuing dentistry with dental students from underrepresented groups from the Indiana University School of Dentistry. In an American Dental Association program, she started a toothbrushing program at an elementary school in Indianapolis. And finally, she participated in the NextGen Leadership Program as former full-time faculty at Indiana University at the Indianapolis campus.
Simpson has written numerous blogs for the American Dental Association and has participated as a speaker and panelist at several conferences, including for the Christian Dental Association, American Student Dental Association, National Network for Oral Health Access, and American Association of Women Dentists, as well as for the American Dental Association's SmileCon.
She was a member of the American Dental Association's Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention from 2020 to 2024, leading the council as chair from 2023 to 2024.
She is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational French and Portuguese.
Sarah Klein is a Boston-based health journalist with more than 15 years experience in lifestyle media. She has held staff positions at Livestrong, Health, Prevention, and Huffington Post. She is a graduate of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University, and a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer. She moderated a panel on accessibility in fitness at SXSW in 2022, completed the National Press Foundation’s 2020 Vaccine Boot Camp, and attended Mayo Clinic’s Journalist Residency in 2019.
