Can brushing improperly cause damage to my teeth or gums? The use of a hard or medium toothbrush (or even a soft brush) used in long strokes (scrubbing action) can cause irreversible damage to the teeth and gum tissue. The gums will recede and expose the root, which can be very sensitive to temperature or to touch. The receding gumline will give the appearance of "long" teeth, and long-term scrubbing with a hard-bristled toothbrush will wear grooves in the teeth.

The above grooves in the teeth and receded gumline are typical of hard toothbrush abrasion.

Doesn't brushing with a hard toothbrush do a better cleaning of the teeth? Actually, you can do a more thorough cleaning, and do less damage with a soft brushing technique

What type of toothbrush should I use to prevent damage to my teeth and gums? The only kind of toothbrush you should use on your teeth and gums is a soft toothbrush with polished ends of the bristles.

When I've tried a soft brush in the past, it doesn't feel like I'm doing a thorough job of keeping my mouth clean. I agree that if you use the same motions with a soft brush that you did with a hard brush it will feel different, but you can actually brush more aggressively with a soft brush than you used to do with a hard toothbrush. Check on our home care page for instructions on how to do a thorough cleaning of the teeth and gum tissue. You need to change your brushing style!

If I start brushing correctly, will my receded gums go back to normal? No, but they will no longer recede at the fast rate that they were. Perhaps they will stop receding altogether.

Should the grooves in my teeth from improper brushing be filled in? I believe that it is a good idea to fill in the grooves because it will decrease temperature sensitivity, and will seal the surface, making it less likely to have cavities or infection in the tooth. A well-polished filling will also be healthier to the surrounding gum tissue than the edge of the groove.