Some say your smile is your most important feature. You want to make sure you’re keeping up with your dental health to keep it shining and beautiful. This means proper dental hygiene procedures such as regular brushing, flossing, and dental visits for cleaning and check ups.

Your toothbrush and toothpaste are your best friends for proper hygiene management. But what if someone suggested to you that you can manage your smile without the toothpaste? That can sound a bit odd for someone who’s used toothpaste their entire life and associates the fresh feeling with their mouth being clean. Brushing without toothpaste is called dry brushing, but is it an effective method for keeping your teeth in tip top shape?

What is Dry Brushing?

As mentioned above, dry brushing is the method of brushing without toothpaste or water. It can be hard to believe, but toothpaste didn’t exist on the market until the 1800s, while toothbrushes of different makes and materials have been around for far longer. Toothpaste can behave almost like a distraction to teeth cleaning. We believe the fresh taste and the minty feeling afterwards signifies that our teeth and our mouths are clean when it is highly possible we’ve missed a lot of what still lurks in our mouths.

The Pros of Dry Brushing

Studies conducted on those who tried dry brushing versus wet/toothpaste brushing saw a reduction in bleeding gums and plaque build up. Let’s look at some more information on dry brushing to see if it really is effective.

No Tricks

Dry brushing doesn’t trick us into believing our mouths are clean when they really aren’t. With dry brushing, we are required to brush as long as possible to achieve that fresh feeling without toothpaste supplying it.

No Foam

Because toothpaste gets foamy, it is easy for us to miss the areas in our mouth that are in desperate need because the foam gets in the way.

No Barriers

Dry brushing leaves no barriers between the brush and your build up. This means it is more effective at dislodging bits of plaque or food that are stuck on your teeth.

No Funky Chemicals

So many toothpastes are loaded with all sorts of oils and chemicals like glycerine, artificial sweeteners, triclosan, and many more that have been reported to be toxic over time.

The Cons of Dry Brushing

We are so accustomed to using toothpaste that we may have a problem with giving it up so easily. There are benefits to using toothpaste including fresh breath, antibacterial benefits, fluoride to help strengthen enamel, and whitening properties.

Using An Organic Toothpaste

Organic toothpastes are typically made from baking soda solutions, activated charcoal, coconut oil, and other things that are antimicrobial. They help motivate fresh breath and rid your mouth of harmful bacteria.

Dry Brush First, Fluoride Toothpaste After

With the film of plaque still on your teeth, it makes it hard for beneficial things in toothpaste like fluoride to penetrate your teeth. Even an organic toothpaste will have a hard time defeating bacteria in your mouth without a little elbow grease first. It is recommended to dry brush first and then go back over with an organic or fluoride toothpaste for help strengthening teeth and getting rid of bacteria.

The Dental Group of Simi Valley for a Healthy Smile

The Dental Group of Simi Valley is dedicated to keeping your smile beaming. We have been serving patients of the Simi Valley, CA area for 30 years, and the practice’s humble beginnings began in 1963. Family-owned and operated, we guarantee to treat every patient like family and keep their dental health going strong.

We believe that strong dental health has a profound impact on your physical health, and we offer a multitude of services to help every smile. From cosmetic dentistry to family dentistry, we cater to the needs of all people. So if you’re worried that dry brushing isn’t enough or have questions about the benefits of proper dental care, contact us for a consultation, and we’ll get you in right away. We never want you to worry about your oral health, so let us put your worries to rest. Call us today to set up an appointment to meet us and consult about your needs.