The Benefits of Brushing for 2 Minutes

McClellan Orthodontics

Your mouth is the gateway to your overall health, and an unhealthy mouth can be linked to diabetes and heart disease. Did you know that dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease? More than 16 million children in the United States suffer from untreated decay.

The 2 Minutes 2 Times a Day campaign was created by the Ad Council for The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, a coalition of nearly three dozen dental health organizations, including the American Dental Association.

Together with the American Dental Association (ADA), McClellan Orthodontics recommends that kids, as well as adults, brush their teeth in a soft, circular motion for two minutes, twice a day, and floss daily.

Two minutes twice daily is the optimal prevention brushing regimen as it takes two minutes for the tooth enamel to uptake the fluoride in toothpaste. In addition to allowing time for fluoride to work, there is the physical massage of the tooth surfaces that removes the plaque and makes a clean surface for the fluoride to do its job. When the enamel absorbs fluoride, it makes the tooth surface harder and more resistant to the bacteria-produced acids that cause tooth decay.

The benefits of brushing for 2 minutes:

• Clean teeth 
• Healthy gums 
• Nice breath

Beginning with the eruption of the first tooth, parents should begin brushing their child’s teeth with a small amount of fluoride toothpaste. The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives recommends that parents supervise their child’s brushing until age 8. Supervising your child’s brushing gives you an opportunity to teach them how to brush. Please remember that a baby or toddler should never use fluoride toothpaste unsupervised or independently.

It is also important to floss at least once a day, to clean in between the teeth where the toothbrush can’t reach. Parents should start flossing their child’s teeth as soon as they notice that teeth are touching…which could be as early as two years of age.

2min2x.org has videos to help your child brush the recommended 2 minutes each time. It can be fun to play the video for your kids to watch while brushing to get them started with this healthy habit.

If you need additional tips and tricks for better brushing habits, feel free to contact our Kenilworth Orthodontic office.