How Long Should You Brush Your Teeth For?

Brush for at least 2 minutes. Most of us brush for only about 45 seconds—well short of 2 minutes. To get an idea of what 2 minutes actually feels like, set a timer or play a song while you brush.

How Many Times a Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?

You should make sure to brush your teeth twice a day. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth, allowing you to reach every area.

What Are the Best Tooth Brushing Techniques?

Studies show that excessively vigorous brushing can damage enamel. Use a soft-bristled brush and try gripping it like a pencil to help get the right angle for gentle brushing. One widely recommended technique is to brush in small circles with short strokes. Be sure to brush the outer, inner, and the chewing surfaces of your teeth. And here’s a helpful trick: pretend you’re painting your teeth and cover the entire surface of each tooth with the brush.

How Long Should I Wait After Eating to Brush My Teeth?

If you typically brush after eating breakfast, try to wait. Waiting to brush is even more important if you eat or drink something acidic, such as citrus. Brushing too soon after having acidic foods or drinks can remove enamel on your teeth that’s been weakened by the acid.

Should You Brush Your Gums?

Good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing at least twice every day, can help prevent some gum infections, cavities, and tooth loss. Brushing too hard or with hard bristles can damage your gums, so be sure to use good techniques.

How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush?

Replace your toothbrush every 3 or 4 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.

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Does Milk Help Strengthen Teeth and Bones?

At some point growing up, someone has probably told you that drinking milk can help strengthen your teeth and bones, but how true is this old wives’ tale? There is some truth that drinking milk may help strengthen your teeth and bones, but it's not the milk itself that can help—it's the nutrients and vitamins in it.^1,2,3

What’s in Cow’s Milk that Can Help Strengthen Teeth and Bones?

“Milk” generally refers to any pasteurized, fundamental nutrient-rich liquid food that comes in different types and can be either animal or plant-based.^1,2 However, cow’s milk is the most widely consumed animal-based milk product in the United States and contains vitamins and nutrients that can help support the health of your teeth through all stages of life.^1,2

Calcium

Calcium is essential for the health of your teeth as well as your bones as proper intake of calcium helps maintain bone density and mass.1 It’s estimated that 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones.5 Milk and dairy products contain high amounts of calcium, and the average eight-ounce glass of low-fat cow's milk contains up to 305 milligrams of calcium.²

For context, the recommended dietary allowance for all adults ages 19 to 50 (men and women) is 1,000 milligrams a day.⁵ Your body’s need for calcium increases as you get older, too. Women who are 51 years and older need 1,200 milligrams, and men older than 71 years need 1,200 milligrams of calcium.⁵

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a mineral found in your teeth and bones.³ It’s estimated that 85% of the phosphorus found in your body is stored in bones and teeth.³ A key mineral for dental health, phosphorus is found in meat, poultry, nuts and legumes and of course, cow’s milk. It can help safeguard and rebuild tooth enamel.^2,3

While phosphorus may help support your teeth enamel, brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoride-containing toothpaste can do more than a glass of milk can for your dental health.

Vitamin D

Most cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D.^2,4 You obtain most of your vitamin D from the sun, as it’s only naturally available in a few foods like fortified dairy and cereal.⁴ This vitamin plays a big role in the strengthening of your bones and teeth thanks to its synergistic relation with calcium and phosphorus; vitamin D helps your body retain both of these minerals.^3,4

What If You Can’t Drink Cow’s Milk?

If you follow a dairy-free diet, don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to get those three essential vitamins and nutrients from other food sources; plant-based milks are an excellent example.² In fact, some unsweetened versions of plant milk that are fortified—meaning that nutrients are added to them—have a lower fat content, fewer calories than whole milk and more nutrients than cow milk.²

Plant-Based Milks That Are High in Nutrients Found in Cow’s Milk

Three popular plant-based milks that often contain high amounts of calcium and other important nutrients are soy milk, almond milk and oat milk:²

An unsweetened eight-ounce glass of soy milk is estimated to have 80 calories, half a gram of saturated fat and 300 milligrams of calcium.²
A standard cup of unsweetened almond milk is estimated to have 35 calories, zero grams of saturated fats and up to 430 milligrams of calcium.²
A standard unsweetened cup of oat milk is estimated to have only 60 calories, no saturated fat and up to 460 milligrams of calcium.²

You can also obtain calcium and phosphorus found in cow’s milk through a well-balanced diet and vitamin D supplements to help maintain your bone and teeth health.⁵ Winter squash, orange juice fortified with calcium, almonds and leafy greens like kale and spinach are excellent sources of calcium and other nutrients.⁵

Source Citations:

Milk and Dairy Products: Good or Bad for Human Bone? Practical Dietary Recommendations for the Prevention and Management of Osteoporosis. Pub Med Central. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8072827/. Accessed 7/15/2024.
Milk. Harvard School of Public Health. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/milk/. Accessed 07/15/2024
Phosphorus Fact Sheet for Professionals. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed 07/16/2024.
Vitamin D. Harvard School of Public Health. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-d/. Accessed 07/16/2024.
Calcium. Harvard School of Public Health. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/calcium/. Accessed 07/23/2024