Although
toothbrushing is considered a prerequisite for maintaining good oral health, it also has the potential to have an impact on
tooth wear, particularly with regard to
dental erosion. Experimental studies have demonstrated that
tooth abrasion can be influenced by a number of factors, including not only the physical properties of the
toothpaste and toothbrush used but also patient-related factors such as
toothbrushing frequency and force of brushing. While abrasion resulting from routine
oral hygiene can be considered as physiological wear over time, intensive brushing might further harm eroded surfaces by removing the demineralised enamel surface layer. The effects of brushing on eroded dentine are not fully elucidated, particular under in vivo conditions. However, there are indications that brushing after an
acid impact causes less additional hard tissue loss in dentine than in enamel.
Toothbrushing frequency and force as well as toothbrush hardness were shown to act as co-factors in the multifactorial aetiology of non-cervical
carious lesions. In vitro studies showed that
toothbrushing abrasion is primarily related to the abrasivity of the
toothpaste, while the toothbrush acts as a carrier, only modifying the effects of the
toothpaste. The benefits of normal
oral hygiene procedure exceed possible side effects by far, but excessive
toothbrushing - especially of eroded teeth - might cause some harmful effects.