Is it enough to brush your teeth for two minutes? No, say scientists

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Many Most of us are familiar with the advice to brush our teeth twice a day and for at least two minutes each time. Many of us overestimate how long we brush our teeth – in some cases by a whole minute. And yet there is some evidence that even two minutes of brushing may not be enough.

According to research, it's best to remove as much plaque as possible, and the best results are after three to four minutes.

These studies showed that two minutes of brushing resulted in good (but not great) plaque reduction. But while brushing longer than two minutes has been shown to remove more plaque, there is still no research looking at whether brushing longer than two minutes is associated with better long-term oral health compared to two minutes.

When we brush our teeth, we do so with the main purpose of removing germs (known as plaque) from the surface of our teeth. This plaque is a cluster of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live together in a community known as a microbial biofilm. Biofilms are very sticky and can only be removed by brushing.

If we don't brush our teeth properly or for a long time, it can lead to increased levels of plaque, which can ultimately activate our body's immune response, which will eventually lead to inflammation and conditions such as gingivitis. The inflammation is usually painless, but often causes bleeding gums when brushing the teeth and sometimes bad breath. Biofilms can also cause tooth decay.

While we may be used to brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, it's also important to focus on using the right technique to brush thoroughly and correctly. Brushing longer than two minutes can also help us remove more plaque from our teeth, which is likely to improve dental health.