Brushing to Maintain Oral Health

by Doran Freeman

Submitted : Fall 2016

Brushing teeth is the most cost effective tool in establishing an oral health regimen, that is learned from an early age. People, over time, develop different techniques for brushing, and the duration in which they brush seems to be an individual’s choice. It is recommended by the American Dental Association that children brush their teeth for at least two minutes (Soderlund, 2012), and it is a practice of Dentist to suggest the same to their adult patients (Desfosse, 2016). Brushing removes microorganisms that accumulate in the mouth and cause decay and odor when not removed. Why is it important to brush twice a day, and for two minutes a day? Do patients that practice these recommendations have better oral health than patients that may deviate from the recommendations? A survey was taken of University of South Florida Ecology students to determine if frequency and duration of brushing had a significant effect on their oral health conditions.

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