At Future of Dentistry, Doctor Gerry Casazza is often asked how to select the most basic tool of oral hygiene, the toothbrush. Picking a toothbrush can be as hard as choosing a paint color, and there seem to be just as many choices.
If you have visited the dental section of your local grocery store or drugstore lately, you know what I am talking about. There are brushes with bristles of varying lengths, brushes that massage your gums, and brushes that change color when they are used up. (If I had to rate them purely on their fun factor, I would choose the Spiderman brush.)
Some toothbrush manufacturers claim their brushes freshen your breath or remove stains from your teeth. How do you choose the best one?
One critical factor is the firmness of the bristles. Hard bristles may be more effective for cleaning burnt steak off a grill or hard water deposits off a shower floor. However, this does not hold true for your teeth. Medium and firm brushes can damage your gums. Soft and extra-soft bristles are plenty stiff enough to wash plaque, food particles, and surface stains from your teeth. Soft bristles also offer more flexibility for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
After having dental work or oral surgery, especially anything involving soft tissue grafts, make sure that you use an extra-soft brush and be careful!
When picking a toothbrush for a child, make sure the brush feels comfortable in his or her hand. If the size and angle feel awkward, the child will be less likely to use it long enough to clean all areas of the mouth. Children do not necessarily need a child-sized toothbrush. Some kids can manage an adult-size brush better than a short, narrow child-size brush. If you are unsure, ask your dentist.
What about the electric types and water-shooters? Some men and women like the feeling of pulsing bristles or a mini-squirt gun pulsing away at the plaque. People with arthritis or other movement-inhibiting conditions can benefit from powered brushes which take some strain off hands and arm muscles. Is your toothbrush doing the job? Schedule an exam at Future of Dentistry.
At Future of Dentistry, our committed dental hygienists instruct our patients on proper brushing and flossing. If you haven’t experienced a dental deep cleaning at Future of Dentistry, you don’t know how clean your teeth and gums can feel.
Contact Future of Dentistry:
Locations (Tap Below To Open Your Office In Google Maps):
Future of Dentistry – Billerica
668 Boston Rd
Billerica, MA 01821
978-663-4303Future of Dentistry – Dracut
149 Pleasant St
Dracut, MA 01826
978-957-1811Future of Dentistry – North Andover/Willows Dental Group
795 Turnpike St
North Andover, MA 01845
978-685-8313Future of Dentistry – Wakefield
968 Main St
Wakefield, MA 01880
781-245-2299Future of Dentistry – Chelmsford
3 Courthouse Ln
Chelmsford, MA 01824
978-970-2089
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