21 May 2014
What is the best toothpaste and toothbrush to use?
With so many brands of toothpastes and toothbrushes now on the market, how do you choose which ones are best for you? To make sure you make the right choices, it is always good advice to ask your dentist. Since he keeps your dental records, he knows which dental products would be most appropriate for your particular dental condition and requirements.
Toothpaste
When buying toothpaste, be sure to check out the ingredients used. Dental experts recommend that they should at least contain fluoride to protect against tooth decay and cavity-causing acids as well as calcium to strengthen teeth and keep them from staining. Fortunately, all known toothpaste brands now have fluoride and calcium contents along with foaming agents, flavouring and other active ingredients. For most people, these should be all they would need to keep their teeth clean and healthy.
Beyond just getting their teeth clean and healthy, some people have certain unique needs which must be met when choosing their toothpaste. Some for instance have teeth which are prone to discolouration and staining. Thus, they would wish to buy brands which promise to give them whiter teeth. Specially formulated whitening toothpastes carry mild abrasives that work by polishing the teeth. Some brands though can be too abrasive that they can do damage to the enamel of the teeth. So check first with your dentist if your teeth are dense enough for these kinds of whitening solutions. There may be safer alternatives like bleaching or veneer treatment.
There are also some people with teeth and gums that are too sensitive for regular toothpastes. For these people, they may wish to go for brands which carry a desensitising compound like potassium nitrate or strontium chloride among the active ingredients. For people who want to prevent tartar from building up, they may want to opt for brands which contain zinc citrate or pyrophosphates which are known to keep plaque from hardening.
Toothbrush
In choosing what toothbrush to buy, professional dentists generally agree that one with a soft-bristled brush works best for most people. Toothbrushes with hard-, even medium-bristled brushes may already cause damage to the enamel of the teeth and the root surface. They may even irritate the gums until they bleed. Dental professionals, in addition, recommend opting for toothbrushes with heads that are small enough and handles that are long enough for you to comfortably maneuver them when cleaning the hard-to-reach areas of the mouth like the sides and backs of your wisdom teeth and other molars.
Oral hygiene experts also generally agree that a manual toothbrush can be just as good as an electric toothbrush so long as you use correct dentist-recommended brushing technique when cleaning the teeth. Of course though, an electric toothbrush would always be the better option for those with mobility problems like the elderly and those with arthritic hands. For people with unique needs, like those who have to wear braces, they can ask their dentist for advice on what to buy. There are models and brands that are specially designed just for this purpose.
Whether manual or electric, you should replace your tooth brush or brush head after every three months or more often and after recovery from flu or cold or any other infectious disease.
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