Insights into Toothbrush and Toothpaste Use
Electric toothbrush or hand held toothbrush?
Should you use an electric toothbrush or hand-held toothbrush? Each can be used effectively, but, if you are ready to choose, go for the electric toothbrush. It will provide a more thorough cleaning than the hand-held brush.
For hard-to-reach areas use a proxy brush. A proxy brush can go under braces or between teeth where needed. Brush in a back and forth motion. Available at your pharmacy or supermarket.
Facts on toothbrushes:
Use a soft toothbrush only. Most hand-held brushes on the market are soft - but not all of them. If you use an electric toothbrush, it will most likely have a soft brush on the end.
Do not spend a fortune on a regular, hand-held toothbrush. The $90 toothbrush is unnecessary.
An electric toothbrush cleans better than a hand brush. You can get an effective brushing from a hand-held brush but it takes more effort..
There is little cleaning difference between an oscillating and pulsating electric toothbrush. Some patients find the oscillating brush a little more comfortable. Both come with compact heads well suited for small mouths, yet, if you prefer the small heads, know that the small heads also provide superior cleaning in large mouths compared to manual brushes.
When using an electric toothbrush, use the same brushing technique as with a manual brush.
The technique for both hand-held and electric brushes is to move in a circular motion from the gums to the teeth (check out the video below).
For hard to get areas there is another type of brush generally called the ‘proxy’ brush. This is a thin brush useful for cleaning underneath fixed (permanent) bridges and in hard to floss areas between the teeth. The proxy brush is sold in your pharmacy. Use a proxy brush in a back and forth motion, in and out of the spaces between teeth or under cemented bridges.
The toothpaste:
Use a toothpaste accepted by the ADA (American Dental Association). This should be stated on the box - and you can also easily find this information online. Why is this important? The seal ensures that your toothpaste is safe and effective. Toothpaste contains many different components. The ADA seal ensures that these ingredients are present in the right amounts and are of high quality. It also ensures that the toothpaste is not overly abrasive and will clean your teeth without damaging the teeth..
Here are some of the components of toothpaste:
Fluoride: There are three types of commonly used fluorides in toothpaste (stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride, and sodium plus phosphate fluoride). They are all safe and effective. Use a fluoride toothpaste even if your drinking water already has fluoride in it. The fluoride toothpaste will strengthen and preserve your teeth.
Potassium nitrate to reduce sensitivity.
Minerals such as sodium bicarbonate and zinc to prevent plaque (bacteria) buildup.
Abrasives (rough minerals) such as calcium carbonate to scrub stains.
Non-sugary sweeteners: Natural sugar (glucose) will cause decay in your teeth because it promotes bacteria growth on the teeth. Artificial sugars do not promote bacterial growth and therefore limit decay. You will not find glucose in toothpastes.
Binders to give the paste texture.
What makes whitening toothpastes different:
Some ‘whitening’ toothpastes contain hydrogen peroxide. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide has only minimal benefit for either whitening or cleaning.
The hydrogen peroxide levels are typically from one percent to five percent or higher. Choose a toothpaste with a lower hydrogen peroxide level. The whitening happens at a slow rate, but, more importantly with less irritation. The bottom line is, whitening toothpastes do not change tooth color to a significant degree.
Whitening toothpastes often contain high levels of abrasives. This means that the ‘whitening’ you see is due to surface scrubbing only and not from deeper stain removal due to the hydrogen peroxide. The superficial scrubbing of these toothpastes will not whiten deep stains.
Note that there is some good news about hydrogen peroxide in that it helps to reduce bacteria growth which means it provides a secondary effect of reducing cavity formation.
Toothpastes for reducing tooth sensitivity:
‘Desensitizing toothpastes’ are toothpastes that reduce tooth sensitivity from touch (such as when toothbrushing) and from cold. They are mildly effective. It’s ok to use them, but, you should supplement them with a visit to your dentist for further treatment, particularly for very sensitive areas.
The commercially available brands of desensitizing toothpastes are all slightly different.Although studies have found differences in effectiveness among the brands, they all reduce sensitivity. They will not, however, eliminate, sensitivity altogether.
The minerals in desensitizing toothpastes include calcium, arginine, potassium and stannous fluoride. Examples are: Sensodyne toothpaste and Colgate Sensitive (both made with potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride), and the prescription brands PreviDent and Clinpro 5000. The reason the last two are by prescription is due to the high fluoride levels. They have approximately one percent fluoride which is ten times the level of regular toothpaste. Expect improvement starting in about two weeks.
A newer product, called ‘bioactive glass’, helps to stimulate tooth mineralization. This product deposits molecular ions (molecules) onto the tooth surface to form a calcified layer. Biomin is the first such product on the U.S. market.