Regular brushing of teeth is the biggest factor in maintaining excellent oral health. This is your primary weapon to help fight periodontal diseases. However, the act of brushing your teeth alone will not get the job done because choosing for the right toothbrush is also a big factor for your oral health including proper brushing techniques to go along with it. Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day, one in the morning and another one right before you go to sleep at night. Spend at least 3 minutes in each brushing then you're good to go.
Brushing takes time and this is often overlooked by a lot of people. Most of them rush through it thinking that as long as they were able to brush their teeth then that would already be good enough for them. “Brushing takes time. You cannot just rush through it and consider yourself effective after being done for just a minute of brushing.” says Wayne F. Price, DMD, board member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and a former clinical dentistry professor at IOWA school of dentistry. Dr. Price even suggests that you should set a timer for at least 3 minutes of brushing and flossing until the time runs out to consider yourself effective with dental hygiene work.
Aside from the time that you allot on brushing and flossing, the type of toothbrush that you use also plays a huge role for effective cleaning of teeth and mouth. You don’t have to think hard when it comes to the type of dental floss that you will use since there are only two choices and the brands do not really matter at all for flosses. You only have to choose between waxed or unwaxed floss. The former is ideal for people with tight tooth gaps to make the floss easily slide in between teeth and gums while the latter is the generic type of dental floss. It is among toothbrushes wherein the choice that you are going to pick up will be crucial for your oral health since there are a lot of variations and types when it comes to toothbrushes these days.
Tips in Choosing a Toothbrush
The first major tip in choosing a toothbrush is to look for a toothbrush that has the ADA seal in its box. The ADA seal is very important because it goes to show that the product is approved by the American Dental Association which is the primary dental health organization in all of America.
Make sure that the bristles of the toothbrush that you are going to purchase are not too hard but firm enough to remove food particles inside the mouth. If the bristles are too hard then there would be chances that you would harm your gums in case you put too much pressure while brushing. You would be doing more damage instead of taking care of your oral health this way.
Since toothbrushes come in different sizes these days, it would be advisable to pick a toothbrush that is rational to the size of your mouth. If you have a small opening on your mouth then pick a small toothbrush suitable for you while people with bigger mouths can pick toothbrushes that are a bit bigger in terms of size.
There is not much difference when it comes to thorough mouth cleaning between electric toothbrushes and traditional ones. Both types can get the job done but everything boils down to the effort and time that you put into brushing. Of course, electric toothbrushes spare you from all the handy work but they are also a lot more expensive compared to generic toothbrushes. If you have some spare cash then it would be advisable to buy an electric toothbrush if you want.
A toothbrush is bound to be replaced after two months of regular use. By that time, the bristles are already too soft that they cannot thoroughly clean your mouth off food particles and other dirt stuck in between your teeth. The bristles will already lose the firmness in which is the reason you have bought them in the first place. Make sure you replace your toothbrush every two months to make sure that your dental health is in perfect shape.
After purchasing your toothbrush, make sure you keep them in a safe place inside the house that is free from insects, bugs and dust to keep them clean as always.
The following tips mentioned above should already give you enough details on the things that you should look for in purchasing a toothbrush. Having a perfect toothbrush will keep all of those periodontal diseases and oral health problems away. Good luck in maintaining your oral hygiene and overall health.
I'm just your average hygienist with a passion for excellence. I do what I do best, which is to help my patients achieve healthy smiles and provide & educate them with oral health care solutions and lifelong cosmetic procedures.