Upgrade Your Toothbrush

Your Cumberland dentist hopes you’ve already had a wonderful start to your 2020! By choosing better options now that increase your efficiency or your experience and decrease your stress, you can improve your potential for the entire year. Let go of your old ways and products that don’t serve you anymore. Now is your opportunity to upgrade. Here are some of the options to upgrade your toothbrush that could benefit you in ways you haven’t yet considered, and will set you up for success:

Eco-friendly Toothbrushes

Whether you’re shopping near your Cumberland dentist or online, there have been some incredible advancements in the market recently. These include a wider array of eco-friendly options for everyday products like toothbrushes. This is especially beneficial for products that need to be replaced throughout the year. Since you vote with your dollar, the more often you purchase these types of products, the more likely companies will offer them, and continue to improve what they supply to meet your demands. Options now include bamboo, wood, plant-based, sugar-based, and recycled plastic toothbrushes. Who knows what they will come up with next?

Manual vs.Electric 

Electric toothbrushes have been available for years now, yet manual toothbrushes take up more room on the shelves. They may appear to cost less upfront, but over time, may cost more to replace. Manual toothbrushes may also create a strain on your muscles that you are not aware of. The ADA and your Cumberland dentist recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes per session, at least twice daily. Unless you’re ambidextrous, that’s a lot of repetitive movement in your dominant wrist, hand, and shoulder. Electric toothbrushes can relieve some of the pressure on these muscles by mimicking the brushing patterns you would physically do. Ultrasonic movements can vibrate the toothbrush rapidly. Rotational movements can move the brush head in small circles for you. They probably also come standard with a two-minute timer to ensure you’re brushing for the recommended length of time.

Square vs. Diamond

The shape of your toothbrush head may help you reach places you’ve never had such ease reaching. For those who still have all their molars and less space near the backs of their mouths, a diamond-shaped toothbrush may be just the tool needed to get a complete clean. For those who have had teeth removed, a square-shaped toothbrush head may fit the tight spaces just fine.

Shape

The shape of the handle can also affect the user experience. Repetitive movements over years can cause undue strain on muscles. This is likely only felt on one side of your body unless you practice brushing with both arms equally. For left-handers who’ve had to adjust to a right-hand-dominant world, brushing their teeth may be an unpleasant experience that causes them to cut the recommended brushing time because it’s uncomfortable. There are left-handed toothbrushes just for them! There are also gripped handles for the rest of us. A slippery toothbrush hitting your teeth or gums too hard is easily preventable with the right tool. Adaptable handles that move based on the angle of the tooth can support your wrists by adjusting the angle for you for better maneuverability. Curved, angled, or calculated handles may also help you reach all the angles of your teeth with less effort.

Design

The design in which the bristles are laid into the handle can also make a difference in your comfort level. Multi-level bristles can help you reach the tight spaces and corners of your teeth without manually adjusting your wrists to fit all the corners. Wavy bristles can also help you reach all the different angles of your teeth without manually moving your wrists to brush at just the right angle. Bristles that are designed at a 90-degree angle are your standard model. Criss-cross bristles are laid at an angle that assists you in gently lifting the plaque and buildup off your teeth gently. Polishing bristles can help you lift stains and discoloration from your teeth. These designs can be especially helpful for those who have spent years eating acidic food or drinking coffee or smoking.

Softness vs. Toughness

The softness or toughness of your bristles can also help you gently lift plaque from your teeth. Tough bristles will be more effective, yet riskier if you have gentle gums or a higher risk of periodontal disease. Pay attention to soreness, bleeding gums, or gum recession to make sure that the bristles are soft enough for your mouth. Softer bristles should be used for children. An ADA seal on your new toothbrush is a good indicator of quality control that your bristles won’t fall out of the brush and into your mouth.

Your Cumberland dentist wants to keep you smiling, whether that means encouraging you to purchase the right tools, giving you access to all the information you need to make informed decisions, offering advice to upgrade your toothbrush, providing great service at every appointment, or giving you great content on your Facebook or Twitter newsfeed. Let us know how we can help keep you smiling. See you at your next appointment!