We have heard so much about toothbrushes, tooth paste and tooth brushing. They are essential routine in our dental care to give us healthy mouth and beautiful smile. They are however guided by certain principles to be able to derive maximum benefits. These principles include:
- Tooth brush
- Tooth brushing techniques
- Tooth paste
TOOTH BRUSH
This is one of the important elements and this should be chosen carefully as a number of designs are available to select from in the market
Guides in choosing are as follows
- Size
- Design
- Length
- Hardness
- Manual/ electronically powered.
- SIZE
The best size of the head of your toothbrush that can give optimum cleaning is the one that will enable you achieve easy access to all your teeth surfaces. Generally speaking, a toothbrush head that is a half-inch wide and one-inch tall is good for adult. This for them will effectively do the cleaning and with ease. Each time you use a larger toothbrush heads, you will find it difficult to manoeuvre especially when trying to clean some certain hard-to-reach areas, for example, the inner sides and backs of your molars.
- DESIGN
Toothbrush bristles are grouped in tufts that are usually arranged in three or four rows. Rounded bristle ends cause fewer scratches on the gingiva than flat-cut bristles with sharp ends. For a guaranteed gum protection during tooth brushing, be sure you select toothbrushes that have bristles with rounded tips
Two types of bristle material are used in toothbrushes: natural bristles from hogs and artificial filaments made of nylon. Both remove microbial plaque, but nylon bristle brushes vastly predominate in the market
- LENGTH
The handle of the toothbrush should be long enough so that one can comfortably hold it in the mouth and manipulate it. The best ones actually have a long and wide handle that facilitates a firm grip.
4. HARDNESS
Softer bristles are more flexible, clean slightly below the gum margin when used with a particular brushing technique, and reach farther onto the sides of the teeth
Use of hard-bristled toothbrushes is associated with more gum problems thereby exposing the roots of the teeth which often result in sensitive teeth, and frequent brushers who use hard bristles have more of this unpleasant experience than those who use soft bristles.
If you go to the pharmacy or markets to purchase a manual toothbrush or a replacement head for your electric toothbrush, make sure that the most comfortable and safest choice is what you order for, endeavour to select a toothbrush with soft bristles for children, medium bristles for adult, and shun hard-textured nylon bristles which is often preferred by smokers. Depending on how vigorously you brush your teeth and the strength of your teeth, hard-bristled brushes could actually damage the gums, root surface, and protective tooth enamel.
- POWERED TOOTHBRUSHES/MANUAL
Electrically powered toothbrushes designed to mimic back-and forth brushing techniques were invented in 1939. Though, less users are recorded compared to manually operated one. The two demonstrate improved plaque and debris removal. Powered toothbrushes have been shown to improve oral health for children and adolescents, children with physical or mental disabilities, hospitalized patients, including older adults who need to have their teeth cleaned by caregivers, and patients with fixed orthodontic appliances.