A good quality toothbrush is an essential and irreplaceable instrument for maintaining proper oral hygiene. In our times, toothbrush is a first necessity both for children and adults, but sometimes one can get confused when trying to decide what type of toothbrush could be the best. Frequently, people tend to choose the brush of the shape and color they like, the brush that is affordable, or the one of the most advertised brand. However, making a decision about the most effective toothbrush requires a very considered approach and some basic knowledge.

Every toothbrush has a handle and a working part – a head with bristles. Nowadays, an assortment of toothbrushes of different shapes and sizes of the head, hardness and length of the bristles, sizes and shapes of the handle, are offered in our market of dental care products. The head of the toothbrush can be straight or angled. For many decades, only natural material was used for the bristles, but recently it was proven that synthetic fibers (such as nylon, derlon, nerlon, polyurethane, etc.) are better for the most effective brushing as these materials are less sensitive to moisture and do not get broken easily.

It is possible to classify manual toothbrushes according to the hardness of the bristles as the following:

• Hard toothbrushes can be used only by those people whose teeth and gums are in a very good condition. These toothbrushes can do the most powerful massage of your gums.
• Medium toothbrushes can be used by the majority of people, especially by those who have never had any problem like bleeding gums.
• Soft toothbrushes can be used by children, pregnant women, as well as by the people who have periodontal disease, diabetes or other health problems.
• Extra soft toothbrushes can be used by people with serious dental problems.

Tips for choosing the best toothbrush:

• First of all, it is necessary to find a toothbrush with the head of proper size. Large toothbrushes can not access all the areas in your mouth, that is why you should prefer the brushes with smaller heads (around 1 inch in length and 1/2 inch in width).
• Another way to select the toothbrush of a good size is to be sure that its head does not cover more than three of your teeth.
• The best decision is to get a toothbrush with synthetic bristles since this material creates the least favorable environment for dangerous dental bacteria to develop.
• Choose a toothbrush with the head of rounded shape; otherwise, the brush can damage your gums.
• Hardness of the bristles must be selected taking into account the specifics of your teeth and gums.
• Choose a toothbrush with long and wide handle plated with rubber or other material for a firm and comfortable grasp.

Keep your toothbrush in an upright position in a safe and well-ventilated place. Do not put it into any case or holder, better keep it in a cup or use a special toothbrush protector. Do not forget to replace your toothbrush after two or three months of usage, when the bristles started looking worn out or when you recovered after any type of mouth infection. Also, you can sanitize your toothbrush once a week by placing it in hydrogen peroxide or in your dishwasher that runs at a temperature over 120 degrees (use dishwasher soap, not a liquid detergent).

Tags: bristles, dental care, tooth brushing, toothbrush

Posted: June 15th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
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Brushing is a very effective technique for daily cleaning of your teeth and gums from plaque and food particles. A toothbrush is the main instrument necessary for this procedure. It was invented in China more than a thousand years ago. Nowadays, several types of manual and automatic (electric, ultrasound, etc.) toothbrushes are available. Manual toothbrushes are empowered by a human hand and it is very easy to learn how to handle them. Automatic toothbrushes are empowered by electric motor that vibrates or uses sound waves to remove plaque from your teeth and massage your gums.

Toothpaste is another ingredient essential for tooth brushing. There is a great variety of therapeutic and prophylactic toothpastes available in our pharmacies and drugstores, that is why it is necessary to develop a rational approach to selecting a good toothpaste. It is considered that fluoridated toothpaste must be used for your morning tooth brushing, and in the evening it is better to use herbal toothpaste which has a special therapeutic effect on your gums. Nevertheless, the best solution for those who are still confused about picking the right toothpaste is to consult their dental specialist.

Tips for brushing your teeth correctly:

• Start your tooth brushing session with rinsing your mouth using a mouthwash or a rinsing solution.

• Wet your toothbrush with drinking water.

• Place a pea-size amount of the toothpaste on your toothbrush.
• Hold your toothbrush at about 45 degree angle against your gum line.
• Begin with brushing the outside of your teeth using slight sweeping or circular motions over the teeth and moving your toothbrush horizontally from one side of your jaws to another.
• Clean the backside of your cheek teeth by gentle scrubbing and moving your brush back and forth.

• Clean the chewing surface of your cheek teeth using slight short circular movements of your brush and moving the brush from one side of your jaw to another.

• Brush the inside of your front teeth on the upper and lower jaws moving your brush back and forth over the teeth.
• Gently scrub your tongue with the bristles or with the special surface on the backside of your toothbrush.
• Rinse your mouth with drinking water and be sure that no toothpaste is left in your mouth.

Tags: dental care, tooth brushing, toothbrush, toothpaste

Posted: June 14th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
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It is possible to avoid a great number of dental problems if you take a good care about your mouth and teeth. Correct brushing is the most important method of oral hygiene which helps to keep your gums and teeth healthy. The procedure of tooth brushing includes a sequence of very easy stages, but, to begin with, there are a number of related tips for effective brushing that everyone must know.

General tips for brushing your teeth:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day: in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before going to bed.
• Get a toothbrush with synthetic bristles of proper size. Too large toothbrushes can be harmful for your teeth and gums, so it is better to choose a smaller toothbrush.
• Do not use a hard-bristled toothbrush because it can damage your gums.
• Brush your teeth minimum two-three minutes per session.
• Do not make too vigorous movements of the brush when brushing your teeth.
• End your brushing session with cleaning your toothbrush and placing it to a safe place.
• Change your toothbrush every three months.
• Consider using electric toothbrushes because they are more effective than manual ones.

There are several approaches and methods of tooth brushing, which are different from each other with the types of the motions of your brush (scraping, sweeping, circular motions, etc.), the sequence of the motions or the order of brushing the surfaces of your teeth. If you want to maintain a proper level of oral hygiene, it can be useful to consult your dental doctor for some practical advice about the most effective tooth brushing technique.

Tags: dental care, oral hygiene, tooth brushing, toothbrush, toothpaste

Posted: June 12th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
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