In part one on “Choosing the Best Toothbrush” we discussed options for the very healthy patient. Those folks are definitely in the minority. Study after study reports that 75% – 80% of the adult population has some form of gum disease. You guys are the ones who need help in choosing the right brush for you.
Frustratingly, I am amazed at how few dental patients do actually ask their dentist or hygienist for advice about which brush is best for them. Most Americans make their toothbrush purchase decisions based upon a 30 second TV ad, or a flashy magazine ad that tells them“This is the brush for you”.
I do not blame the general public alone for failing to consult more frequently with their dentist and their dental team while shopping for a toothbrush. I travel around the country lecturing to other dental practice teams about Gum Care. I find that few dental offices offer education for their patients on which toothbrushes would perform best for each individual patient with gum problems or cavity problems.
Which toothbrush is best for you depends on how healthy your mouth is and what types of problems you have. You might have reasonably healthy gums, but a lot of cavities. Or, you may have few cavities and gum problems. Or, you might have both bad teeth and bad gums.
Let’s focus on gum problems. If you are a high plaque patient with bleeding gums then you probably have a higher propensity towards gingivitis. Over time, if left unchecked, gingivitis can progress to gum disease, bone loss, loose teeth and eventually tooth loss. You may not have been blessed in the gene pool for fighting gum problems.
If you are more susceptible to gingivitis and periodontal disease, then you need to see your dentist more often and follow a very specific, and beneficial home care routine. And, most importantly you need to engage your dental team in a conversation about what toothbrush is indeed best for you. If you are an avid flosser who flosses and utilizes in-between the tooth pics and cleansing tools daily, then you can stick with a pretty basic tooth brush.
But, if you do not floss well (like 95% of the USA population) then you would benefit most from a toothbrush that removes 92% of your sticky tooth plaque in one minute. You would benefit from a toothbrush that cleans not only the front and back of the teeth, but in-between your teeth as well, where the floss you do not use should be going. You would benefit from a soft tooth brush that absorbs the gum medicines that your dentists prescribes and burnishes them directly into the tooth assuring that the meds do their job. You would benefit most from a Rotadent toothbrush.
We prescribe the Rotadent electric toothbrush for all of our dental patients who suffer from gingivitis, gum disease and who do not floss well or regularly. It is the only toothbrush that gently cleans all of the tooth surfaces, including in-between the teeth.
We love pink, healthy gums in our practice. And we have done the homework for you to find what brush works best for you.
To learn more about which toothbrush is best for you, just ask your dentist and your hygienist…before you spend upwards of $150.00 and more on something that is not right for you.
Peter Vanstrom, DDS
