TOOTH BRUSHING CHECKLIST
ü Throw away toothbrushes once the
bristles fan out
o
Bristles
that fan out are only 50% effective
o
If
fanning occurs within 4 months, decrease pressure when brushing
(Replace toothbrushes every 4 to 6 months)
ü Use extra soft toothbrushes such as the
new Colgate Slim Soft 17x toothbrush (at all drugstores) and the Philips
Sonicare Standard Ultrasoft Sensitive brush heads (at Target and Amazon.com)
ü Use very short back and forth strokes. Avoid
up and down, circles or wide back and forth strokes as these motions clean
ineffectively and can contribute to recession and exposed roots
ü Brush at a 45 degree angle for all
areas except the inside surfaces of the six upper and lower front teeth – for
those teeth, increase the angle there and hold the toothbrush in a North/South
direction --- for manual brushing, use very short back and forth strokes. If using an electric toothbrush, let the toothbrush do all of the work. Do not add additional motion with your hand. Move the brush to the next group of teeth about every 1 to 2 seconds. REMEMBER: YOU GET 2 WEEKS WORTH OF MANUAL BRUSHING IN ONE SESSION WITH AN ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH. That's why electric brushes clean so well and why they can also cause damage if not used correctly.
ü Do not brush on top of the gums: It's very important to brush so that the bristles touch the gum line but do NOT brush on top of the gums.
ü Avoid massaging the gums with
toothbrushes, rubber tips and toothpicks
o
Toothpicks and rubber tips can be helpful for deeper pockets, but require instructions from us to avoid damage to the
gums
TOOTHPASTES WITH FLUORIDE CHECKLIST
ü Avoid Colgate Total and Sensodyne Pro
Enamel toothpaste formulas
o
Colgate
Total contains tryclosan - a strong antimicrobial that has been linked to
antibiotic resistance as well as cellular malformations in animals UPDATE: Colgate Total Daily Repair is the newest version of this product and they have removed the tryclosan!
o
Sensodyne
Pro Enamel contains very low abrasives and therefore lacks the ability to remove
surface stains caused by tea, coffee, soda, wine, etc. This toothpaste is designed for use by patients who have significant recession, acid erosion and/or wear.
ü If we see tissue sloughing, avoid toothpastes that contain a combination of sodium with phosphate (a
harsh cleaner also used by painters to degrease walls). AIM and AQUAFRESH (that are NOT the tartar control formulas) plus Colgate Total Daily Repair are free of sodium combined with phosphate. Also, Colgate with Baking Soda and Peroxide does not contain sodium with phosphate and is an excellent choice to prevent surface stains.
If you use a desensitizing formula of toothpaste, Sensodyne Fresh Impact is an excellent choice as it does not contain sodium phosphates. NOTE: The combination of SODIUM AND/OR PHOSPHATE WITH FLUORIDE is completely different and IS desired in toothpastes to prevent cavities. For example: Sodium monofluorophosphate
ü If you have canker sores frequently, avoid
toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulphate (a foaming agent). The entire Sensodyne
line of toothpastes does not contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
....and here's ONE COMMON PRODUCT TO AVOID USING: CHAPSTICK because it contains phenol - a chemical and preservative that can remove the outer layer of cells on your lips causing them to be extremely dry all the time...HENCE, the addictive property of Chapstick! Find products without phenols such as L'Occitaine, Burt's Bees, EOS, and other natural types of lip balms.
My Favorite Manual Toothbrush:
NIMBUS
To order on Amazon, click HERE.
My Favorite Electric Toothbrush:
Philips SONICARE Electric Toothbrush
The basic model below is currently at
Bed Bath and Beyond for less than $100.
Use Your Coupons!
CLICK ON PICTURE
to go to site
My Favorite Sonicare Soft Brushes
Available at Target
Phillips Sonicare
ProResults
Sensitive
OR
Ultra Soft
Sensitive Brush Heads
(Check Amazon.com
and Target.com)
Listerine Ultraclean or Healthy White Floss:
OR
Look for the "MICRO GROOVES" on the package.
NOTE: This floss used to be called
Reach Total Care which is no longer manufactured:
If you use floss picks, please buy "Y" ONLY shaped flossers. Buy "Y" is important! The handle part comes out of the middle of the floss head to form a "Y". Buy "Y" flossers such as these:
The flossers with a handle that comes out of one side will cut the gums of your back teeth! We see this all the time, so please avoid using the non-"Y" flossers! This is the type of floss pick to avoid using:
The information above will be updated periodically and can alway be found online at:
