Answering your questions about power toothbrushes

In an attempt to avoid problems with teeth or even having to resort to bad breath treatment, toothbrush manufacturers has been striving endlessly to invent better and easier solutions for people to use when performing the most basic function of dental health, brushing your teeth.

Most people still use their old manual toothbrushes and some are slightly apprehensive about switching to a power version. We have all heard of the advantages of using a power toothbrush but it seems that people are really taking their time making the exchange. Let us take a brief look at these new inventions and try to demystify them.

There are a number of options available on the market that fall into the broad spectrum of being called a “power” toothbrush:

 Battery powered toothbrush
 Rechargeable electrical toothbrush
– Rotating head (called oscillating or 3D action)
– Sonic cleaning action

Battery powered toothbrush

Generally this type of toothbrush works with two AA batteries and the head of the brush has a vibrating action. These vibrations helps to loosen more plaque than what you can achieve with a manual toothbrush. You would however still be required to move the toothbrush by hand in controlling the brushing action, like you would with a normal nylon bristled brush. The head of the brush should be replaced every three months to remain hygienic and effective in doing its job of cleaning your teeth properly.

Rechargeable electrical toothbrush

This type of toothbrush usually have a base or stand where the handle of the brush fits into. This foundation is connected to an electrical cord and plug that slots into your wall socket. By placing the handle of the brush into its slot into the base, you can keep it fully charged at all times or alternatively you can charge it, remove it and use it till you notice the charge is deteriorating before recharging it again.

These toothbrushes come with extra features that may include and are not limited to:

 Different brushing modes for sensitive teeth, gum massage or teeth whitening.
 Sensors that indicate when you are pressing too hard on your teeth or gums.
 Alarm timer to make sure you brush long enough.
 Digital reminders that the head needs replacement.
 Can fit multiple brush heads for different needs depending on the customer.

Rotating or oscillating(3D) head toothbrush

Quite simply this toothbrush features a round brush head that rotates at a high speed. This results in a better clean (3 Dimensional clean) than what can be achieved by hand brushing. The bristles can reach in hard to clean places and the teeth receives many more strokes of the cleaning brush than what can be achieved with manually in the same time window.


Sonic toothbrush

Sonic toothbrushes emits a sonic sound at a frequency between 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz. These frequencies are audible to the human ear. There are ultra-sonic options available that works at frequencies above the 20,000 Hz and thus not audible at all.

This sonic action works by finely tuned sonic bristles charging the air bubbles created by brushing, with a sonic energy wavelength. This results in a deep clean that are claimed to be better and healthier than any other option available.

Power toothbrushes are here to stay and the technology is being improved upon frequently. As with all new things, it might be time to pack away that old hand brush and try this wonderful invention.

Guidelines to teeth cleaning

You can keep your teeth and gums healthy by following a few guidelines and routines on regular basis. By adhering to these suggestions and making it a part of your dental health regime, you may never develop some everyday problems like gum disease or have to seek out treatment for bad breath.

Brushing your teeth

It is recommended that you brush your teeth twice a day and also after any meals. By doing this diligently, you will avoid acid build up in the mouth that causes bad breath. This routine will also remove the majority of plaque build up before it can form tartar from not being cleaned regularly.

Flossing

Flossing is the act of taking a thin waxed nylon thread, slipping it between any two teeth and then gently sliding it back and forth to dislodge any food particles that got stuck between your teeth during your last meal. Flossing is also very good for removing any plaque build up between the teeth. Usually flossing can remove food and plaque where your toothbrush simply cannot reach.

When a person has never flossed before, it is possible that the first time they floss might be slightly painful on the gums and slight bleeding is completely normal. This simply happens because you are causing agitation where you have never ventured to clean before. Your gums will get used to the flossing action in no time at all and you can keep up this routine to have a healthy and clean mouth.

Cleaning your tongue

Cleaning the surface of the tongue is often something not taught to youngsters and it can be a challenge to form this habit as an adult. Every person should do this at least once a day, since your tongue comes into contact with all the food and drink you consume. The natural saliva in your mouth forms a chemical reaction with the food and it leaves a build up on the tongue that is easily removed by scraping or brushing. A dirty tongue is often the cause of bad breath.

Caring for you gums

It is important to gently brush your gums on the outside of the teeth as well as on the inside, including the palate of the mouth. Make sure this is done for the top row of teeth as well as for the bottom row of teeth.

When brushing the gums, make sure to use a soft toothbrush and not to apply too much pressure that can bruise or harm the soft tissue of your gums and your mouth. It should be thought of more like a gentle massage rather than an actual brushing of the gums.

Oral irrigation

Oral irrigation is an action that comes highly recommended by dental professionals. This is the action of applying a high-pressure water jet spray directly to the teeth and especially where the teeth meets the gums. These strong water jets will penetrate the gaps between your teeth as well as the gaps between your teeth and gums, cleaning out plaque build up that got stuck there, later to become the cause of cavities.

By following these general guidelines and making your dental health care routine a part of your daily life, you will ensure healthy teeth and gums and avoid most serious mouth and dental related problems.

Causes of Bad Breath

Depending on eating habits, most people will find that the intensity of bad breath can vary during the day. Statistically it has been proven that most cases of bad breath originates in the mouth, as much as 85 – 90% of the time. Ordinarily known as halitosis, an age old condition, it is caused by the anaerobic bacteria found on the tongue. This bacteria reacts to different stimulus found in various conditions of living. When this bacteria reacts, it produces bad smelling compounds and fatty acids in the mouth.

Food, drinks and habits that can have an influence on bad breath include but are not limited to:

1. Meat
2. Fish
3. Garlic
4. Onions
5. Cheese
6. Cigarettes
7. Alcohol

Morning breath is a notorious condition for which people seek bad breath treatment. This is mostly the result of the mouth being less exposed to oxygen during the night. Due to the mouth’s inactivity, these gasses gets trapped and find that there is no form of escape to alleviate the foul smell.

In the majority of cases bad breath are short-lived and can be quickly and easily treated with over the counter products such as brushing with a good toothpaste, flossing between the teeth to catch the food particles stuck there and by rinsing out the mouth with a good mouthwash.

Persistent bad breath or chronic bad breath affects some 25% of the population to varying degrees. In cases that are very serious, there are sometimes a medical origin and it needs to be looked at by a dental professional or maybe even a doctor or specialist. Examples of medical cause of bad breath includes things like:

1. Sinusitis or sinus infections with post nasal drips
2. Lung diseases
3. Diabetes
4. Liver disease
5. Kidney disease
6. Tonsillitis
7. Gallbladder dysfunction
8. Carcinomas
9. Menstruation
10. Anorexia
11. Obesity

It is also possible for serious conditions of bad breath to have causes that originates in the dental region such as:

1. Periodontal or gum disease
2. Oral cancers
3. Extensive dental decay
4. Oral infections or abscesses
5. Xerostomia or dry mouth conditions
6. Oral conditions caused by discharges or post-nasal drips
7. Allergy conditions or reactions to food intake

Over 600 different types of bacteria can be found in the average person’s mouth and several dozen of these can be the possible cause of foul odors. They create such a volatile sulfur compound that is even measurable with special equipment. This happens when the proteins a person consumes start breaking down the amino acids to produce bad smelling gasses called hydrogen sulfide.

Your first cause of action when you suffer from chronic bad breath is to seek the attention of your dental professional and see if they prescribe any specific bad breath treatment for you. They will usually prescribe a method of treatment and then monitor the situation over a few weeks. If you show other signs or symptoms over and above the bad smelling breath, make sure that you get yourself checked up by a doctor to eliminate a more serious underlying condition.