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Toothbrushing: A How to...

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 2 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

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Soft bristle, medium bristle, hard bristle or electric... Which one is better? Is toothpaste necessary? How long should you brush and how often... Hopefully this lens will answer some of those questions...

Soft Bristle, Medium Bristle, or Hard Bristle 

Which one is best!

Well years ago it was thought that hard bristles was the best, but current research supports the use of a soft bristle brush... it effectively removes the soft plaque and will not damage the teeth... Medium and Hard bristle brushes have been know to cause severe abrasion of the teeth and tooth roots... So when your at Wallgreens look for the soft tipped brushes.... and it's a good idea to change your brush every couple months or so.... and to be perfectly honest.. the electric Sonicare brush is probably the best of them all, because it makes you brush for 2 full minutes and does most of the work for you....

Toothbrush preference 

Alright who uses a regular brush and who uses an Electric!

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Get electric toothbrushes on Amazon 

Oral B S-320 Sonic Complete Rechargeable Power Toothbrush

Excellent Sonic brush with variable speeds.

Amazon Price: $88.79 (as of 10/07/2008)

Oral-B Triumph Professional Care 9400 Power Toothbrush

Great brush with a small head to reach the small nooks and crannies

Amazon Price: $70.17 (as of 10/07/2008)

Sonicare HX7361 Elite 7300 Sonic Toothbrush

Nice sonic brush.

Amazon Price: $123.99 (as of 10/07/2008)

Philips Sonicare Essence e5500 Power Toothbrush

Amazon Price: $79.99 (as of 10/07/2008)

New Flickr Pictures 

This Is My Bathroom Shelf by Claire L. Evans

This Is My Bathroom...

179 by me and the sysop

179

Weekend supplies. by nicasaurusrex

Weekend supplies.

Eurydice appeared brindled in blood and she said to Orpheus by Sebastian Fritzon

Eurydice appeared br...

Day 18: I'm tired and I hate the taste of mint. by littledropofpoison

Day 18: I'm tired an...

Ohne das eine geht das andere nicht by J>Ro

Ohne das eine geht d...

DSC_6136 by Kitt Walker

DSC_6136

Two A. M. (or) Mirror Specks by Todd Ehlers

Two A. M. (or) Mirro...

206/365 by tinney

206/365

Good morning by Miko Nukka

Good morning

So now you have selected a Brush.. What do you do with it? 

I have learned to always refer to the Hygienist as they usualy know best

Bottom line a toothbrush is used to remove Plaque from aroud the teeth and gums...A toothbrush when used correctly will more then adequately remove plaque from most places. For a great illustration head to Proper Brushing a great resource from the American Dental Hygienist's Association http://www.adha.org. The illustration above adequately displays that most of the time should be spent brushing the junction between the tooth and gum, since that is where most plaque settles. Toothpaste in not necessary for plaque removal... just pick one that tastes good... If you happen to have tooth sensitivity discuss your brand of toothpaste with your dentist or hygienist, since some types can actually cause tooth sensitivity.

Plaque! 

Plaque is the white stuff that the toothbrush removes....

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Brushing your may save your life.. 

Gum disease has been linked to Osteoporosis,Heart Disease and Stroke, Pregnancy Problems, Diabetes, and Respiratory Disease. Proper toothbrushing along with regular visits with your dentst and dental hygienist will keep gum disease at bay, for more read the Mouth Body Connection!

New YouTube 

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Extreme Toothbrushing

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LUDO - Love Me Dead - Bathroom

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Toothbrushing

Runtime: 1:28 | 376 views | Comments

Time spent brushing... 

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Cleaning Your toothbrush 

Should you sterilize your toothbrush?

Is it necessary to sterilize your toothbrush? I did a brief search and found no research to support the need to sterilize a toothbrush. The mouth is full of all kinds of bacteria, most are normally occurring and necessary. Toothbrushes are made of various types of nylon, in which the bacteria can't invade or colonize. Bacteria in theory could colonize on the surface of the brush, but this would require a few days of incubation in the necessary environment for colonization. If the brush is allowed to dry thoroughly colonization will not occur. Using a toothbrush over and over again will not re-colonize the mouth, the bacteria will never leave the mouth. The purpose of the toothbrush is to disrupt the colonization of the bacteria, not reduce their levels. There is no harm in sterilizing a toothbrush, but at this time it doesn't appear necessary. It is strongly recommended to never share a toothbrush and to not let the brush tips touch another toothbrush.
it is also a good idea to replace a tooth brush every 3 months or so. While various types of bacteria(some good, some bad) can be colonized from a used toothbrush there is no evidence that sterilizing a toothbrush will reduce the risk of periodontal disease.

Reader Feedback 

So how often do you brush? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly?

Say hello, and let us know how often you brush?

The_Book_Garden

Hi Again!
Thanks for dropping by my lens on sanitisers and for your comments. I've gone and provided a link to this lens as everyone needs expert advice on brushing their teeth and choosing a good toothbrush. :)

Posted January 27, 2008

The_Book_Garden

Some good tips and hints! Perhaps you can add a bit about the importance of cleaning your toothbrush? I found out some info about the number of germs living on the average toothbrush and wrote this page about Toothbrush Sanitizers

Posted December 27, 2007

zara

i brush 3-4 times a day, i cant stand it if i havnt brushed my teeth, plus brushing helps fight cavities and gum diseases, brushing lots of times may cure gingivitis

Posted March 02, 2007

mojaveman

Hello - Interesting site. Thanks for sharing your expertise with helpful tips and information.

How many times a day do I brush? Evidently not often enough... 2-3 times a day....

Posted August 27, 2006

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digitald3

About digitald3

I live in Las Vegas, NV... Fix teeth for a living and see lots of teeth that have been brushed and lots that haven't....:) My Office website is http;//www.sandquistdds.com

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