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The art of the brush
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Toothbrushes come and go, but teeth should be forever
By Dr. Peter Hong
My wife says I’m a fanatic. No, that’s being kind: she thinks I’m an obsessive-compulsive who’s one step short of carrying his own plastic cutlery wherever he goes. Certainly when it comes to our kids and brushing their teeth, I guess I am a little controlling. I have three children, aged seven, 10 and 12, who haven’t yet come to the realization that as far as teeth go, cleanliness is next to godliness. Much to my chagrin, they devour the same amount of junk food and sticky candies as the next kid, and they can’t see why they should have to remove food particles and plaque from the nooks and crannies in and between their teeth. Fortunately for all of us, we discovered the electric toothbrush, and life has become a whole lot more peaceful at home.
Electric toothbrushes have been around for many years, in fact, little Richie was probably using one to brush his teeth in the washroom on the studio set of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” in the ’60s. The prototype models used to be a toothbrush that snapped into a machine, which when turned on, chugged up and down, and back and forth. They were useful, but good-old hand brushing was considered the better cleaning method.
Today, advances in design and technology have made electric toothbrushes more convenient to use and more effective at removing plaque than manual brushes. Instead of a straightforward vertical and horizontal vibration, some models are made up of separate little groups of soft bristles that rotate in different directions. The motion can be compared to whipping a mop around the kitchen floor. If you cleaned that floor up and down with a hard brush, twice a day every day, you would wear grooves in it, for sure. But if you take a soft mop and swirl it around twice a day, that floor will consistently sparkle.
To get a sense of the products available on the market, my family tested three models from Interplak, Braun/Oral B and SenSonic by Teledyne/Waterpik. In spite of its premium price tag, I preferred SenSonic’s sophisticated brush, with its claim to deliver 30,000 strokes per minute; but the rest of the team thought it vibrated too much and didn’t like the resulting tingling sensation. My children opted for Interplak’s brush, which relies on rotating bristles rather than vibration to jar loose plaque. Its built-in timer encouraged them to brush longer, which, in turn, won my heart.
Electric toothbrushes are especially useful for children, people wearing braces and other orthodontic appliances, and people who have problems with manual dexterity, like seniors who may find it difficult to grip and maneuver traditional brushes. For kids, the electric models can be a great motivator to encourage brushing because they’re fun to use. Plus, most dentists believe they do a better job in a shorter time than manual brushes.
For those content to rely on their own muscle to clean their teeth, it’s getting just as tough to decide which manual toothbrush to buy. Entering a drugstore, you’re faced with a shelf full of toothbrushes in a variety of designs and colours, each claiming to be new and improved. How do you choose? I generally recommend a soft-bristled brush that won’t damage teeth or gums. The size and shape should let you reach every tooth inside and out, and to help accomplish that, some brushes boast rubber-covered ergonomic handles with a better grip. Whichever brush you select, it should be changed at least once every three months.
Once you get a toothbrush that works for you, it’s vital to be gentle with it. Teeth weren’t meant to be scrubbed like old linoleum. Ever heard of receding gums? Horizontal scrubbing tears away gums’ edges. Be gentle to prevent gum damage and surface abrasion on your teeth. If you’re worried that a speedy electric toothbrush might accidentally hit your gums, instigating recession, don’t be. The brushes are soft because they’re supposed to make contact and slip under the gum line to remove plaque.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day, morning and night, and be especially thorough at night. The flow of saliva, a natural cleaner, slows during sleep. Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and rotate toward your teeth. Clean every surface of the tooth, even the often-neglected inside. And brush your tongue — it harbors bacteria and can be a source of halitosis or bad breath.
Since a toothbrush can’t reach two surfaces of every tooth, it’s important to floss. If teeth are tight together or there are a lot of fillings and dental work, try a waxed and shred-resistant floss. Pass the floss between each pair of teeth and use it to wipe debris and plaque from the sides of the adjacent tooth. Floss once a day, at night, so that food isn’t left for compost overnight.
Whether your toothbrush of choice is manual or electric, make sure you use it properly and follow it up with floss to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Electric brushes: what to look for
•Fully rechargeable means there’s no fumbling with batteries
•An ergonomic handle makes the electric brush easy to hold and maneuver
•Easy-to-clean designs feature minimal openings and crevices, preventing scum and mould buildup
•A sturdy base prevents tipping and damage to a bathroom floor’s porcelain tile
•Since each family member must have their own toothbrush head, make sure they’re easy to change
•Be aware that electric toothbrushes range anywhere from about $60 to $125. The cost of the tool and its replacement brushes should be reasonable.
•Be comfortable with the shape and size of the brush head
Dr. Peter Hong, on staff in the department of dentistry, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, is an instructor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry. He maintains a practice in Toronto.
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