Let's admit it.. it can be so overwhelming when you go shopping for toothbrushes. Aside from the variety of choices available in the market, the different ads that you hear every single day can really affect your decision on buying.
But how do we really choose?
First off, we have to think, why do we brush our teeth? I know a lot of people will raise their eyebrows once they read this. Regular answer will be “to prevent cavities”, which is true. But to be honest, brushing your teeth is more than just cleaning your teeth and protecting it from cavities. It’s more than having a fresh breath. I see it as a way to a good health.
When we eat, we have to understand that food particles can go in between our teeth and some could stay in the gum area. If it stays in the gum area then mix that with our saliva, it can develop into a hard substance called tartar. That’s why when you feel the back of your teeth with your tongue and it feels rough, then it’s probably that time of the year that you have to take an appointment. Try it..
So when there’s a tartar buildup, it will irritate the gums and develop into a periodontal disease.
Perio what?????
" Periodontal disease (also known as "gum disease" or "Pyorrhea") is an ongoing bacterial infection in the gums and bone which support your teeth. If not treated, this ongoing infection can cause you to lose your teeth. Periodontal infection is responsible for 75% of adult tooth loss. "But …. How do we prevent periodontal infection? By brushing correctly…
On manual toothbrushes..
Dentists usually advise us to brush our teeth in a 45° angle tilting the brush against the gum line then rolling it away from the gum line. This has been the most useful technique for a long time now. So it’s actually an act of sweeping the dirt away from the gums, as well as of course, away from your teeth. This is true for manual toothbrushes. Just make sure that the head of the brush is small enough to fit inside your mouth. The bristles must be soft too or else it will be too harsh to your gums. You don’t want that.
So if this has been the most useful technique and most dentists and hygienists usually say this at the end of each Oral Hygiene appointment, how come most patients still come back with a periodontal infection? Health problems? Maybe.. Smoking? probably... There are a lot of factors but we shouldn’t deny the fact that maybe because NOT a lot of people has dexterity. Some can brush their teeth wonderfully, but some cannot. They just can’t!
So that’s where the ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES come in. That’s where you see its functionality. But then again, with all the electric toothbrushes available in the market, how do we know which one suits our needs? |It’s really confusing..
In my case, manual brushing doesn’t do anything for me. I feel that it doesn’t clean my teeth at all. That’s why I switched to Electric. Electric toothbrushes are designed to help the people to lessen the fact that they have to tilt the brush at 45° when brushing. Because as I’ve said not all people can do that. All you need to do is basically just move the brush from left to right and the vibration will do all the cleaning. But then again, not all electric toothbrushes work the same. Some will just spin and spin, and will not do anything at all.As far as I know, I already used most of the electric toothbrushes in the market. Right now, I’m using Philips Sonicare. When I bought it, I fell in love with the design and the sterilizer that came with the kit. It’s far more expensive than the usual electric toothbrushes, but what made me stick to it was that I feel that my teeth are thoroughly cleaned. I just have to position the brush against my teeth and it will do all the work for me.
Bottomline is if you can promise with all your heart that you can brush your teeth correctly go with the manual brushing. If you can’t then use Electric toothbrush. Do not think of it as another expensive purchase, thus it’s an investment to your health.
Just do not forget to brush your teeth for 2 minutes! Happy brushing!
