Toothbrushes PP FINAL

Oral Hygiene Choosing the Right Tools for Your Teeth and Gums

The best way to prevent periodon- • Replace your toothbrush every tal diseases and keep your teeth for a 2-3 months or if the bristles on lifetime is through brushing, floss- your toothbrush are bent or ing, and regular dental visits that in- frayed. A worn-out tooth brush clude a periodontal evaluation. How- will not clean your teeth prop- ever, with so many products filling erly. Also replace the brush if up the oral hygiene aisle, it is hard to you recently had a cold or flu. know which option is right for you. This will prevent reinfection. A common option is the manual DO NOT: Leave it to the Pros toothbrush; a small brush with a long • Share your toothbrush. Accord- handle that is used to clean the sur- ing to the Centers for Disease Daily brushing and flossing faces of your teeth. If you use a man- Control (CDC), the exchange of will keep the formation of den- ual toothbrush, select one with soft- body fluids from sharing tal plaque to a minimum, but it bristles that allows you to reach toothbrushes could increase the won’t completely prevent it. A every surface of each tooth. risk for infection. professional cleaning will re- If you are looking for a different • Apply too much pressure as this move hardened calculus in option than the manual toothbrush, can lead to gum recession and places your toothbrush and floss the electric toothbrush can be a good erosion of tooth enamel. have missed. alternative. An electric toothbrush is • Routinely cover your toothbrush In addition, your dental pro- also a small brush on a handle but or store it in a container. fessional should be able to tell with electric power moving the brush • Touch the toothpaste tube to you your “probing depths.” A head. Electric toothbrushes allow the your toothbrush. healthy probing depth of one to user to simply place the bristles on And of course, don’t forget to floss two millimeters with no bleed- the tooth while the vibrations do the ‘em! Research published in the Jour- ing represents a healthy cleaning. nal of Periodontology found that mouth. Probing depths of three So which brush should you tongue and tooth brushing in combi- to four that bleed generally need choose? Every person is different, so nation with dental flossing signifi- more than a simple cleaning. before making your choice, talk to cantly decreased gingival bleeding They may require a procedure your dental professional about which by 38 percent after a two-week oral called scaling and root plan- option is right for you. hygiene program. There’s no clear ing. When probing depths Whatever brush you use, follow answer on whether it’s better to floss reach five millimeters or greater these tips: first then brush or brush then floss. you may require surgical treat- DO: Flossing first may loosen plaque, ment to restore lost bone. Keep • Use a minimum amount of tooth- which can then be brushed away this pocket size guide to oral paste. Too much toothpaste with your toothbrush. health in mind and be sure not means that you have to tighten For more information on brushing to skip your next appointment! the cheeks and lips to accommo- techniques talk to you dental profes- date the extra toothpaste mate- sional or call 1 (800) FLOSS-EM rial. This excess can prevent you and ask for a complimentary copy of from getting to the back teeth to the American Academy of Periodon- brush properly. tology’s How to Brush and Floss • Allow the brush to air-dry after brochure. each use. The most harmful bac- teria will die when exposed to oxygen.

The American Academy of Periodontology Patient Page is a public service of the AAP and should not be used as a substitute for the care and advice of your personal periodontist. There may be variations in treat- The American Academy ment that your periodontist will recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. Call of Periodontology 1-800-FLOSS-EM for a free brochure on periodontal disease. www.perio.org AAP Patient Page June 2007