SOFT, MEDIUM, OR BUZZ LIGHTYEAR?

At Southern York Smile Care, Dr. Steven W. Haywood is often asked how to choose the most basic tool of oral hygiene, the toothbrush. Picking a toothbrush in Shrewsbury can be as difficult as choosing a paint color, and there seems to be just as many choices.

If you have visited the dental section of your local York grocery store or Baltimore drugstore lately, you know what I am talking about. There are brushes with bristles of varying lengths, brushes that massage your gums, and brushes that change color when they are used up. (If I had to rate them purely on their fun factor, I would choose the Spiderman brush.)

Some toothbrush manufacturers claim their brushes freshen your breath or remove stains from your teeth. How do you choose?

One key factor is the firmness of the bristles. Hard bristles may be more effective for cleaning burnt steak off a grill or hard water deposits off a shower floor. However, this does not hold true for your teeth. Medium and firm brushes can damage your gums. Soft and extra-soft bristles are plenty stiff enough to clean plague, food particles, and surface stains from your teeth. Soft bristles also offer more flexibility for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.

After having dental work or oral surgery in Baltimore, especially anything involving soft tissue grafts, make sure you use an extra-soft brush and be careful!

When buying a toothbrush for a child in New Freedom, make sure the brush feels comfortable in his or her hand. If the size and angle feels awkward, the child will be less likely to use it long enough to clean all areas of the mouth. Children do not necessarily need a child-sized tooth brush. Some Baltimore kids can manage an adult size brush better than a short, narrow child size brush. If you are unsure, ask your Shrewsbury dentist at Southern York Smile Care.

What about the electric types and water-shooters? Some Shrewsbury residents like the feeling of vibrating bristles or a mini-squirt gun blasting away at the plaque. Baltimore people with arthritis or other movement-inhibiting conditions can benefit from powered brushes which take some strain off hands and arm muscles.

Is your toothbrush doing the job? Schedule an exam with your Shrewsbury dentist at Southern York Smile Care.

At Southern York Smile Care, our quality dental hygienists instruct our Shrewsbury pediatric patients and Baltimore adult patients on proper brushing and flossing. If you haven’t experienced a dental deep cleaning at Southern York Smile Care, you don’t know how clean your teeth and gums can feel.

Schedule a thorough dental cleaning today by calling Southern York Smile Care at 717-235-3871. An outstanding feature of Southern York Smile Care is quality. We offer cosmetic dentistry and a full spectrum of restorative dental procedures.