The Top 3 Manual Toothbrushes I Recommend to Patients

Dental Maintenance No Comments

Q

What’s the best manual toothbrush?

A

I get asked this a lot. For something as basic as brushing twice daily, we sure have made it complicated!

Here, I’ll walk you through…

1. What actually matters when choosing a brush

2. The three that I most commonly recommend

What matters when choosing a brush

The things I look for, in order of importance:

Soft (or extra) soft bristles: This is priority number one. Medium and hard bristles can cause gingival abrasion or create microabrasions in enamel, which can leave the teeth more susceptible to cavities, gum recession, and sensitivity.Quality bristles: This is a must-have because of the potential for bristles to do major damage. I’ve seen this damage first-hand in my patients. When a manufacturer takes shortcuts, the result is low quality bristles with sharp or jagged edges which damage teeth.STOP using medium or hard bristles, which can cause gingival abrasion + create microabrasions in enamel.

Bristles should be
1. soft
2. quality
3. replaced often@AmerDentalAssn seal of acceptance is a good guide for determining bristle quality

— Dr. Mark Burhenne (@askthedentist) February 21, 2021

How Important is the ADA Seal?

The ADA Seal of Acceptance lays out a good framework for how to judge whether bristles are safe. That said, there are some great toothbrushes out there that couldn’t afford going through the ADA Seal process even though they meet the requirements—two of these is included in my list below, the Oral-B and the Nimbus. To qualify for the seal, the manufacturer must provide evidence that their bristles are “free of sharp or jagged edges and endpoints” as well as pay a fee to be able to use the seal in their marketing.

In other words, if you’re in a hurry, the ADA Seal is a good shortcut. But, there aren’t that many brushes that have it. If in doubt, consult your dentist to ask if a brush has quality bristles or not.

Ask the Dentist is supported by readers. If you use one of the links below and buy something, Ask the Dentist makes a little bit of money at no additional cost to you. I rigorously research, test, and use thousands of products every year, but recommend only a small fraction of these. I only promote products that I truly feel will be valuable to you in improving your oral health.

Which Manual Brushes I Recommend

Best Manual Toothbrush for People Who Brush Too Hard

Radius Source

The wide massaging head helps prevent doing enamel and gum damage, since the forces are spread over a great surface area.The Radius Source reduces toothbrush waste by 93%. You keep the same handle and just change the replacement heads.The super-soft vegetable nylon bristles are great for bleeding, receding, or sensitive gums.Personally, I love the grip on this one. This is my personal go-to that I use daily. I also travel with the Radius Travel, which has the exact same head as the regular model.

Best Budget-friendly Manual Toothbrush

Oral-B Cross Action Manual Toothbrush

I gave these out in my private practice for over 30 years, so I’ve seen the long term effects of this brush, so I trust it implicitly. This is the old standby, you can’t go wrong.This brush works out to be just under $2.50 per brush.The value pack size is something I hope will encourage you to replace your toothbrush often (every 4-6 weeks to prevent bristles from wearing out and doing damage).I like to keep these on hand for guests who forgot their toothbrush.

Best Manual Toothbrush for Bleeding or Receding Gums

Nimbus Extra Soft Toothbrushes

This brush does NOT have the ADA Seal of Acceptance, simply because they are a small business that hasn’t paid for it. But it certainly meets the requirements. This is a great example of why the ADA Seal of Acceptance is a good shortcut, but it certainly misses a lot of great brushes.Invented by a periodontist, designed to get in between spaces, which is especially great for people with gingivitis or gum recession.The first time you use this brush, you might notice your teeth don’t feel as clean. Give it time to adjust—your teeth are getting clean without the harsh scrubbing, I promise.The beauty of the Nimbus is that it alerts you to areas in your mouth where you have recession or gingivitis. You’ll notice tenderness whenever the Nimbus bristles come to an area of the gums that inflamed—alerting you to focus a bit more on that area. I noticed this the first time I tried the Nimbus on myself—it caused tenderness in all of my usual areas of inflammation. By knowing the areas I needed to work on, over time, those areas got better! What wonderful feedback to be getting from a toothbrush, and a manual one at that!

So, there you have it. Those are my go-to manual toothbrush recommendations, but certainly not the only great manual brushes to choose from.

To recap, bristles should be…

SoftQuality (Use ADA Seal of Acceptance guidelines to determine this—not necessarily the Seal itself, which is pay to play)Replaced often (every 4-6 weeks, because even the best quality toothbrush will wear out and become too sharp for enamel)

Hope that simplifies things for you a bit! For further reading, I recommend my guide How to Brush Your Teeth to improve your technique as well as my guide to the best electric toothbrushes. 

Referenceshttps://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/ada-seal-products/category-display/compare-products/product-report?productid=3987&company=Radius+Corp.https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/toothbrushesAmerican National Standards Institute/American Dental Association. Standard No. 119 Manual Toothbrushes. Chicago, IL: American Dental Association; 2015.https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/ada-seal-of-acceptance/how-to-earn-the-ada-seal/general-criteria-for-acceptance

The post The Top 3 Manual Toothbrushes I Recommend to Patients appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=217

New Study: How Does P. Gingivalis Colonize the Mouth?

Dental Maintenance No Comments

A new study, conducted by a team at the University of Buffalo, reports that a bacterium called Veillonella parvula plays a supporting role in causing gum diseases by inducing the multiplication of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The aim of the study, published in The ISME Journal, was to understand the ways by which P.gingivalis forms colonies inside the mouth.

The question was how this pathogen could populate without growth molecules. The researchers found out that it obtained growth molecules from Vparvula, a common bacterium of our oral microbiome.

The presence of V. parvula alone is not harmful. It is their proliferation, which occurs in a mouth with poor hygiene, that kickstarts the replication of P. gingivalis.

Highlights of The Study

The researchers at the UB School of Dental Medicine investigated Pgingivalis for around two decades. The study could be summarised as follows:

The study was conducted on a pertinent mouse model and in vitro culture systems and was focused on understanding how the growth molecules controlled the growth and colonization of P. gingivalisFive bacterial species that are prevalent during gum disease were selected and the interaction between the growth molecules of these bacteria with P. gingivalis was tested.Of the five types of bacteria, it was noticed that only the growth molecules of V. parvula influenced the multiplication of P. gingivalis.Another interesting finding was that P. gingivalis stopped multiplying when V. paravula was eliminated from the microbiome. However, the presence of V. paravula was not enough as the replication of P. gingivalis was triggered only when V. paravula existed in a large population.The study suggested that P. gingivalis enjoyed a unidirectional relationship with V. paravula as the sharing of growth molecules brought no obvious advantage to the latter.Apart from the growth molecules, V. paravula forms heme (blood) that served as an excellent source of iron for P. gingivalis.The unidirectional relationship was further confirmed by an increase in periodontal bone loss caused by P. gingivalis in the presence of V.paravula.It remains unclear if the growth-stimulating molecules produced by P. gingivalis are similar to that of V.paravula and more research is needed.

Why This Matters

Over 47% of adults above 30 years of age have some form of gum disease, according to the CDC.

Researchers could formulate specific therapies to manage periodontitis with the help of a deeper insight into the relation between Vparvula and Pgingivalis. Here are a few points that the investigators came up with:

In a person with good oral health, P.gingivalis forms a very small percentage of the microflora inside the mouth and it cannot multiply.On the other hand, in individuals with poor oral hygiene and minimal plaque control, V.parvula multiplies at a rapid rate and produces sufficient growth molecules that can trigger the replication process of Pgingivalis

Therapies that aim at removing V. parvula from the oral microflora can prove beneficial in keeping gum diseases at bay. However, we should bear in mind that their presence alone is not harmful. It is their proliferation, which occurs in a mouth with poor hygiene, that kickstarts the replication of P. gingivalis. Hence, plaque control and maintenance of good oral hygiene are certainly the best ways of preventing and treating periodontal disease.

ReferencesAnilei Hoare, Hui Wang, Archana Meethil, Loreto Abusleme, Bo-Young Hong, Niki M. Moutsopoulos, Philip D. Marsh, George Hajishengallis & Patricia I. Diaz (2020). The ISME Journal Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology. A cross-species interaction with a symbiotic commensal enables cell-density-dependent growth and in vivo virulence of an oral pathogen. Full text: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41396-020-00865-y

The post New Study: How Does P. Gingivalis Colonize the Mouth? appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=215

‘Heal Your Oral Microbiome’ Book Review

Dental Care No Comments

Many health-related articles and websites point to having a healthy gut microbiome as the key to living an overall healthy lifestyle. However, before the gut microbiome comes into the picture, it’s the oral microbiome that is at the forefront of keeping you and your immune system in good condition. 

Maintaining a healthy oral microbiome is a major focus of my dentistry, so I am always looking for resources that will help guide people in taking the best care of their mouths.

That’s where the book, Heal Your Oral Microbiome, by Cass Nelson-Dooley comes in. This book focuses exclusively on the oral microbiome and teaches you how your mouth paves the way towards full-body health, as well as important steps to take in order to heal and balance your oral microbiome.

It’s the first book of its kind. During 40 years of dental practice, I had never before read information like this- all in one place. Yet, as dentists, we are working with the oral microbiome every day. I’m so happy this information is finally available to patients and dentists alike. This is why I call Heal Your Oral Microbiome a “pillar book.” It’s one of my top four most highly recommended books.

These “Pillar Books” Are Game-Changers in the Field of Dental Health

Heal Your Oral MicrobiomeVitamin K2 and the Calcium ParadoxTongue-TiedJaws

What is Heal Your Oral Microbiome about? 

Heal Your Oral Microbiome dives into the world of bacteria contained within your mouth and offers science-based tips on how you can improve your health by first fixing your mouth-gut microbiome connection. 

Qualified Author

The author, Cass Nelson-Dooley, M.S., began her career in the field of science and natural medicine after she studied medicinal plants in the rain forests of Panama, in 2003. She researched the pharmacology of medicinal plants at the University of Georgia and AptoTec, Inc, and then started a career in laboratory testing at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory. She has over a decade of experience teaching doctors about integrative and functional laboratory results. She owns Health First Consulting, LLC, a medical communications company with the mission to improve human health using the written word. In addition to Heal Your Oral Microbiome, Ms. Nelson-Dooley has published case studies, book chapters, and journal articles about natural medicine, nutrition, and laboratory testing.  

What This Book Will Tell You

From the start of her book, Nelson-Dooley aims for the reader to recognize that the oral microbiome is made up of 99 percent “good,” or necessary, bacteria and only about one percent “bad,” or infectious, bacteria, and the key to having a healthy oral microbiome is actively nourishing those good bacteria instead of trying to kill off the tiny amount of bad ones.

The author highlights the essential roles that the good bacteria in your oral microbiome perform, including protecting you from pathogens, regulating your immune response, making vitamins, and even helping you lose weight. But most importantly, the good bacteria in your oral microbiome help you build up a resistance to infections from any bad bacteria that manage to slip past your defenses. 

Amidst an informative tour of the oral cavity and easy-to-understand scientific descriptions of the most common oral diseases, Heal Your Oral Microbiome focuses on the natural, safe things you can do to optimize your oral microbiome.

Key Tips from the Book

Here are a few key takeaways from Heal Your Microbiome that I found to be the most helpful and that you can easily apply to your day-to-day life. 

Eat more prebiotic-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits to build your oral microbiome

A diet that is low in sugar and refined carbohydrates can encourage a healthier oral microbiome. Sugar and packaged foods (those containing refined carbohydrates) promote dysbiosis of the oral microbiome, which show up as cavities, gum disease, or root canal infections. To feed your healthy oral bacteria with the prebiotics they crave, it’s best to eat whole foods rich in fiber, and eat the rainbow of fruits and vegetables. But you can also take prebiotics in a powder form or a chewable, like Hyperbiotics’ Prebiotic.

Boost your dental health and say goodbye to the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers, Helicobacter pylori

It’s hard to believe that brushing and flossing can reduce stomach ulcers, but Nelson-Dooley shows that the mouth is intimately linked to the gut in Heal Your Oral Microbiome. People who get regular dental cleanings can get rid of ulcers and H. pylori more effectively than those who don’t. The benefits of dental hygiene for whole-body health don’t stop there. Brushing and flossing can also lower inflammatory markers in your blood and reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Stay away from antiseptic mouthwashes

Bacteria that live in your mouth help you make a chemical called nitric oxide, which plays a critical role in your cardiovascular system by making blood flow smoothly. However, using antiseptic mouthwash usually kills both the bad and good bacteria in your mouth. And once the good bacteria is damaged, it can no longer produce nitric oxide, and your blood pressure can increase.

Final Thoughts on Heal Your Oral Microbiome

Heal Your Oral Microbiome is a must read if you truly want to understand oral health and how it affects the health of your overall systemic wellbeing. I have been practicing dentistry for 40 years and I think this should be required reading in dental schools. Easily read by both the layperson and professional, this book is a healthcare gem, and will, by reading it, greatly improve the quality of your life. An essential read for better health!

The post ‘Heal Your Oral Microbiome’ Book Review appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Best Black Friday Deals on Oral Care Products

Dental Maintenance No Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

This entire week is a great time to get deals on electric toothbrushes, hydroxyapatite toothpaste, and much more.

Many of you have asked me via Instagram for a round-up of the Black Friday deals for my favorite oral care products, so here we go:

Boka Holiday Kit

Best All-in-One Deal with Everything I Recommend

Black Friday Deal: Use the link here and save an additional 15% by using the code ASKTHEDDS at checkout.

What It Is: Overall, this is the best deal with the full suite of everything I recommend: a sonic electric toothbrush which outperforms oscillatory electric brushes at getting into the in-between spaces, two replacement heads two tubes of hydroxyapatite toothpaste, and two manual brushes and floss.

Why I Like It:

This is the hydroxyapatite toothpaste I use daily, which has cured my sensitivityThe active ingredient, hydroxyapatite, is as effective as fluoride in re-mineralizing tooth structure, but without the toxicity concerns of fluorideThe refills program, because so much of gum recession and sensitivity is caused by not replacing toothbrush heads as often as we should (every 4-8 weeks)

Sonicare DiamondClean

Best Sonic Brush with App

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 11% off starting today

What It Is: Rechargeable electric toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity

Why I Like It:

Sonic brushes are better than oscillatory at reducing gingival inflammation and reaching in between the teeth and gumsThe connected app has good UX and shows you which areas you missed, which is the next best thing to getting a dentist’s live feedback on your brushing

Oral-B Vitality

Best for Staining

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 29% off starting today

What It Is: The best budget electric toothbrush that I recommend for anyone with a high-carbohydrate diet, lots of plaque and/or stain buildup)

Why I Like It:

If you don’t care about any of the bells and whistles, and just want an electric toothbrush that does a quality job with no gimmicks, this is itReduces plaque and gingivitis more than manual toothbrushes, without any injury to gums

For Babies, Toddlers & Kids

Melissa & Doug Dentist Kit

Best Kids Gift

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 27% off starting today while supplies last

What It Is: Dentist Kit with pretend play set of teeth and dental accessories (26 Toy Pieces)

Why I Like It:

For years, I’ve wanted to get my granddaughter a dental play kit. But all of them are way too scary—except for this one, which launched just last month. Kids learn via play, and this play kit teaches habits they’ll carry into adulthood.Eases fear and anxiety for positive, stress-free dentist visits

RiseWell Hydroxyapatite Kids Toothpaste

Best Fluoride Alternative

Black Friday Deal: Get it here and save 10% by using the code ASKTHEDENTIST upon checkout

What It Is: A hydroxyapatite toothpaste for kids made of 100% safe and natural ingredients that effectively clean and protect the teeth

Why I Like It:

Made with naturally-derived hydroxyapatite, a mineral that makes up 90% of our tooth enamelAs effective as fluoride in re-mineralizing tooth structure without the concerns of fluorideMy granddaughter loves the birthday cake flavor

Jordan Step 1 Baby Toothbrush

Best Baby Brush

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 33% off starting today

What It Is: My favorite toothbrush for babies 6-12 months old

Why I Like It:

Soft bristles ensure a positive experience from day oneLarge rubber handle is easy for babies to hold, hard to choke on

DrFormulas Nexabiotic Powder

Best Probiotic Supplement

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 21% off starting today

What It Is: Probiotic powder for babies and kids

Why I Like It:

Formula contains both prebiotics and probiotics, both of which are needed to properly support bacterial diversity in a developing oral microbiomeCan be mixed in with both formula or breast milk

FLOSS

RiseWell Hydroxyapatite Floss

Best for Chronic Cavities

Black Friday Deal: Get it here and save 10% by using the code ASKTHEDENTIST upon checkout

What It Is: World’s first and only hydroxyapatite-infused dental floss, letting you get hydroxyapatite to the areas in-between teeth where cavities are most likely to occur in most cases

Why I Like It:

Delivers re-mineralizing hydroxyapatite to overlooked tight spots between teeth (which is where most cavities develop)Floss glides comfortably and smoothly, while expanding slightly for more effective cleaning

SLEEP

Somnifix Mouth Tape

Best Mouth Tape

Black Friday Deal: Use this link to get 15% off the one-pack and three-packs, plus 33% off auto ship

What It Is: Mouth taping is the best health hack out there, in my opinion. By mouth taping nightly, you’ll improve your sleep quality, snoring, dry mouth, immunity, nitric oxide production, and even your susceptibility to cavities.

Why I Like It:

Does not hurt when it comes offSticky enough to keep your lips closed during sleep, while allowing for your mouth to easily open if you have serious issues breathing through your nose at night

Nexcare Mouth Tape

Best Budget Mouth Tape

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 6% off starting today

What It Is: Best budget mouth tape

Why I Like It:

OK, it’s only 6% which isn’t much, but if you’re on a budget, this is the best budget alternative to SomnifixDoes not hurt when it comes off

Good Morning Snore Solution

Best for People with Large Tongues

Black Friday Deal: Get it here and save 30% off by using the code BFBOGO for Good Morning Snore Solution Multi Packs

What It Is: Tongue retention device

Why I Like It:

Helps to open up the airway for better sleep breathing by holding the tongue out of the way and preventing it from collapsing during deep stages of sleepIt’s a non-invasive way to see if you benefit from airway-related therapies

Molekule Air Purifier

Black Friday Deal: Get it here and save up to $300 by using the code EARLYACCESS for all their products (except filter parts and Air Pro RX)

What It Is: These purifiers are quieter than most and with their PECO (Photo Electrochemical Oxidation) technology, it actually destroys pollutants, including VOCs and mold.

Why I Like It:

No matter how you eat or how much you exercise, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly, and that is largely affected by the quality of the air you breatheMy wife and I have one in every room of the house and have noticed the difference in congestion levels during the dayReducing congestion is essential to better nasal breathing, and thus, better sleep quality, which I’m even more obsessed with after reading (and collaborating on) James Nestor’s book, Breath (a must-read!)

Naväge Nasal Care

Black Friday Deal: Get it here for 9% off

What It Is: Nose cleaner and 20 salt pods

Why I Like It:

Flushes everything out for all-important nasal breathing during sleepWorks for fast, all-natural relief from allergies and sinus congestion without the use of drugs

The post Best Black Friday Deals on Oral Care Products appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=200

Dental Buddy gets a fresh new look

Dental Services No Comments


Dental Buddy, the Oral Health Foundation’s free oral health education programme for nursery and school children, has been given a fresh new look ahead of the next academic year.
When it comes to improving the nation’s oral health, learning is key.  Education is so important an
d can help prevent oral health issues from occurring in the first place.  Developing the knowledge and learning the correct behaviours fo
r a healthy mouth should be a part of every child’s upbringing.  This is because the best time to pick up new habits is when we are young – when the brain is developing.
Dental Buddy aims to equip children with the tools they need for good oral health in a fun and engaging way. It does this through a series of colourful and dynamic interactive presentations and accompanying lesson plans. The presentations, which also include instructions for some experiments the children can do, take them on a step-by-step journey through which they le…

KEHS Dental Society Walkathon For Mouth Cancer

Dental Services No Comments


If it was not for our interest in pursuing dentistry, none of us would know how prevalent oral cancer is in our world. This is shocking considering around 7 people lose their life to mouth cancer everyday in the UK and in the last 12 months 145,000 people worldwide have died from this terrible disease. The latest UK mouth cancer statistics also demonstrate how essential it is for mouth cancer awareness to increase. A poll by the Oral Health Foundation found that 80% of people do not even know the symptoms of mouth cancer. That is why we decided to do something about it by taking on a marathon walk for Mouth Cancer Action. Mouth Cancer Action is a charity campaign ran by the Oral Health Foundation aimed at raising awareness of mouth cancer and highlighting the devastating effect it can have on sufferers and their families. Four of us, all Year 13 students from King Edward VI High School for Girls, will be taking on this 26 mile marathon walk on 12th August and would really appre…

Oral health charity responds to National Food Strategy Report

Dental Care No Comments


The Oral Health Foundation is calling on the government to tackle the junk food industry in a bid to improve the nation’s oral health, following the publication of a new independent report.
The landmark report by the National Food Strategy, found that poor diet contributes to around 64,000 deaths every year in England alone and costs the economy an estimated £74 billion.
Led by food entrepreneur Henry Dimbleby, the report focused heavily on highly processed junk food which are often high in salt, refined carbohydrates, sugar and fats.
The Oral Health Foundation is supporting the report, which recommends the introduction of a sugar and salt reformulation tax, designed to force manufacturers to make the food they sell to consumers healthier.
The new tax would encourage manufacturers to reduce the levels of sugar and salt in their products by reformulating their recipes or reducing their portion sizes.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, be…
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=194

All smiles for Dunbar girl after scooping national charity prize

Dental Care No Comments


A young girl from Scotland has been named by the Oral Health Foundation as the youngest winner of this year’s Nominate a Smile competition. The competition, which ran as part of the charity’s National Smile Month campaign (17 May – 17 June), aimed to find hidden heroes in communities up and down the UK.
Ten-year-old Libby lives in Dunbar Scotland with her dad, a security guard at a local power station, her mum, a dental nurse, and her little brother Myles, aged seven.  She was nominated by her mother for her infectious smile and dedication to her horse riding.

Libby is hooked on horse riding and has been volunteering at our local riding school for almost a year now.  In her nomination, Libby’s mother Karen, says: “Every single Saturday she goes down and works so hard between 9am-5pm helping to clean out barns, manage the horses, groom and feed them and help out during riding lessons. She then gets back up the next day to g…
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=192

Moveit4Smiles Bla Bheinn

Dental Maintenance No Comments


This September, Moveit4smiles will be taking on one of the most magnificent mountains in Britain – Bla Bheinn.
We’ll be walking one of the most spectacular hikes on the Isle of Skye, if not all of Scotland! Our walk will be 8km (5 mile) with an ascent of 990m.
This mammoth task will be taken on in the name of Mouth Cancer Action and to raise awareness of the importance of British children having the HPV vaccine.

Why Mouth Cancer Action
The number of brave people losing their life to mouth cancer is increasing. Latest figures show that within 12 months, more than 2,300 people in the United Kingdom, 23,000 in Europe and 145,000 worldwide, have passed away because of mouth cancer.    
Those been diagnosed has increased by more than a third in the last decade and this is predicted to rise further over the coming years to come.
Mouth cancer is a devastating disease. Those diagnosed can often suffer from problems with breathing, swallowing, drinking and eating. Speech …

Bristol Oral Health Promotion Team for Mouth Cancer Action

Dental Services No Comments


We are a team of oral health improvement practitioners who work within the community dental service improving oral health offering training, support and advice Oral Cancer is one of the leading cancers in the uk.. Around 8000 people are diagnosed per year. A huge percentage of those cases could be prevented with earlier detection .. it is our mission spread awareness.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=188

Proudly powered by WordPress & Skyrocket Themes

MENU

Navigation