Before I can ask my question, I have to explain a few things. Sonicare is a type of electric toothbrush (www.sonicare.com). My model has something called QuadPacer where you brush your teeth by “quadrants.” It’s basically a timer that beeps every 30seconds up to 2minutes at the end of which the toothbrush automatically turns off. You brush the first quadrant for 30seconds, then switch over the second quadrant when the toothbrush beeps, and then continue to the third quadrant when it beeps yet again. This is to ensure that you brush at least 2minutes, which is the recommended amount of time suggested by dentists supposedly.
The strange thing I found with the instructions is how the quadrants of your teeth are divided. The four quadrants are the top front of your teeth, the top back, the bottom front, and the bottom back. So my question is why aren’t the chewing surfaces included in the recommended 2minutes of brushing time? When you use a regular brush it’s completely standard to brush over the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
Yes I know that its possible to turn the toothbrush on again and brush the chewing surfaces (In fact the instructions mentions this as well, but its implied that its only optional). But I believe that all the claims that the toothbrush makes on removing plaque and reversing gingivitis is based on only the 2minute brushing cycle which DOESNT include cleaning the chewing surfaces. Can someone give me the straight dope on why it seems that brushing chewing surfaces just arent as important as the front and back surfaces and inbetween?
All the material I’ve read implies that the chewing surfaces are just as important as the other surfaces, but not as important as cleaning between the teeth (because the chewing surfaces are scrubbed by chewing, and by the tongue). I suspect that the SoniCare was designed by measuring efficacy at cleaning between teeth, and its QuadPacer is designed to maximize efficiency at that job. It follows that it’s not as well-suited to cleaning chewing surfaces, or at least that such cleaning was something of an afterthought.
Well hang on a moment… the front teeth (top and bottom) need cleaning on two surfaces (inside and outside) and the back ones need cleaning on three surfaces (inside, outside and chewing surface) - that’s a lot more than four surfaces anyway, so:
Quadrant 1
1 Top front outside
2 Top front inside
Quadrant 2
3 Top back outside
4 Top back chewing
5 Top back inside
Quadrant 3
3 Bottom back outside
4 Bottom back chewing
5 Bottom back inside
Quadrant 4
1 Bottom front outside
2 Bottom front inside
I think what you’re interpreting as the referent of “front” and “back” (which teeth) is different from what the OP is interpreting as the referent (which surface). That is: OP’s “top front” is your “top outside”.
Sily me I did not real all the instructions for my Sonicare.
I do it this way:
Right side upper (from front to back)
Left side upper
Left side lower
Right side lower
During each 30 second stint, do outside, inside, and tops of the teeth on that side.
Turn on unit again and a few extra seconds around front of teeth inside and out.
I’m pointing out the quadrants as defined by the Sonicare instructions.
They are outside top, inside top, outside bottom, and inside bottom. It doesnt include the chewing surfaces of your mouth which is why I asked my question.
I was thinking exactly of doing this. Separating the quadrants into upper left, upper right, bottom left and bottom right. Then turning it on for a few extra seconds of making the front teeth inside and outside are clean. But Nametag brought up a good point in that I dont think the Sonicare is really designed to clean the chewing surfaces. Oh well, better then nothing I suppose.
I had this exact conversation at a Doper brunch in NYC once. Hunh.
I tend to use my “quadrant time” to occasionally run the brush over the chewing surfaces. I assume this is what Sonicare wants you to do, although they could be more explicit.
Very interesting. I’ve never even thought about using my Sonicare to do the chewing surfaces. In the three or four years I’ve had it, I’ve had near perfect dental exams, and neither the dentist nor the hygienist has ever mentioned anything about problems with my chewing surfaces. I just follow the instructions for the four quadrants and leave it at that. (I’ll certainly be thinking about the chewing surfaces when I brush my teeth tonight.)
I “do” the quaqdrants, then rinse my brush, then do a little inspection with my tounge, if I find any areas that aren’t suppa’ clean and slippery. I put a tiny bit more paste on and do a quicky vibra-scrub in that area, plus once quick once-over every where else…
[/shameless plug] The sonicare feels so good on my gums I really enjoy brushing again [/end shamelss plug]
Wait, wait, wait - am I correct in understanding that some of you don’t brush your chewing surfaces? That’s a significant portion of your teeth! I’m freaking blown away at the thought of just not doing it!
Anyway, I interpreted the instructions that came with mine to include the chewing surfaces as I brushed the backs of my teeth. Anyone who stops brushing them or concludes that the toothbrush isn’t designed to clean them based on the instructions (though apparently they were unclear) is far, far too literal.
Anyway, it takes me about three minutes to brush mine anyway - I turn it back on so that I can finish up, give the gums another going-over, and then brush my tongue and hard palate (I know the latter’s an odd habit, but my mouth just doesn’t feel clean till I’ve brushed every accessible surface.)
Oh well, better then nothing I suppose.
