I was at the dentist for my 6-month cleaning yesterday. I was doing my own experiment with a manual toothbrush since the last cleaning in December (after a deep-cleaning debridement with an ultrasonic scaler and stern warnings about gingivitis - it had been a while [OK, a few years] since my last cleaning before then) - in which I have been taking care in brushing methodically, counting brush strokes, doing the whole mouth in specific order, etc. I wanted to see how bad the plaque and tartar really were if I was being specifically careful about it, and flossing, and yadda yadda.
Too much scraping, is what it came down to. For just having the full debridement, deep cleaning, and totally squeaky teeth 6 months ago, what had to be scraped off yesterday was too much. So I took the plunge and bought the $100 electronic Braun brush that was recommended by the hygienist and carried by my dentist. I was able to put it on my CareCredit account that way, and it turns out that’s a good price, can’t get it (this model) cheaper online anyway.
So that got me wondering how many other people use electronic brushes? Do you have nice cleaning visits, with little scraping? Who prefers the good old manual method? I wonder how much method has to do with plaque/tartar versus diet/genetics? My gums are apparently in good shape now, so flossing more and methodical brushing has certainly helped, but just not enough in my case.
How about the rest of the Dope? Who else uses electric brushes? Do you have your kids use them, too?
I got an electric once, mainly for the kids, but they wouldn’t use it.
I use a plain old manual toothbrush, and my dentist visits are quick and painless. My dentist says I have the cleanest teeth of any of his patients other than his wife. Of course, he might just be buttering me up.
I do use RotoPoints religiously. These are little plastic toothpicks with a triangular cross-section which are almost as good as flossing. I think that is what does it.
I use a Sonicare and love it. I visit the dentist pretty infrequently (every 2 years?) and they always say something along the lines of “Your brushing is excellent, but you need to floss more.” Using the Sonicare gives me that smooth, slippery feeling on my teeth every time I brush them, which is what I like so much. But really, I think proper flossing is the key to good dental hygiene. I suspect that manual brushing + correct flossing is better than Sonicare etc + poor/no flossing.
As a person who’s owned a Sonicare, I think the Braun Oral-B works much much better. The Sonicare head reciprocates back and forth compared to the Braun’ brushes rotating in circular direction, seems to do a better polishing job. Friends/Family who’ve tried the Braun have said that it leaves their teeth feeling cleaner than the conventional brush they were previously using, they comment that their teeth feel like they were cleaned at the dentist’s office.
When traveling I tried taking an easier-to-pack conventional type brush, ended up regretting not taking the Braun along. So now I always do.
I have a Braun Oral-B with a flossing action head. I started using the brush with a regular head about three years ago, and then a year ago got the flossing action head. The hygienist was really pleased with my teeth and gums when I started using the brush, and the results from the flossing action head make her nearly ecstatic.
I find this especially telling because my brushing habits are, um, irregular. (Don’t tell the dentist, 'kay?)
But I think a lot depends on genetics. My husband, before we got married, hadn’t been to the dentist in something like seven years. He had a heavy-duty cleaning, but no cavities. Never a cavity in his life. He just has fantastic teeth. Our neighbor, on the other hand, is fanatical about dental hygiene, and has all kinds of problems with his teeth, as do his relatives. He just got dealt a crappy hand.
It’s definitely diet and genetics. My poor SO eats very well and flosses every day, brushes 2-3x/day without fail with an extra-soft toothbrush and pricey pro-health toothbrush and a fluroide mouthwash at night and his teeth look like crap and ARE crap.
That said, if you’re having a lot of buildup, there’s a lot you can do for that, like brush after every meal and use an electric toothbrush and gargle with good mouthwash twice/day. I’m lax about gargling.
Dentist admitted I can go a full year between checkups and cleanings but I prefer the squeaky clean feel of ever 6-7 months. I have excellent genes (grandparents = no cavities, ditto parents) so I can get away with a cheapie $8 crest pro-health spinbrush.
But when I was using a manual toothbrush, if I went 7 months they’d start to feel grody.
