Brush your teeth twice a day. And floss.
Excellent advice to diligently follow. Remember when the two major decisions you had surrounding your toothbrush was choosing the color of the handle and whether you wanted soft, medium or hard bristles? Today, you have lots of choices – from the size of the bristles, to their texture and firmness, to the ones that change color when it’s time to get a new brush.
And then there are electric or power toothbrushes.
A standard, “old fashioned” toothbrush can definitely get the job done if you remember to use it – and use it properly. That means brushing two full minutes (try humming a tune) in order to get to every tooth. That’s when the power of an electric toothbrush may come in handy. It can cover a larger area faster – cleaning more surfaces in the same amount of time. Brushing by hand constitutes about 300 strokes per minute. The power of the electric toothbrush is the equivalent of thousands of brush strokes per minute.
Manual brushes are smaller and can be easily tucked into a purse.
- Power brushes are better at cleaning your teeth – resulting in less plaque and gum disease.
- They are especially helpful for people who have trouble using their hands, children (because they are much more fun to use), people with dental braces (they clean around the metal parts much better), and the “lazy brusher.”
- The main drawback to the electric toothbrush is the cost. Regular toothbrushes usually cost a few dollars, while you will spend much more on an electric one.
- The brush heads for electric toothbrushes need to be replaced just as often as manual brushes, so this is an extra expense to consider.
The take-away doesn’t change – brush your teeth twice a day and don’t forget to floss. Your teeth are meant to last, but you must take care of them. Call to schedule an appointment, today. We are specialists in creating beautiful smiles: (505) 881-1159.
