The Little Toothbrush Handles a Big Job

If you had to rank the items most important to dental care, you would certainly have to include the toothbrush. Your family dentist in Austin, TX probably hands you or your children a brand new toothbrush every time you have your teeth cleaned. There’s a good reason too. A worn out toothbrush is not an effective tool for maintaining good dental health.

Size of the Toothbrush and Size of Your Mouth

When it’s time to buy a new toothbrush, you may have noticed the overwhelming number of choices. Toothbrushes are not only made with various bristles, but they even come in different colors with differently shaped handles and necks. There are soft, medium and hard bristles; curved bristles; tapered bristles; and bristles made out of different materials.

There’s a reason for the different styles. People have varied mouth cavity sizes and the amount of room available for a toothbrush is not the same from mouth to mouth. In addition, people have different gum and teeth sensitivities. Hard bristles used on tender gums are painful and can actually cause gum damage.

Selecting the right toothbrush is important as any family dentist in Austin, TX will tell you. Cavities are caused for a lot of reasons, and one of them is using a toothbrush that is too large and unable to reach all of the teeth areas. When the toothbrush can’t clean all of the teeth surfaces, plaque builds up and eventually cavities form and gum disease develops.

How Would You Describe Your Teeth and Gums?

How do you choose the right toothbrush from among the many that are sold today? First you need to consider your personal situation. Do you have sensitive gums? Are your teeth close together or are your teeth more widely spaced? Do you have tight difficult to reach spaces in your mouth? Do you have a large hand or a small hand?

These are the kinds of considerations that go into toothbrush selection. A common mistake people make is buying hard bristled brushes. The large majority of people should not use hard bristles because they can lead to gingival recession. The bristles are simply too hard on the gums. That’s why the family dentist in Austin, TX never hands you a hard bristled toothbrush after a visit. Almost everyone should buy a medium or soft bristled toothbrush.

Other toothbrush features to keep in mind include:

> Head size – choose a size that enables the bristles to reach even the farthest recesses in your mouth including between the back molars and your cheek

> Handle size - pick a toothbrush hand that is comfortable to hold (you may have to try a few different sizes to find the best fit)

> Quality – buy a good quality toothbrush so the bristles retain their shape longer

Don’t Fall for Marketing Hype

One question people have is about the marketing hype that says the toothbrush neck shape makes a difference. It really doesn’t. What makes a difference is how often you floss and brush and how often thoroughly you clean your teeth and gums.

Your visit every six months to the family dentist in Austin, TX should supplement your home dental care. If you choose a toothbrush that fits your mouth and use it every day along with flossing, chances are your visit to the dentist will go a lot quicker. You can get home and try out that new toothbrush.

If you are interested to read more about cosmetic dentist Austin, TX and family dentist Austin, TX then please visit our website www.austintoothfairy.com.