Hygiene Products

A wide variety of oral hygiene products are currently on the market. When you face a supermarket aisle stocked with toothbrushes, floss, mouth rinses, and other dental products, you may find selection difficult. Here are some guidelines for choosing dental care products – Avoid “Tartar Control Products”, “Whitening Agents”, and we do not recommend using Crest Complete or Colgate Total toothpastes. These various products have been noted to contribute to chronic inflammation of the gum tissues in a percentage of our patients. These product side effects can mimic the inflammation caused by periodontal disease, and lead to a faulty diagnosis.

In addition to manual toothbrushes, your choices include automatic toothbrushes and “high tech” electronic toothbrushes. These are safe and effective for the majority of patients and we find that most patients actually clean their teeth more effectively when they use the “Sonicare Ultrasonic Toothbrush” or the “Oral B 3 D Electric Toothbrushes”. We do not recommend using the cheaper battery powered toothbrushes. Oral irrigators (water spraying devices) will thoroughly rinse your mouth, but will not remove plaque from your teeth unless they used in conjunction with brushing and flossing.

Other options include interproximal toothbrushes (tiny brushes that clean between teeth) and interdental cleaners (small sticks or picks that remove plaque between teeth). If used improperly, these dental aids can injure the gums, so it is important to discuss proper use with our staff.

Fluoride toothpastes and mouth rinses, used in conjunction with brushing and flossing, can reduce tooth decay as much as 40 percent. So, fluoride products are a good buy. However, mouth rinses are not recommended for children under six. Children should use only a pea-size dab of fluoride toothpaste on the brush to avoid fluoride overdosing.

Anti-plaque rinses, approved by the American Dental Association, contain chemical agents that may help bring early gum disease under control. These rinses can be a helpful addition to brushing and flossing.

Again, our professional staff can best help you to select the dental products that are right for you.