Choosing the Right Toothbrush for Your Oral Hygiene Needs

Most people know it is very important to brush twice a day, for at least two minutes each time, but many of us don’t really think about their choice of toothbrush. It’s all too easy to go into the nearest chemist or supermarket, and to simply choose the same brand as you’ve always used, or to go for the one on special offer, but is this necessarily the best? While you might have struck it lucky, and may already be using the perfect brush for your needs, it is worth while giving the matter some thought, as having the right tools for the job is an easy way to help perfect your oral hygiene Leeds routine, and to help lessen your chances of requiring any extensive dental work at Leeds City Dentalcare.

Things to Look Out for When Choosing your Toothbrush

  • Size of the brush head. The perfect sized brush should be one you can easily use on all your tooth surfaces, even right at the back of the mouth. Choosing a bigger brush head won’t necessarily help you get the job done any faster, but will almost certainly mean you can’t reach all your tooth surfaces. If you have a particularly small mouth then you may even want to choose a child-sized brush; it really doesn’t matter if it gives you greater access.
  • Type of bristles. Most people will be better off choosing a toothbrush with softer bristles, especially if they are prone to scrubbing hard at their teeth. Using a hard or medium bristled brush won’t clean teeth any more effectively, but could cause damage to the teeth and gums. Our Leeds dental surgery does see a number of patients who have brushed their teeth too vigorously, causing the gum tissue to recede. It is also best to look for a brush that has rounded bristles as this will be more comfortable and safer to use.

Electric or Manual

Our dentist Leeds at Leeds City Dentalcare are often asked which is best, an electric or manual toothbrush? The truth is that the choice is down to personal preference and good technique. If you prefer to use a manual toothbrush and have a very good brushing technique then you should be able to adequately remove the build-up of plaque bacteria from your teeth and gums. A review looked at nearly thirty different studies on whether it was better to use a manual or electric toothbrush, and concluded there was little difference between them, although oscillating toothbrushes could prove slightly more effective than a manual brush. These are the brushes where the bristles move round and round and back and forth.

However anyone who finds it difficult to hold a manual toothbrush, or who has problems with their dexterity may want to think about investing in an electric toothbrush. They can also include a number of useful features such as built in timers which let you know when it is time to move onto the next section of your mouth, and sensors that let you know if you are scrubbing too hard. Ultimately it is your choice, and an electric brush can be a bit of an investment.

If you’d like more tips on how to brush properly, or how to improve your oral hygiene routine then please do ask one of our hygienists for advice when you next visit Leeds City Dentalcare, or you can always talk to Dr David Brown or another of our dentists about your dental needs.

Dr. David S Brown

David is principal dentist & clinical director of Leeds City Dentalcare. Having graduated at Leeds University & at the Royal College of Surgeons, London, he joined the practice in 1990 & took over as principal in 1992. He has a passion for ensuring that we are equipped with the very latest & finest equipment available securing our place as one of the best equipped practices in Yorkshire.

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What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an advanced form of gum disease, and it’s an inflammatory condition caused by the build-up of plaque bacteria. It’s something that should be taken extremely seriously, not least because it’s the biggest cause of tooth loss in adults in the world. It’s something that affects many people to some degree or other. The early stages can be easy to miss, but common symptoms include noticing you have bad breath, or that your teeth look at little longer than before. This is because the disease causes gum tissue to recede and pull away from the teeth. By this stage you may notice pockets developing around the base of your teeth, and these can become infected and full of bacteria. At its very worst periodontal disease can result in destruction of the bone supporting the teeth, leading to tooth loss.

This condition is something we really want all our patients at Leeds City Dentalcare to avoid. While the early stages of periodontal disease (gingivitis) are relatively easy to treat, the advanced stages can often be chronic, meaning it’s something we can only keep in check but cannot cure completely.

Treatments for Periodontal Disease

One of the most commonly used treatments for periodontal disease is scaling and planning. This is a deep cleaning treatment that helps to remove the infection from around the teeth. It’s an excellent treatment as scaling removes all the calculus or tartar from just above and below the gum line. Planning removes any rough spots from the exposed tooth root as these are common areas where bacteria can gather. Smoothing off the tooth root helps to make it more difficult for them to gather in this area in the future. If your teeth are quite infected then we may need to spread this treatment over several appointments and at Leeds surgery.

Sometimes we may suggest medication to enhance the effects of scaling and root planning, and to help kill off bacteria. The medication is given in tablet form, but may be placed topically into the pockets around the teeth after scaling and planning. If your teeth have been very badly affected then you might need surgery to help repair the gums, or to help regenerate bone and tissue lost to this disease.

Who is Most at Risk of Developing Periodontal Disease?

Some people are definitely more at risk of developing this condition, and if you fall into one of these categories then it’s well worth taking extra care of your oral health. People at risk include:

Smokers, as smoking is one of the most significant risk factors associated with periodontal disease. Smoking also makes it more difficult for tissues to heal after treatment, as it constricts the blood supply so the body is less able to transport essential nutrients to damaged areas.

Pregnant women or women undergoing hormonal changes can be more susceptible towards gingivitis as hormones can increase the sensitivity of the gum tissue.

People on certain types of medications may be more susceptible towards periodontal disease, especially if they slow the production of saliva. Saliva has a protective effect as it helps to wash away excess bacteria, so if insufficient quantities are produced than the mouth is more vulnerable towards infections including periodontal disease.

Diabetics are more susceptible towards developing periodontal disease, as this condition can suppress their immune system making it less able to fight off infection.

As you can see treatment for periodontal disease in Leeds can be quite extensive, and we’d really like to help you avoid the need for it. If it’s been a while since you attended our Leeds surgery for a check-up and cleaning, or if you fall into one of the higher risk groups then it’s definitely worth your while making an appointment just so we can check you haven’t got any early symptoms of periodontal disease.

Dr. David S Brown

David is principal dentist & clinical director of Leeds City Dentalcare. Having graduated at Leeds University & at the Royal College of Surgeons, London, he joined the practice in 1990 & took over as principal in 1992. He has a passion for ensuring that we are equipped with the very latest & finest equipment available securing our place as one of the best equipped practices in Yorkshire.

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What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is an incredibly common condition, and is the major cause of tooth loss throughout the world. You may also hear gum disease being described as a silent disease, and this because the early symptoms can be easy to miss as they don’t cause any pain. Gum disease is caused by plaque bacteria building up in the mouth. These bacteria are present in everyone’s mouth, and most are removed through regular brushing and flossing.

The problems begin if this doesn’t happen. Plaque bacteria will build up on the teeth and gums, producing toxins that irritate the gum tissues. This creates an inflammatory response, causing the gum tissues to become red and inflamed as the body tries to fight the bacteria. At this stage typical symptoms include noticing your gums look a bit red or puffy, or that they feel tender to the touch, or noticing they bleed when brushed. These early stages of gum disease in Leeds are called gingivitis.

Treating Gingivitis

At this stage gum disease or gingivitis can be quite easily treated at Leads City Dental Care. An appointment with Dr. David Brown or one of our other dentists in Leeds will help us assess whether or not you have this condition and if so how far it’s progressed. If caught early enough then we’re likely to recommend you have a professional cleaning with one of ourdental hygienists in our Leeds surgery. This will help remove the hardened plaque bacteria, lessening the inflammation and infection.

If your gums are quite infected then they may need to be deep cleaned. This process is often called scaling and planning, and is more intensive than a normal cleaning. It involves smoothing off any exposed tooth roots as this makes it harder for the plaque bacteria to adhere. After your professional cleaning you’ll be given strict instructions on how to care for your teeth and gums at home. Most people develop this condition because their oral hygiene routine isn’t quite up to scratch, but paying a little bit of extra attention at this stage should mean your gums improve within just a few weeks. It’s vitally important to brush thoroughly twice a day, and to persevere with flossing once a day, even if it initially causes bleeding.

What Happens If Gingivitis Isn’t Treated Promptly?

If gingivitis isn’t caught early on then it can develop into a far more serious condition called periodontitis. Periodontal disease is much more difficult to treat, and it may be that we can only offer you therapies designed to keep this disease under control rather than to cure it completely. Treatment is likely to be more invasive and more costly, and is definitely something we prefer our patients to avoid.

This is one of the reasons why Leeds City Dentalcare advocates regular dental checkups. Seeing you every six months enables our dentists to pick up any early signs quickly, so gum disease can be treated effectively, minimising any long-term damage to your gums. It’s also one of the reasons why we like our patients to see a dental hygienist at the same time. Having hardened plaque bacteria regularly removed from the teeth has been proven to be an excellent preventative measure. Certain people are more at risk of developing gum disease, particularly people with existing health conditions that affect the immune system such as diabetes. If we think you are more at risk of developing gum disease we may suggest you come in and see us more frequently.

Dr. David S Brown

David is principal dentist & clinical director of Leeds City Dentalcare. Having graduated at Leeds University & at the Royal College of Surgeons, London, he joined the practice in 1990 & took over as principal in 1992. He has a passion for ensuring that we are equipped with the very latest & finest equipment available securing our place as one of the best equipped practices in Yorkshire.

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