Why You Should Switch to an Electric Toothbrush
How many of us take the time to diligently brush each and every tooth, twice a day? Or even pay attention to how carefully we brush? Well, there is one easy way to help with that, and that is to make the switch to an electric toothbrush.
They may cost more than the 3-4 toothbrushes you’re supposed to go through in a year, but the improved dental benefits can easily outweigh the cost. It isn’t only dentists who think so, either: In a survey of 16,000 patients published by the American Dental Association, more than 80 percent said they improved their oral cleanliness after switching from their manual toothbrushes to an electric version [source: Electric Toothbrush Reviews].
Electric toothbrushes do a lot of the work for you and do it better than we can. They have been engineered to properly clean each tooth. A normal person achieves about 300 strokes a second while brushing, but using an electric toothbrush improves that number to well above 3,000. The Sonic brushes can even go over 30,000 strokes per second, and all at a gentle pressure to maximize cleaning of your teeth without doing any harm.
Some of the newer electric toothbrushes also come equipped with timers to make sure we brush the full two minutes too. A variety now even come with BlueTooth and will connect with your phone to play music or tell you when to switch to a different part of your mouth.
There are some people who even argue that using an electric brush is a “greener.” According to experts at Green Your, it takes between 14 and 42 toothbrush replacement heads to equal the amount of plastic in one manual toothbrush.
If used properly, an electric toothbrush is well worth the cost, if only to improve your dental health. So take some time and look into making the switch. If you have any more questions, take some time and ask Dr. Thiel about it here at Signature Dental. Your smile will really thank you for it!
Teeth Whitening – More Than Just an Aesthetic Fix
We all want to improve ourselves on some level. No one is perfect, and no one ever will be. But we still try every day to at least feel better about ourselves. Well, there’s one easy way we can do that. It won’t cost much, it won’t be painful or use any complicated procedures, and this one simple step can have many benefits.
Have your teeth whitened!
Studies have shown the immense benefits of having your smile professionally whitened. Not only will you look better, but you will FEEL better about yourself. You will most definitely feel more confident in your smile, and feel yourself smiling bigger and more often.
The people around you will start to smile more too, as your new pearly whites will immediately brighten any room you walk into. 99% of adults think that having a white smile is an important social asset, and can also make you appear more attractive.
You won’t feel like you have to hide your smile, or do the close-lipped smiles around others, or even for photographs. If you have a special occasion coming up, and you want to look your best, having your teeth whitened is a great little touch that can help you look and feel better.
Probably the most important benefit, however, is the improvement to your dental health. While the whitening process itself doesn’t make your teeth any healthier, studies have shown that people who have their teeth whitened will begin to take better care of their teeth. You’ll want to protect your new, white teeth, and that will have positive side effects on your oral hygiene.
There are many at-home, over-the-counter whitening techniques out there, but for the best results, talk to your dentist. They will have suggestions and products you can’t find in a store. Though these may be more expensive, they will last much longer and be much more effective overall than the over-the-counter variety.
So what’re you waiting for? Set up an appointment today, your new smile is waiting!
Lear MoreFact Over Fiction: Oral Health Myths Revealed
The Good, Bad and, the Ugly About Oral Health
There are many misconceptions about oral health that can prevent us from seeking treatment when needed, or scare of unnecessarily. As the saying goes, knowledge is power, so with the help of AAP below you will find the most common misinformation below, please put it to good use!
According to the AAP, some of the most common misconceptions about oral health are:
- The primary reason for tooth brushing is to remove food debris.
FACT: Daily brushing and flossing will also keep the formation of plaque to a minimum. If not removed every 26 hours, plaque will irritate gums, which can lead to periodontal disease. - Bleeding gums are normal.
FACT: Bleeding gums are one of the eight signs of gum disease. Think of gum tissue as the skin on your hand. If your hands bled every time you washed them, you would know something is wrong. - Oral health doesn’t affect overall health.
FACT: When the gums are infected, periodontal bacterial byproducts can enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs and set off other problems. Research suggests this may contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death; increase the risk of stroke; increase a woman’s risk of having a pre-term, low birth weight baby; and pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases or osteoporosis. - Bad breath is caused by a lack of oral hygiene.
FACT: Excellent oral hygiene doesn’t necessarily relieve bad breath. There are certain kinds of bacteria in the mouth that produce volatile sulfur compounds. If these sulfur compounds build up enough, the result can be clinical bad breath. In addition to brushing and flossing, brushing the tongue (where the sulfur resides) can help eliminate bad breath. - Cavities are the number one cause of tooth loss.
FACT: Together, periodontal disease and cavities are the primary cause of tooth loss. - Pregnant women should skip professional dental checkups.
FACT: Periodontal health can affect unborn babies’ health. Studies have shown an infection during pregnancy, including periodontal disease, is cause for concern and may increase the risk of delivering a premature, low birth weight baby. - Stress does not cause problems in the mouth.
FACT: High levels of financial stress and poor coping abilities increase the likelihood of developing periodontal disease. Researchers found people who dealt with a financial strain in an active and practical way (problem-focused) rather than with avoidance techniques (emotion-focused) had no more risk of severe periodontal disease than those without money problems.