With all the bells and whistles and hundreds of toothbrushes on the market, you’ve got to wonder, which is really the best toothbrush to buy — manual or electric? According to the Academy o fGeneral Dentistry, the best toothbrush that you can buy is the one that you will actually use. That’s it. Yes, it’s really that simple. While both electric and manual toothbrushes have some pros and cons, the bottom line is which one you will use. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes.

If you’re not sure which type of toothbrush you would use the most, I have provided some pros and cons of both:

Α)Manual Toothbrush
Pros

• Inexpensive
• Most have an easy grip handle
• Easy to travel with

Cons

• No built in timer to tell you when two minutes are up
• Can be difficult to some people to hold onto firmly

Β)Electric Toothbrushes
Pros

• Most have larger ergonomic handles
• Some have built in timers that let you know when you have brushed for a full two minutes
• The feel and buzzing of an electric tooth brush feels good to a lot of people.

Cons

• • We don’t have total control of the movement so some difficult spots are not cleaned as well
  • Some electric toothbrushes can be quite expensive

Since everyone is different, I think it’s really good to have a variety of dental products to choose from.

Deciding whether to buy an electric or manual toothbrush basically comes down to what the user desires as far as comfort and convenience go. Whatever toothbrush that you decide to buy, remember that  using it is what’s really important.

We advise our patients, adults as well as children, to change their tooth brush every 3 months, because they become worn out and are not as effective as they were in the beginning. Exceptions to this would be if you were using an electric toothbrush, and the manufacturer states otherwise. Some electric rechargeable toothbrushes have very good brush heads that only need to be changed every 6 months. If you have gum disease, you should change your toothbrush every 4 – 6 weeks because bacteria can harbor in the bristles. You should always rinse your toothbrush out with hot water after every use and change it after you have been sick.

Research proves that up to 30% of the population may be genetically susceptible to gum disease. Despite aggressive oral care habits, these people may be six times more likely to develop periodontal disease. Identifying these people with a genetic test before they even show signs of the disease and getting them into early interventive treatment may help them keep their teeth for a lifetime.

Periodontal disease may be passed from parents to children and between couples, according to an article in the September 1997 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association. Researchers suggest that bacteria causing periodontal disease are passed though saliva. This means that when a family or couple come into contact with each other’s saliva, they’re at risk for contracting the periodontal disease of another family member. Based on this research, the American Academy of Periodontology recognizes that treatment of gum disease may involve entire families. If one family member has periodontal disease, the AAP recommends that all family members see a dental professional for a periodontal disease screening.

Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. They can help prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompany bridgework or dentures. In addition, they don’t sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth like a bridge because neighboring teeth are not altered to support the implant.

Implants are secure and offer freedom from the clicks and wobbles of dentures. The success rate of implants is highly predictable.

Tooth discoloration is a normal part of aging. As people age, enamel wears down, and teeth take on a duller appearance. Teeth can also become discolored from smoking and heavy consumption of coffee or tea.

Other causes of tooth discoloration include side effects of medications (specifically certain antibiotics) used during the developmental phase of the teeth, an individual’s genetic makeup, and excessive fluoride consumption (fluorosis, seen in both children and adults).

Teeth whitening and veneers offer a cosmetic dentistry solution for people with discolored or dull-looking teeth..

Dentists take protective measures to prevent discomfort during teeth whitening procedures. Typically, a protective gel or rubber shield is used to prevent bleaching agents from damaging gum tissue.

The most common bleaching agents used by dentists are approved for use by the American Dental Association, ensuring safety and effectiveness.

After the whitening procedure, you may experience minimal tooth sensitivity for a short period of time.

Recent research indicates that psychological factors, such as stress, depression, sense of abd mood or loneliness are associated with increased appearance of periodontal disease.

Researchers believe, that the increase of the hormone cortisol, which usually occurs in stress situations can play a role in the increased destruction of periodontal tissues.

Patients with psychological problems are more likely to have habits, which adversely affect the periodontal health, such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or drug consumption.

According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there is a probable connection between periodontitis and heart disease, myocardial infarct, stroke etc. while treatment of periodontal disease may lead to improved function of the blood vessels.

Many women have the so called pregnancy – gingivitis. This situation can be annoying, as the clinical picture includes gum swelling, severe redness of the tissues inside the mouth and bleeding.

Also many times small benign tumors appear on the gums, which are called “pregnancy – epulis”. If pregnancy – gingivitis gets out of control, it may evolve to a more disastrous condition called chronic periodontitis, which causes irreversible damage on the support structures of the teeth.

It is also possible that the inflammation established in the mouth, may affect the health of the fetus. Let us not forget that the periodontal problems that may become more serious during pregnancy, can lead to acute situations (abscesses, e.t.c.) and may require antibiotic therapy, something we try to avoid during pregnancy.

Yes, now white fillings perfectly mimic the colour of the natural tooth, so that it is no longer possible to distinguish the point where the tooth stops and the filling begins. We owe this to the new composite resins that are specialized for fillings in the front teeth and have perfected natural properties.

These materials perfectly mimic the colour and light transmission of the surface (enamel) and inner layer of the tooth (dentin).

They also have the advantage, due to their improved chemical composition, that over time they do not yellow but keep their original colour unchanged. So we can say that the new generation of white fillings are truly invisible!