One thing that frustrates me when shopping for dental products is the abundance of choices. Our patients often ask what products are best, so we wanted to share our recommendations with you.
Toothbrush
When choosing a toothbrush the one word that should come to your mind is “Sonicare”. We definitely believe this is the best toothbrush available. An electric toothbrush is better than a manual toothbrush, but if that’s not an option for you right now there is one thing to remember, soft bristles and a compact head. Medium and hard bristles over time can cause recession of your gums and create grooves in your teeth. We love the Gum brand of toothbrushes, which are difficult to find in stores, so come visit us for your hygiene appointment and we will give you one to use.
Floss
The type of floss we love to use in our office and we all use at home is the Johnson and Johnson Listerine woven floss. The packaging says Gentle Gum Care. The woven floss tends to remove more plaque and is a little gentler on your gums. If you have extremely tight contacts between your teeth, a thinner waxed or tape floss might be a better option.
Toothpaste
When you’re looking for toothpaste make sure it has fluoride. Sodium fluoride is your best option, stannous fluoride can cause staining and tissue sloughing, so check those labels! Fluoride helps to strengthen your enamel and help re-mineralize areas in the enamel that have started to decay. If you have sensitive teeth, look for sensitivity toothpaste that contains Potassium Nitrate, which helps occlude the open dentin tubules that cause sensitivity. Sensodyne is a good one because it doesn’t contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate or SLS, which is a foaming agent also found in soaps and detergents, and has been linked to canker sores.
If you’re not sure what dental products to buy, come see us, we would love to guide you through those confusing dental aisles in the store.