Electric Toothbrushes vs. Manual Toothbrushes: What’s the Difference?

It seems like everyone is jumping on the electric toothbrush bandwagon. As many experts in the dental field are claiming electric toothbrushes provide superior dental care. It’s true that electric toothbrushes are recommended for those who can’t do a good job brushing manually or who have arthritis or other conditions. But manual toothbrushes do have some advantages, according to an article we found including:

• Cost. While electric toothbrushes may be expensive for many people, manual toothbrushes are both inexpensive and accessible. You also get a free manual toothbrush with your 6 month cleaning and checkups.

• Less pressure on your teeth & gums. Most people can feel the amount of pressure they are using as they grasp their manual toothbrush; however they can’t feel the pressure nearly as well with an electric toothbrush. Placing too much pressure on teeth can wear away at the tooth enamel, which causes pain, sensitivity, as well as an increased risk of tooth decay.

• Simple to pack. Manual toothbrushes are easy to carry around to the office, school, and trips. People are less likely to let their good dental care habits lapse on vacation with a toothbrush that they can easily bring along!

• Better for kids. Learning at a young age how to properly use a manual toothbrush helps children get a feel for how to properly take care of their oral hygiene.

Electric toothbrushes, on the other hand, are more effective in removing plaque and are considered a better alternative to maintaining gum health. Remember, whether you choose a manual or an electric toothbrush, Dr. Alina Bergan and her team encourage you to choose one with soft bristles and be sure to change the bristles on the electric brush when they become worn down. We also encourage you to replace your toothbrush every three months, when the bristles are no longer straight and firm. Also please make sure you replace your toothbrush after you recover from the flu or a cold.

Happy brushing!

We would love to see you, at our convenient Cedarhurst, NY office! You can book online http://www.alinabergandds.com or call us today at 800-223-0801.

The Daily (and Nightly) Grind

Changing seasons from summer to fall often means returning from vacations and relaxed schedules to a more settled and structured routine. This is a perfect time of year to pay attention to yourself and notice your own personal habits.

Once you’ve slowed down enough, you may notice a few nagging symptoms, such as a dull, constant headache or a sore jaw when you wake up some mornings. Bruxism, or grinding and/or clenching your teeth is a common problem that affects millions of people, which often go unaware that they are doing it. Other symptoms besides a headache and painful jaw, can be damaged teeth, broken fillings and injured gums. You may not be aware of your own teeth grinding, but often the first people to notice your noisy problem are those that are close to you, such as a family member or roommate that is awakened at night by the sound of your grinding teeth.

During the summer, your teeth clenching and grinding may have been an occasional occurrence, but now, settling into a more consistent routine, you’ve noticed a regular pattern of disturbed sleep and painful days. Don’t delay getting help any longer; grinding you teeth can cause dental complications.

Catching bruxism in the early stages can help prevent dental issues such as losing the enamel from teeth and even worse, exposing the layer of dentin. When this happens your teeth can become very sensitive and lead to eventual decay. Other damage such as flattened or fractured teeth can result from untreated grinding.

A good start to your fall routine and help with your daily grind, is to visit your dentist. Even if you haven’t noticed your clenching and grinding yet, there’s a good chance your dentist will see the tell-tale signs during your checkup. Before deciding on a course of action the cause will need to be determined. If your grinding is due to improper alignment you may need a referral to an orthodontist.

If you have damage such as severely worn or fractured teeth, or broken fillings, your dentist may need to use crowns or fillings to help restore tooth health. To prevent further damage, a splint or mouth guard worn at night may be recommended.

Get away from the grinding and clenching pattern of pain and tooth damage and into the healing power of restoration and prevention. For more information and/or to schedule your exam, please contact our office today at 800-223-0801.

We would love to see you, at our convenient Cedarhurst, NY office! You can book online http://www.alinabergandds.com or call us today.