3 Power Toothbrush Features That Could Save Your Smile

25 September 2015
 Categories: Dentist, Articles

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As you peruse the dental hygiene aisle, you might balk at power toothbrush prices. Since you are more than capable of scrubbing your own teeth, you might assume that a power toothbrush would be an opulent (and largely unnecessary) addition to your bathroom counter. However, these modern gizmos might be able to help you in more ways than you think. Here are three power toothbrush features that could save your smile:

1: Pressure Sensors

A little extra pressure might do the trick when you are polishing your car, but when it comes to your teeth, excessive pressure can cause more problems than it solves. Here are a few issues that aggressive brushing can cause:

  • Tooth Sensitivity: If you brush too hard, it can rub away protective enamel and gum tissue. In addition to making your gum line look uneven, this exposure can create extreme tooth sensitivity, which can make it hard to eat and drink the foods and beverages that you love.
  • Yellow Patches: Unfortunately, once white, glossy enamel goes missing, yellow-colored tooth dentin can shine through, giving your teeth a patchy look.
  • Indentations: Excessive pressure can even cause indentations or pitting in the surface of your teeth. These shallow pits can collect food and grime, leaving your teeth even more susceptible to dental decay.  

Fortunately, some power toothbrushes contain pressure sensors that can cut the power or sound an alarm if you apply too much pressure. In addition to helping you to avoid dental problems, these sensors can also help you to correct your behavior. For example, if you notice that your pressure sensor beeps whenever you get to those molars, you might be more careful around those areas in the future. 

2: Rotating Oscillating Movements

Most people realize that power toothbrushes can wiggle back and forth, but newer toothbrushes can do even more than that. In addition to rotating round and round, some toothbrushes are designed to oscillate, or move from front to back quickly. Compared to standard rotary toothbrushes, which are only capable of between 1,300 and 8,800 movements per minute, rotating oscillating versions can produce up to 40,000 movements per minute. Because they move so quickly, rotating oscillating toothbrushes have been found to reduce plaque by as much as 7% and gingivitis as much as 17%--when compared to a manual toothbrush.  

Believe it or not, these quick movements do more than blast away grime more effectively. When toothbrush heads are capable of producing 40,000 movements per minute, they create an effect called non-contact cleaning, where fluid pushed around inside the mouth can dislodge other food particles. This feature improves cleaning between the teeth, even if you don't tackle each areas as carefully as you should.  

3: Internet Connectivity

These days, that smartphone can do more than help you to keep up with the news and balance your checkbook. Although it might seem like a scene out of a science fiction movie, some toothbrushes even connect to the web, collecting key data about your brushing experience.

These smart toothbrushes contain tiny devices like accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect the pressure, tilt, and speed of your brush stroke. In addition to collecting information about the duration of your brushing sessions, these toothbrushes can also help your dentist to find out what you could do to improve. By accessing a smartphone application and looking up your user profile, your dentist can evaluate your day-to-day habits and make recommendations that could save your smile.

This feature is especially helpful for parents or spouses concerned about their family member's hygiene habits. If your son or daughter has a bad history of dental problems, you might be able to get them a smart toothbrush to track down the trouble.    

By investing in a state-of-the-art power toothbrush, you might be able to experience fewer dental problems, so that you can enjoy your next checkup. A dentist can tell you more about this option. Click here for more info on dental services in your area.