At William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. William Stewart is often asked how to choose the most basic tool of oral hygiene, the toothbrush. Picking a toothbrush in San Antonio can be as difficult as choosing a paint color, and there seems to be just as many choices.
If you have visited the dental section of your local Shavano Park grocery store or San Antonio Walmart lately, you know what I am talking about. There are brushes with bristles of varying lengths, brushes that massage your gums, and brushes that change color when they are used up. (If I had to rate them purely on their fun factor, I would choose the Spiderman brush.)
Some toothbrush manufacturers claim their brushes freshen your breath or remove stains from your teeth. How do you choose?
One key factor is the firmness of the bristles. Hard bristles may be more effective for cleaning burnt steak off a grill or hard water deposits off a shower floor. However, this does not hold true for your teeth. Medium and firm brushes can damage your gums. Soft and extra-soft bristles are plenty stiff enough to clean plague, food particles, and surface stains from your teeth. Soft bristles also offer more flexibility for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
After having dental work or oral surgery in San Antonio, especially anything involving soft tissue grafts, make sure you use an extra-soft brush and be careful!
When buying a toothbrush for a child in Leon Springs, make sure the brush feels comfortable in their hand. If the size and angle feels awkward, the child will be less likely to use it long enough to clean all areas of the mouth. Children do not necessarily need a child-sized tooth brush. Some San Antonio kids can manage an adult size brush better than a short, narrow child size brush. If you are unsure, ask your San Antonio dentist at William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.
What about the electric types and water-shooters? Some San Antonio folks like the feeling of vibrating bristles or a mini-squirt gun blasting away at the plaque. San Antonio people with arthritis or other movement-inhibiting conditions can benefit from powered brushes which take some strain off hands and arm muscles.
Is your toothbrush doing the job? Schedule an exam with your San Antonio dentist at William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.
At William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, our patient-centered and detail oriented dental hygienists instruct our San Antonio patients on proper brushing and flossing. If you haven’t experienced a dental deep cleaning at William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, you don’t know how clean your teeth and gums can feel.
Schedule a thorough dental cleaning today by calling William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry at 210-493-3040. An outstanding feature of William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is gentleness and customer care. We offer cosmetic dentistry and a full spectrum of restorative dentistry procedures.
