Brushing your teeth is probably the most universally recognized and practiced personal hygiene routine. After every meal (and both before and after sleeping), you should brush your teeth to prevent food particles from breeding harmful bacteria in your oral cavity – however, what is the role of toothpaste?
The basic benefit of a pea-sized dollop of toothpaste on your toothbrush when cleaning your teeth is its ability to lubricate – when combined with a proper brushing technique, toothpaste fortifies your brushing routine to remove plaque (built-up bacteria that grows on your teeth causing cavities, and when left long enough, gum disease).
As you probably know, toothpaste contains fluoride, which when applied to the outer enamel layer of a tooth makes the entire surface structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, tooth strength and rigidity, which aides in preventing cavity formation. Fluoride can even repair early decay before damage can be seen! I have previously written about the possible dangers of fluoride, but if toothpaste is not swallowed (and application is strictly monitored by parents of children), fluoride can be a very helpful addition to toothpaste, making the use of toothpaste when brushing one’s teeth quite beneficial.
Finally, toothpaste does incorporate several special ingredients to provide different side-benefits: triclosan fights against plaque forming microbes, pyrophosphate is a tartar control agent, potassium nitrate is a desensitizer, carbamide peroxide is a bleaching agent, baking soda is a mild abrasives and PH neutralizer and sodium lauryl sulfate is detergent to carry away debris. Ask your dental professional if your dental condition requires special toothpaste in order to receive the maximum benefits of a typical tooth brushing routine. In general, the inactive ingredients in toothpaste like thickeners and water softeners provide the right consistency, moisture, flavor and sweetness for a more pleasurable experience.
If you are getting lip sores, check to see whether the toothpaste you use has lauryl sulfates, which can be irritating to certain tissues. All-natural herbal toothpastes like Tooth & Gum Paste exist which are in fact antibacterial but contain no artificial chemicals.
So remember, choose your favorite toothpastes and use them! You can even have several different toothpastes and tooth-brushes to make your tooth brushing routine more interesting! A proper brushing (and flossing) technique will keep out the stains, lower the risk of dental diseases, help freshen breath and fight mild halitosis. Be confident with your smile, brush and floss!
I canceled the trip to China – it’s just not worth the risk of being quarantined for a week! Swine Flu, also known as H1N1 Influenza, has been gaining interest in the news and at health organizations worldwide, and not for bad reason – at the moment, it is the Chinese government’s nightmare that an outsider will bring in swine flu, and that the pandemic will spread just as quickly as bird flu in densely populated China. The World Health Organization (WHO) on May 11 upgraded H1N1 to a “level 6 pandemic,” the highest grade of pandemic and the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.
Countries affected by H1N1 influenza
Swine Flu is in fact a mutated form of the common flu, which behaves like a seasonal influenza- H1N1 influenza is made up of genetic elements of four rather common flu virus. H1N1 is a type A virus, the most virulent human pathogens known that cause the most severe disease among humans. Type A viruses are more prone to widespread outbreak (as H1N1 has spread to 74 countries now). It is no surprise that airports and hospitals around the world have set up screening areas and quarantine rooms for suspected influenza carriers, so be prepared if you are planning on traveling, especially to a densely populated country. It is natural that lesser developed, densely populated countries must take flu pandemics seriously as they often lack the technology, medical manpower and/or resources necessary to keep a potentially large outbreak under control.
Swine Flu spreads faster but is less fatal than Bird Flu.
Although H1N1 influenza is currently present and spreading in both pigs and humans, and can spread quickly and silently from human-to-human, it is not transferable by eating cooked pork – don’t panic over that BLT! The CDC advises using regular soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleanser frequently to clean your hands before touching your facial features (like the eyes, nose or mouth) to lower the risk of catching the flu.
“Normally the influenza virus is spread from person to person through droplets in the air — from a person with a cough for example,” said Dr. David Satcher, a professor at the Morehouse School of Medicine and former U.S. Surgeon General. Droplets in the air can be inhaled by another person, which is probably the most common way a virus spreads.
H1N1 Swine Influenza
Also posing a risk, he said, are items that have recently touched or handled by someone infected with the flu – a fork or a doorknob, for example. Some experts endorse occasionally disinfecting household surfaces and appliances with a diluted chlorine bleach solution. You should also disinfected your toothbrushes by soaking them in an OTC strength hydrogen peroxide ( 3% H2O2) for 10 minutes – or get new tooth brushes.
Once infected with the flu, it’s difficult to know what actual strain of influenza you may have. H1N1 flu symptoms are similar to the common flu: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. It can be difficult to distinguish between the common cold and influenza in the early stages of infection, so if you experience any of these symptoms for a prolonged period, consider a visit to your primary health care physician for a check-up.
Counterfeit Toothbrushes? You’ve heard of counterfeit DVDs and handbags, but toothbrushes? Believe it or not, brand name toothbrushes are a hot commodity, and some unethical business people are trying to bank on naive consumers. So be careful what you buy and what you use for your dental health.
Watch out for counterfeit brushes!
In February, grocery stores and pharmacies across Ottawa were surprised to find their suppliers had been conned into buying massive shipments of fake Colgate toothbrushes, and they were supplied to the stores to be bought by general public . The brushes that were affected include the Colgate Massager, Colgate Navigator, Oral B Classic 40, Oral B Contura and Colgate 360. These toothbrushes were not made by Colgate! Canadian health officials have released the following statement: “If an imitation is suspected, consumers should stop using them immediately, as the quality, safety and effectiveness of counterfeit products cannot be assured.”
It is true that most of the burden to check for false brushes is on the back of the retailer, but it is still important to be vigilant about your toothbrush – only buy from reputable dealers (like big chain grocery stores) and if your brush looks suspicious – jagged packaging, poorly printed logos or something similar, take it back to the store from whence it came. A counterfeit toothbrush is not made to the same quality control standards as true brand-name brushes: counterfeit brushes (which usually originate in China) have been known to have bristles which fall out quickly, leading to throat irritation and, in a more extreme case, a possible choking hazard for young mouths. A toothbrush’s quality can be measured by specific features such as a well designed handle and thorough rows of columns of properly spaced tufts of end-rounded bristles.
Genuine Colgate toothbrushes will have instructions and labeling printed in English and French only, and should say “Distr. by/par: Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc” on the packaging. In addition, the Colgate logo should be embossed into the toothbrush handle itself, just under the brush head. These counterfeit brushes have not been detected in the United States as of yet, but due to the globalization of most large corporate supply chains (including those of Proctor & Gamble, the parent company of Colgate), these brushes could easily find their way into American grocery stores and convenience shops. Be vigilant about your toothbrush purchases to ensure you are using a high quality brush – you can only clean your mouth properly with the proper tools, and a genuine toothbrush is an important one!
We all clean our teeth with tooth brushes, but how do you clean the tooth brush that cleans your teeth?
Keep your tooth brush clean!
Tooth brushes get used cleaning your teeth at least two time daily, and we should all be using toothpaste and water with our brushing. Afterward, we rinse our mouth out and clean our toothbrush under running tap water, shaking off any excess water and then keep the toothbrush upright, allowing it to air dry until next time. Such a cleaning routine is usually adequate for a healthy person. It is good to know however that any toothbrush can harbor millions of bacteria at any given time. The oral cavity itself harbors hundreds of different kinds of microbes and bacterial organisms, which inevitably become transferred onto the toothbrush as you clean your teeth. Most bathrooms also harbor lots of bacteria, which can transfer to your brush if the brush head is contacting any not-so-clean surfaces or another toothbrush. Should you be concerned with sanitizing your tooth brush?
Thankfully, our immune defense mechanism protects against offending microbes, and most bacteria on your tooth brush will pose no health risk to you. Don’t be germ phobic, but it is always good to have few more pointers under your belt regarding how you can keep a cleaner toothbrush. Do not share a toothbrush! Wash your toothbrush before and after each use. It is important to clear all bristles of any remaining toothpaste or food debris to prevent excess bacteria from forming. If you are sick, it’s a good idea to soak your toothbrush in a 3% (standard over-the-counter) solution of hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 minutes to sterilize your cleaning tool. Also, it’s a good idea to have several toothbrushes at your disposal, dried and cleaned and ready to go – rotating toothbrushes can increase their longevity. When storing your toothbrush, make sure to have adequate ventilation to prevent molding or bacteria from forming.
My last tip is to take a good look at your your brush: if the ends of bristles bend , get a new one! Normally, the life span of a is 3 to 4 months; if you have an electric toothbrush check the shape of the bristles (it might be time to replace the brush heads). It’s always easier to stock up a few brushes to assure you’ll always have a good toothbrush available to keep your oral hygiene up to snuff. A clean mouth makes you feel refreshed and keeps your body healthy!
The toothbrush is, of course, an essential tool for keeping your teeth clean and plaque-free, but there are many types of toothbrushes available for use. The structure of your mouth is very intricate, including soft gum tissue, hard enamel, various crevices and spaces where food can hide, etc – and every person’s mouth is different, and responds differently to various types of brushes. How do you pick the right toothbrush for you?
If you get perfect dental check-up scores, do not have any type of gum sensitivity issues nor any other dental problems, you can probably keep your present hygiene routine. An over-the-counter toothbrush will normally suffice for people with normal gums and teeth if you are using it properly. If you have a history of dental and gum issues, special care is needed. You may need more than one toothbrush (different sizes and shapes of brush heads and tips) to adequately clean between your teeth and restorative material, such as a specialty brush shaped to accommodate dental restorations.
What about electric toothbrushes? There are many toothbrushes on the market, available both over-the-counter and from your dentist, which advertise a much deeper cleaning than what a manual toothbrush can provide. Keep in mind that an inexpensive battery-operated toothbrush often lacks the torque (twisting power) needed to adequately clean your teeth, remove plaque and remove biofilm; If you have children who refuse to brush their teeth, an electric toothbrush might be a fun way to encourage proper oral hygiene!
The more advanced electric toothbrushes, with proper technique, can clean your teeth more effectively than manual brushes. Manual brushing often does not do a good enough job at removing plaque than electric toothbrushes from your dentist (prescription electric toothbrushes like Rotadent, what I recommend to my patients has micro-filaments bristles with different tips). These brushes allow more advanced brushing techniques with different brush head attachments to accommodate different parts of the mouth, and have the necessary torque to properly clean your oral environment. If you have any of the following conditions, you should equip yourself with a better toothbrush for better oral health: orthodontic braces, gum problems, dental implants, dental bridges, arthritis, etc…
No matter what type of toothbrush you have, remember that it is necessary to spend two minutes brush at least twice a day, and after meals. The food caught between your teeth can start producing harmful bacteria only 5 minutes after eating (which is why you should bring a toothbrush to school or work every day)! Because every mouth is different, and certain tooth angles (and dental work) require special brushing or special brushes, consult with your dental professional. Besides brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, rinsing, and irrigation are all important steps to get your mouth’s environment as squeaky clean as it can be. It is a lot of work to keep yourself in top condition, but it will become second nature. You deserve paying your mouth so much attention – for your own health!
Be the First to Comment 
– however, what is the role of toothpaste?
