Dental Care Product Guide

Among the most popular health and fitness products, these devices help maintain teeth and gums, as part of a responsible routine dental regimen. The basic goal here is to control levels of plaque accumulation on your teeth and along your gum line.

Dental plaque is a sticky substance composed of millions of bacteria from over 400 species. In addition, there are inorganic accumulations of calcium and phosphorous derived from the normal production of saliva. Prolonged calcium build-up results in calcification - a hardened shell - that makes plaque harder to remove. Dental plaque collects around and between teeth. It is the major cause of tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis) and is hard to see because it is whitish colored like the teeth. Apart from a genetic predisposition, poor or infrequent toothbrushing is the leading method to control this situation. When uncontrolled, it is the leading cause of bone deterioration in your mouth and results in tooth loss. In advanced cases, surgery is required to attempt to maintain oral integrity.

You'll find several types of electric toothbrushes, some oral irrigators, and some flossers and stimulators.

Most toothbrushes are cordless to allow maximum freedom as you maneuver to clean all the areas in your mouth. Batteries power virtually all models. Many use a rechargeable battery pack and include a charging stand that is plugged into an AC outlet. Some use alkaline batteries (usually AA or AAA, depending on make and model). Most models have one brush head. Brushes, for the most part, are replaceable and should be replaced every 4 to 8 weeks to maintain optimal integrity.

Different manufacturers take different approaches to plaque removal. All carry some approval from dental professional or associations. This may appear confusing. Oral-B has a rotational brush. Conair InterPlak uses a vibrating toothbrush system. Philips SoniCare and Cybersonic use ultrasonic vibrations and more traditional brushes. Each method is effective when used frequently along with routine dental visits. Actually, more dentists are critical about people's infrequent, superficial brushing habits than the type of brush used.

How thoroughly do you brush? How long do you brush? Most people brush less than 1 minute - rushing through the procedure. There are valid reasons. In the morning, you hurry to go to work. You rarely remember to brush after meals (how frequently do you see someone brushing teeth in a public bathroom). Night brushings are skipped as you rush to bed. Nearly every electric toothbrush model has a timer (usually 2-minutes) to make sure that you brush thoroughly.

Braun Oral-B is probably the most recognized brand. Oral-B has been manufacturing manual toothbrushes for decades. The Oral-B electric toothbrush spins around thousands of times per minute almost emulating a dentist's drill. Its brushing surface is about a half-inch in diameter. The key advantage of this system is ease-of-use and the ability to focus on key problem areas due to its compact size. There are several versions of their brush aimed for adult and children's use. Variations have been added to their traditional spinning head.

Their current ProfessionalCare 7000 series offers some interesting complementary cleaning methods that seem very thorough and comfortable. The brush-head moves in-and-out 40,000 times per minute reaching deep to loosen plaque. At over 660 movements per second, according to Oral-B, it's the fastest pulsating toothbrush in the world. Simultaneously, the brush-head moves side-to-side 8,800 times per minute to whisk away the plaque.

Conair InterPlak has also enjoyed considerable popularity over the years. It appeals to the traditional manual toothbrush user. That's because its head resembles one. It's a bit more compact to enable flexible maneuverability. It vibrates in three directions - in and out, up and down, side to side.

It offers consistent coverage of the teeth at and above the gumline and requires minimal hand movement from you.

Philips SoniCare was the first and foremost toothbrush to employ advanced ultrasound technology for oral care. The manufacturer boasts over 7 million users regularly use their toothbrushing system.

Resembling a traditional manual brush-head, SoniCare uses patented sonic technology to clean your teeth with that "just from the dentist" feeling. By vibrating its bristles 3-times more rapidly than other similar-appearing brushes, it sends ultrasonic pulses for a more dynamic cleaning action. Cleaning is gentle and thorough. SoniCare claims the brisk pulsation actually creates waves that penetrate beneath the gumline for the most effective plaque removal.

Cybersonic2 was developed by a dentist to create a truly user-friendly system that people would love to use. Their slogan is "done in one" meaning that it can do the job in only one minute.

Like SoniCare, Cybersonic2 uses ultrasound technology and has a traditional (appearing) brush-head. The brush generates over 41,000 strokes per minute using patented Cyberspring bristles that offer maximum support and comfort.

What helps set Cybersonic2 apart is its systemic approach. In addition to its revolutionary brush-head, it also includes attachments for flossing, whitening, and tongue cleaning.

This device looks like something you'd find at the dentist's office. It holds water and, through a special hose, rushes water to and through teeth and gums. It's an auxiliary device to accompany toothbrushing - getting to particles that brushes may not have been able to reach. Originally introduced as WaterPik, it's like a hydro-powered toothpick that rushes water through the spaces inside your mouth at over 1,000 pulses per second. It's often recommended to those patients who are sensitive to toothbrushes or those who wear braces or other orthodontic appliances. WaterPik and Conair InterPlak are the leading manufacturers of oral irrigators. Panasonic offers a portable oral irrigator that has a 90-milliliter collapsible tank that's perfect for travelers.