Pediatric Dentists in Silverdale WA can help parents make decisions about caring for the children’s teeth. They may have questions about whether dental sealants are advisable and they want to understand the use of fluoride treatments. They wonder when their youngsters are ready to take over brushing and flossing their own teeth, and whether fluoride toothpaste can be used at any age. Questions about toothbrushes may be asked as well.
Varying Bristle Firmness
Why do stores sell toothbrushes in firmness characteristics of soft, medium and hard? People generally know that dentists advise their patients to choose soft brushes instead of the other two. Yet manufacturers continue to produce medium and hard bristles, and stores continue to put them on the shelves. The reason for this is consumer demand.
Some individuals have the mistaken assumption that hard bristles clean teeth better. Actually, soft bristles are ideal for this purpose. Hard brushes, especially when used in a vigorous way, can cause some damage to the tooth enamel.
Other people opt for the medium choice because soft bristles simply don’t feel like they are doing a proper job. This is probably OK as long as they aren’t too aggressive during brushing.
Children’s Oral Hygiene and Bristle Firmness
When it comes to children’s teeth, Pediatric Dentists in Silverdale WA will likely recommend using a soft brush. The kids may want to switch to a medium brush when they get old enough to make their own decisions about oral hygiene. However, they should be discouraged from using hard bristles.
How Long to Use One Toothbrush
At a clinic such as Dentistry for Children, parents may want to ask how long a toothbrush should be used. Perhaps when they were growing up, they used the same brush for a full year. Dentists advise against that now. Usually, at a minimum, kids and adults should start using a new brush every six months. Bristles can wear down much faster than that, though, so starting with a new brush every three months is even better. The old brushes might be thrown out on the first day of each season to make this easy to remember.
