Toothbrushing – the first rule of prevention, so make it a focus

  Posted by: Dental Design      3rd October 2021

Toothbrushing is where prevention begins; it’s the first building block for maintaining a lifetime of oral health. It is also how dental care is introduced to every patient, as soon as their baby teeth start to erupt. When dental practitioners visit nurseries and schools, their primary message is one of good daily brushing. Parents and carers should help, until the child has the required dexterity to hold and manipulate the brush themselves. Thereafter, brushing should continue to be supervised, until the parent or carer is confident that the job can be done independently.

From adolescence through to adulthood and old age, a patient’s dental needs will change, and their brushing routine should be adapted accordingly. For example, they may wear an orthodontic appliance for a period of time, or have a dental implant fitted. There are a lot of products for toothbrushing for them to choose from, marketed according to what need(s) they fulfil.

With all the challenges ahead, and we don’t yet know the full impact of the pandemic on the nation’s oral health, we need to bring it back to brushing.[1] Correct toothbrushing is fundamental to reducing levels of dental disease in all age groups – and so easy to get wrong. We rely on parents and carers to support children with brushing, yet many of them will not remember the last time that a dentist, dental hygienist or dental therapist checked and refreshed their technique, to ensure they’re doing it correctly. Common mistakes (made unwittingly) include not spending equal time on each quadrant and brushing too vigorously, assuming a “good scrub” is the best way to remove optimal food debris and staining – particularly after a sugary snack, or after drinking red wine. Most patients would be amazed at how gentle brushing should be. Gripping the brush too hard is another problem, also brushing too long or for not long enough.

When you’re with your patients, spend time on brushing. A practical demonstration is an easy and engaging way to make the most of oral health consultations. Brush your teeth, then get your patients to follow your lead and watch what you do: how you angle the brush to also clean the gumline and how you cover each area of the mouth thoroughly. After you’ve shown them what to do, they can show you. The biggest revelation will be just how different a really clean mouth feels.

Toothbrushing is considered one of those mundane but necessary tasks that isn’t meant to be enjoyable but, when done properly, your patients may find they are suddenly smiling more confidently – when all they have improved is just one element of their home hygiene routine. With their new understanding of a really clean mouth, they may be inspired to build on this, by adding a high-quality mouthwash, for example, to optimise results even more. DCPs know the many consequences of not brushing – including the links to serious systemic and life-limiting conditions – but a focus on doing it regularly and well will
give appointments a positive spin to support engagement and provide a springboard for more conversation. All these things are the basis for improved patient-practitioner relationships, which pave the way for better outcomes.

Tools are important. Quality is key and certain products can even elevate toothbrushing to something exciting. Recommend one of the hydrosonic brushes from Curaprox – the Hydrosonic Pro, Hydrosonic Black Is White and Hydrosonic Easy. Each has either been shortlisted for an award or is award winning – including a win for being a great beauty accessory – and DCPs love them. Powerful and able to access hard-to-reach spots, these sonic brushes have a head that is easy to place correctly, with CUREN™ bristles that are also effective around the gumline. The Black Is White comes with CUREN™ Carbon brush heads, which have a gentle whitening effect. If patients enjoy the sensation of elevated cleaning, they could add one of the Curaprox ‘Be You’ toothpastes to their routine, which also offer natural whitening and are now available in a handy 60ml tube. The smaller size means your patients can enjoy more taste sensations because they’ll get to the end of the tube faster. They’ll then be able to mix and match such unique flavours as apple and aloe, and refreshing watermelon. 

Toothbrushing is the central tenet of preventive-maintenance, but not every patient will be brushing correctly, often because they have not had the right technique demonstrated to them for some time or their needs have changed. Brushing the teeth and gumline supports better oral health and is also part of daily grooming, a simple way to feel good about yourself as well as avoid dental disease. With your help choosing the best products to perform an exceptional and effective clean, both you and they can enjoy the long-lasting benefits of taking mouth care to a new level.

For more information, please call 01480 862084, email info@curaprox.co.uk or visit www.curaprox.co.uk

^[1] Levine, R. Childhood caries and hospital admissions in England: a reflection on preventive strategies. Br Dent J 230, 611–616 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2945-8