where to buy

Periodontal Care Products

Soft-bristled toothbrushes are what should be used for brushing teeth. Hard-bristled brushes can damage your teeth, and your gums.

A brush with a small head, rather than a large head is best. A small head allows you to target and concentrate the bristles on only one or two teeth at a time. A larger head results in ineffective cleaning of harder to access crevices and concavities.

There are numerous brands of soft-bristled brushes.

Toothbrushes wear out within two to four weeks of use. A supply of replacement brushes should be kept for ease and speed of brush renewal.

Unwaxed dental floss does not clean better than waxed floss. However, when used properly, once the plaque has been wiped off of a tooth, unwaxed floss will squeak as it is rubbed on the tooth. This is valuable feedback when using dental floss. You will notice that it takes three to five wiping strokes of the floss against the tooth before the squeak develops.

When teeth are very tightly positioned, unwaxed floss may break when passed between the teeth. Unwaxed floss should not be used when this is the case.

Floss threaders are not

hing more than a loop of thick plastic that has a tail. Dental floss is passed partially through the loop, like thread passes through the eye of a needle. The tail of the threader is inserted between the teeth such that it can be grasped on the other side of the teeth. By so doing, one can pull the threader such that the floss is also (partially) pulled through the teeth. The floss can then be manipulated to de-plaque the teeth.

Floss threaders are used to clean under bridges and between teeth that are connected to each other (where floss can't be inserted between the teeth).

Super Floss combines a floss threader with a foam/filamentous type floss. That is, a body of floss, that is somewhat like a loose foam-like thread, terminates at each end with a slightly stiff nylon like material. The ends of the Super-Floss can be passed through the inter-dental space, just like a floss threader.

This unitized design simplifies thread flossing.

The ProxaBrush is a brand of inter-dental cleaner. When fitted with one of its replaceable brushes, it is used to brush between the teeth.

The ProxaBrush, and other brands of inter-dental cleaners that are like it, are the most effective inter-dental cleaning aids. For many patients, it is easier to use than dental floss. However, there must be at least a small space, between the teeth and gum for the brush to pass. This is not the case for many people, and therefore, the ProxaBrush cannot be used by everyone.

For people with treated Periodontal Disease, no other inter-dental cleaning device works as well as inter-dental brushes.

The ProxaBrush brushes wear out within two weeks. A supply of replacement brushes should be kept for ease and speed of brush renewal.

The ProxaBrush comes in a Traveler mode. The brush is permanently attached to a handle. The brush end of the device is covered by a cap that sheaths over the brush. This form of ProxaBrush is conveniently kept in one's pocket or purse, and thus is good for those individuals who want to clean between their teeth while away from their routine place of tooth cleaning.

Rota-Points are plastic inter-dental cleaning devices. They are somewhat like a toothpick, or more like Stimudents (which are orangewood sticks for inter-dental cleaning).

When used properly, Rota-Points can be about as effective as dental floss.

The SulcaBrush is a plaque removal device that can be very effective. It has a small, pointed set of bristles that is placed at the junction of the gum and tooth. The brush is gently rubbed to remove plaque.

Because the SulcaBrush brush is so small, targeting its placement at the tooth gum junction assures effective cleaning.

The SulcaBrush brushes wear out within two weeks. A supply of replacement brushes should be kept for ease and speed of brush renewal.

Refill brushes are available for the SulcaBrush. The brush inserts should be replaced on an average of every two weeks.

SulcaBrush comes in a Travel mode. It can be conveniently store in your pocket or purse. Because it does not have the offset, angled head, it is not quite as easy, or as effective, to use in the back of the mouth, compared to the regular SulcaBrush.

There are many brands of desensitizing dentifrices. Prevident is a prescription brand. Over –the-counter brands, like Sensodyne, Colgate’s Sensitive and Denquel, can often provide adequate relief for dental sensitivity.

Sometimes, these products do not provide adequate relief and other treatments are necessary.

The End Tuft Brush is an abbreviated toothbrush. It is made by the J.O.Butler, Company. It is nothing more than a toothbrush that has had 2/3rds of its bristles removed. What is so special about the End Tuft Brush, and makes it one of the best plaque removal aids that dentistry has, is that it forces the user to target each, individual tooth surface. In other words, it slows the user when cleaning and forces them to clean each tooth, individually. Large-headed brushes tend to leave tooth surfaces, and some times whole teeth, untouched by the brush. If you use the End Tuft Brush, you won't miss a tooth’s surface or crevice between teeth.

These brushes wear out rapidly (usually within four weeks). Thus, we recommend that patients buy them in dozen lots. That way, when one is looking a bit too worn, it can be tossed in the trash, and a new retrieved and opened from its storage place.