Today's blog has some of my favourite products/tools that you may want to incorporate into your oral health routine! Using the right products make a difference in not only the appearance of our teeth, but the health of our mouth overall. Before diving in, let me tell you a bit of a personal story...
My toothful journey started way back in the day, not only with the joy of having braces (who remembers those awesome elastics you had to put in? ugh!) but also a major jaw operation because a classmate shoving me so hard on the ice that I fell on my face (I believe this contributed to a lot of pain I started to have early on). It was also shown through x-rays that I had way too many teeth in my mouth (10+ teeth were removed - they took out all my wisdom teeth at once too so I wouldn't have to go through another operation - thank goodness!) so my chewing was impaired and I was told that I could start blacking out and experiencing a lot of problems later down the road. Surgery was the best option. Side note: my surgeon looked like
Freddy Krueger just with a better complexion and straighter teeth. That smile though....*shivers* Amazing guy though and so competent but he haunted my dreams for a while. Hehe...
My recovery was exhausting and painful, but I had great family support. I apologize to my Dad for puking all over his favourite yellow Polo shirt. Thank the strong anesthesia for that one! I got to know what being a baby felt like all over again too, having to live off a diet of mushy blended baby food.
After completely healing, I had two permanent retainers (top and bottom) put in. The top was a nightmare to get rid of plaque and so many years later I was able to transition to a removable one. The bottom remains intact, but it's still a small source of misery no matter how much I brush or use the right tools. In saying that, I go to the dentist every 3 months for cleanings.
Now onto the products that I use!
My toothbrush is a
soft-bristle style from Oral B. My dentist gives me one every time I come in for an appointment, which is every 3 months. I love the soft bristles because it doesn't irritate my sensitive gums. I have tried various electric toothbrushes in the past, but haven't found one yet that has really won me over with performance. I always go back to the manual ones because I feel like I have more control over the speed and amount of pressure.
Next up,
Superfloss! Again, the brand is Oral B and I purchase this often. I have a permanent retainer on the bottom and so regular floss won't work for those areas at all. This floss is very gentle and doesn't shed like I have experienced with other brands. Each strand has three components: a stiffened-end dental floss threader, a spongy floss and regular floss. I find it quite helpful to get food particles that get stuck between my wire.
I also like this Oral B - Gum Stimulator tool. Just place the rubber tip of the stimulator between two teeth, at a 45 degree angle and in a circular motion, gently massage the gumline. I like this one because it helps with dental plaque and has been my saviour for the most stubborn food particles, especially on those rare occasions when I have a craving for popcorn and a kernel gets stuck. (Cannot seem to find this one anymore!)
The
GUM interdental brush is another tool that I use on a regular basis, which works well between the teeth to deal with pesky plaque. I find it a bit difficult to use at times since I have a teeny tiny mouth and cannot always reach (that's where the floss seems to work best for me) but for the places I can, it is handy.
Then there is the
Oral B- Glide floss, which I absolutely love and hope Oral B never gets rid of. It is so gentle and slides really easily between my tight teeth. It also has a fresh minty flavour. I floss between 1-2 times per day, so I go through a lot of packages of this floss.
Lastly is toothpaste! I've been using
Sensodyne for years and really have no complaints. It's a gentle toothpaste that is great for sensitivity. The only ones I don't use are whitening ones because I find they are too harsh for me.
During my last visit the dentist, I asked why they don't carry Sensodyne samples anymore. I was told that they haven't had any reps come into the office in a long time! I was kind of surprised by that since it is highly recommended all the time.
I was given a sample of Crest's new "
Gum Detoxify" toothpaste. Honestly, I have tried other Crest toothpastes before and went immediately back to Sensodyne because I didn't like the way my mouth felt after using it. This time, I thought I would give it a shot and see. WOW...I really love it. My mouth feels very fresh and clean, plus it seems to get rid of plaque a lot better, at least from what I can see (we'll see if my hygienist notices next time!). I like the smooth texture and the slight fresh flavour. My gums feel happy too! I'm still not ditching Sensodyne, but this month it's been all about Crest.
If you have any recommendations for other oral health products that I should add to my regime, please feel free to drop me a note!
Happy brushing. :)
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*Sensodyne/Crest are sample sizes
*Not in photo: Mouthwash.
Listerine has a great line especially ones without alcohol.
*These products are ones that I personally recommend, but always consult your dentist to see what may be a good fit for you!
