Category: Dental

Choosing a Toothbrush

Selecting a brush can prove to be a task – a confusing one at that. There are a plethora of options available, and you just can’t “Pick one and be done with it.”

The one size fits all approach might not be of much use. It might even prove to be harmful to your overall dental and oral hygiene.

So, how indeed, do you choose the one that is right for you? There are slant-headed, soft-bristled, stiff-bristled, small, medium, large, and choosing the one that feels right might not be simple.
Ultimately, it is Occam’s razor. The one that feels right for you, might be right after all. Get something that you feel comfortable with, you can do this through trial and error.

In case you need help, some of the things that you might need to consider are the size, shape, bristle type, quality, and last but certainly not least, your comfort.

Bristles

One of the most important things to consider is the bristles when looking for a toothbrush. Bristles are soft, medium, and hard bristles. The harder, the better in terms of cleaning, right? Nope. The cleaning that they offer is satisfactory at best, but in addition to that, they damage your enamels and also, they make your gums recede.

So a widely sought-after option is a soft-bristled brush. They are a lot better when it comes to cleaning, and they are teeth-friendly as well. They have rounded tips to make sure they go easy on your enamels.

In case you have more doubts regarding the bristle choice, consulting a dentist might help you get the one you can easily warm up to.

Size

Small, large, medium, to each their own. All that matters is whether it reaches every corner, ensuring a complete and comfortable cleaning. It’s quite simple, really – a bigger handle for your toothbrush means better ergonomics, but a bigger brush head will have a harder time reaching the far corners, hence cleaning bacteria might be harder.

Choose a brush with say, a brush head that measures up to one-third of your index finger, more or less.

Some might prefer something smaller than that, but that is their own choice. All that matters is the overall comfort when using them. In case you are choosing for a child, you can go with something smaller, which would suit them perfectly.

Shape

Toothbrushes come in oval, and rectangular shapes. Choosing which one you should use depends entirely upon you. You can choose whichever one suits your brushing style and your dental structure.

Quality

Getting cheap toothbrushes for whatever reason can prove to be dangerous. Howsoever tempted you are to get one because it is dirt-cheap, it is a better option to just not. Getting a good brush means lesser trips to the dentist – an investment in oral health and hygiene.

Cheaper brushes might not prove to be up to the mark in terms of quality as much, they might have pointy bristles, harming your gums and enamel as a result.

Going Electric

An electric brush offers cleaning only as good as any regular brush. The reason why it is being preferred is because of its ease of use. It entirely depends upon the user to ensure that they clean thoroughly.

This ease that the electric brushes provide really help children and people with motor disabilities, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot use one. If you find it enjoyable, get yourself one.

There are some features that might attract anyone who is particular about dental hygiene:

1. The pressure settings: You can change the pressure settings to aid your sensitive teeth. It warns you when you apply too much pressure
2. Motion settings: the motion settings can be used to change the motion to either rotary or pulsating to suit your brushing style
3. Timing settings: The timer settings help you know when you hit the two minute mark for you to stop brushing. Two minutes are the mandate, but most don’t go that far, and if you are one of these people, the time would surely come in handy.
4. Orthodontic and prosthodontics support: A regular brush can prove to be harder for the people who have braces and the like, ad an electric toothbrush can help with this as it moves a lot faster and ensures that the plaque in the appliances get removed easily.

Replacing the Brush

It is recommended by dentists to change your toothbrush every 4 months. How would you know? The bristles will have frayed by then, or at least, bent out of shape.

Some brushes come with a bit of color at the end, and when it fades, you know you should make the change.

Apart from that, it is also advisable to change your brush after a sickness passes. Remnant bacteria may still be present on the brush, and hence the change.

Following these instructions would improving your overall hygiene. And if you are ever feeling that they don’t do enough, visiting a dentist for advise always helps.

Brushing Manual: An Insight on Techniques

Now we know what you might be thinking – “I have been brushing since time immemorial, why would I need a manual?” Well, chances are high that you are doing it wrong.

Choosing the right technique involves knowing what suits best to your teeth, as well as your lifestyle.

As you might very well know, brushing your teeth twice a day helps remove plaque and food debris and keep it fairly healthy.
Different brushing techniques carry their own advantages and disadvantages, some of them are listed below along with their pros and cons.

Horizontal Brushing

This technique is widely used around the world owing to its relative ease of use. The brush is placed on the teeth and moved horizontally. The prime advantage of this movement is that it is very simple and easy to perform. But this technique is known to cause cervical abrasion in your teeth in case you brush too hard or use a brush with hard bristles.

Bass Brushing

Widely recommended by dentists, the bass brushing movement offers many advantages for the user. Place your brush at a 45o angle, and place the bristles gently against your teeth. Move it in gentle, circular motions all around the surface and then begin going further inside, giving your inner teeth as well as your tongue a thorough once-over.

This technique is known for bacterial plaque removal under the gingival margin, it is known for being enamel-friendly and is also known for its ease of use to patients who have had their periodontal surgeries.

This technique is also fairly easy to use, in addition to that, it cleans quite thoroughly, ensuring optimum plaque and debris reduction.

The major disadvantage of this technique is that it takes quite a long to complete, and you might lose your patience while brushing.

Stillman’s Brushing

This is much like the bass brushing technique, but the difference is that the bristles are placed over the cervical area and adjacent to the gum. And also, instead of circular motions, this technique advises the usage of horizontal movements.

As it is partially adjacent to the gums, the bristles enter the harder-to-reach gaps and provide a thorough cleaning, but this one is also quite a long process, so it requires patience as well.

Charter Brushing

The Charter technique is another notable technique that is recommended to patients with prosthodontic and orthodontic appliances.

In this technique, the brush is placed at a 45o angle from the top, in a way that the bristles land vertically, partly on the gums and scrub in short, back and forth strokes. This ensures optimal cleaning around the clips, reaching every pit and fissure.

It loosens the bacterial plaque stuck in the orthodontic appliances, also stimulating the gums in the process. It can also be used to clean the crown.

It is really helpful for the patients who have gone through orthodontic procedures or periodontal surgeries, therefore is recommended widely for them. The massage-like nature of the technique helps recuperate the gums and makes the healing process a bit easier.

But then again, owning to the same massage-like nature, some of the bacteria on the gums remain there, resulting in accumulations.

The technique also proves to be complex as the brush placements may prove to be hard to follow and requires dexterity from the user.

Leonard Brushing

A vertical technique that brushes the upper and lower teeth separately, avoid any slippage of the brush, ensuring that just enough pressure is applied in the process of cleaning. Although it is not as efficient as say, the bass technique or Stillman’s technique in removing plaque, it helps patients who have a hard time using these techniques.

Brush Right

Just going through the motions without proper care means that the perseverant plaque doesn’t get removed. So two minutes might prove to be not enough. Remember to hit every part of your mouth, in short strokes, and the method that was recommended to you by your dentist.

It is as important to clean in between your teeth as brushing. In case you feel that you cannot clean some part no matter how you brush or floss, or if you have bleeding gums, this means that you aren’t doing it right. At times like this, it is helpful to consult a dentist for further advice.

Another thing that would help in the maintenance of oral hygiene is the maintenance of your brush. Keep it clean, clean it daily both before and after you have brushed.

There are several modifications to these given movements that the user can take up, according to their preference or their dentist’s advice.

Why Dental Tourism, and Why Puducherry, India?

Dental tourism is becoming increasingly popular in several parts of the world, and India has long been the ideal destination for both medical tourism and dental tourism. In particular, one destination is rapidly becoming the first port of call for dental tourism in India: the former French colony of Pondicherry, now known as Puducherry.

Dental tourism might sound like it is some new term, but it is self-explanatory. If you go to a country to receive your dental treatment and are also looking for a vacation destination, you can club both of these together and enjoy your treatment tenure by taking a dental tourism vacation.

More than 800,000 Americans travel overseas every year just for dental treatment. Although nearby locations such as Mexico and Costa Rica are budget-friendly, India represents the largest talent pool when it comes to dentists for cosmetic dentistry, pedodontics (pediatric dentistry), orthodontics, and several other specialty areas. It is also far more affordable, not to mention being a much more exotic destination for travelers from all over the world.

Pondicherry has under its belt some of the most dedicated and affordable dentists, and also every necessary piece of equipment for any dental procedure, however complex. Also, the town touts many aesthetic tourist spots offering a plethora of activities for its visitors. It is also a spiritual destination for many, being home to the world-famous Aurobindo Ashram.

Dentists in Pondicherry are also extremely efficient with their scheduling, allowing you to show up any time of the day where you feel comfortable. The infrastructure in clinics like Dr. Latha’s DentalKraft is world-class, and you’ll be welcomed with all the warmth you’d expect in a globally renowned tourist destination. However, if you’re running on a tight schedule, you can book an appointment online.

Why is Puducherry the Preferred Dental Tourism Destination in Asia?

Affordability

People from several countries flock to India for medical and dental treatment, the chief reason being affordable treatment from expert dentistry specialists with high-quality equipment and best-in-class infrastructure. Top that off with tourist destinations that are surprisingly budget-friendly and you have the magic mix for the perfect dental tourism destination.

When compared to someone seeking dental treatment in their own country, dental treatment in India, in general, is exponentially cheaper in India.

You can enjoy massive savings, simply by taking a dental treatment-related trip to India. You can spend that extra money on a leisure trip around Pondicherry and South India.

Here’s some food for thought…

While a single dental implant can cost between $3000 and $5000 in the United States, you can get the exact same type of implant done in India for an average of $418 – cheaper than anywhere else in the world and with the same level of expertise as New York or London.

On top of that, the resort and hotel accommodation costs in and around Pondicherry are an absolute steal, so if you just save up the amount it takes for a procedure in your country, you can shoot two birds with a proverbial stone!

Treatment quality

“I am paying just a fraction of the usual cost for my treatment… Will I be getting treatment of the same quality?”

We hear you. And we also assure you, all you have to do is come here and forget your worries because we have your back.

Affordable dentists are not bad quality dentists. That’s just how things work in India. You are ensured to get premium quality treatment in India, even if you pick a random dentist in Kalapet, for every one of them is highly qualified and efficient. In fact, India, through the Bureau of Indian Standards or BIS, is a member of the ISO/TC 106 Dentistry Committee that sets global standards for the dental profession and the dental treatment industry at large.

It is no laughing matter that India satisfies international standards when it comes to dental education. In addition to that, we have also made it a point to harness top-notch equipment to ensure a smooth dental procedure, be it as simple as a denture to something as complicated as an implant procedure.

Cut down the wait

Yes. Wait no more. Dentists in Pondicherry are open to taking up appointments 6 days a week, with some offering Sunday appointments for special cases. So you don’t have to worry about the long waiting time between the time you land and the time your appointment is due.

Call in and schedule your appointment or book an appointment on our site, and you will be accommodated whenever you are comfortable. You can book well in advance or keep it flexible. The choice is yours.

Feel right at home

Ask any dentist near Auroville, you’re sure to find out a lot about what the place has to offer in terms of aesthetic and spiritual attractions. Auroville is an ideal place to start your dental tourism as it flaunts an amalgam of several international cultures, ensuring that anyone who enters feels right at home.

International cultures mean multi-lingual support as well. The language barrier will be a non-issue as the city boasts interpreters in all major global languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, etc.

Getting your dental procedure is one thing, but when was the last time you enjoyed intricate French architecture, enthralling beaches, several spiritual hubs, boathouses, scuba spots, and several more, all in one spot? Very few places, we’ll bet on it.

Conclusion

Very few cities in the whole wide world can assure you this much range in terms of both dental treatment as well as a vacation destination, so if you are looking for a spot for your dental tourism trip, well, look no more! For you have found an ideal spot! Be it materialistic pleasures, spiritualistic endeavors, or just some downtime in a coastal paradise, we have got a little bit of everything over here!