Don't rotating tooth brushes push food into teeth. Then can't get food out?

Question

Think about it. The rotating brush pushes food deep between teeth then gum keep keeps brush from getting food out. I believe the rotating toothbrush is the dentist best friend. I swish Equate (Walmart) between my teeth twice a day and brush with old fashion toothbrush -downward from upper gum and upward from lower gum. I have not been to a dentist in over 15 years!

Answer 1

properly used a manual toothbrush is just as good as a rotating one. Most people dont properly use a manual one, and a rotating one will work better. there is no evidence saying the brush will shove food into your gums. the bristles DO go below the gum line 1-2mm, but they sweep the plaque out instead of shoving food in.

If you are referring to packing food in between teeth.. no more than a normal brush. the food and plaque that is left between teeth gets cleaned out by the floss.

You should still go to a dentist for a checkup to make sure you dont have any problems you cant readily see yourself.

Answer 2

For the record, you should still go to the dentist, even if you don't have cavities. It's a good idea to have the hygienist give you a good cleaning and polish on a regular basis.

You have a valid point about the toothbrush pushing the food in, but it really would only do so as much as your current toothbrush does. I suppose that's part of the reason we're supposed to floss, as well.

I use a rotating toothbrush, and will absolutely never, ever go back to the standard type. I have a very small amount of space between my molars and my jaw bone. This caused me trouble, since I couldn't really move the toothbrush around to scrub my molars - my gums there were often puffy and sore. Now, with the rotating brush, I can get the toothbrush into the space, and the brush makes the movement, without having to jab it into my jawbone. It's a huge help for me, so I'm gonna stick with it.

FYI, my hygienist says that they're good for a lot of people. The ones who get the least help from them are the people who try to move the brush around to scrub...essentially, you should just let the brush do the work.