Brushing your tooth with an excessive amount of pressure may cause everlasting injury to the important tooth construction. However how a lot pressure is an excessive amount of? The Zent flex toothbrush affords an elegantly easy answer that ensures you all the time brush with precisely the precise stress.

My preliminary impression of the concept behind the Zent Flex toothbrush was, “That’s good!”  There are comparable ideas in electrical toothbrushes that beep at you or flash a crimson gentle when the consumer makes use of an excessive amount of stress, however they don’t truly cease the pressure.  We all the time advise sufferers to brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush.  In spite of everything, it takes little or no stress to take away dental plaque from the tooth.  However in my expertise, there are some individuals who simply can’t appear to minimize the stress they use.  The distinctive design of the press joint within the Zent Flex toothbrush could also be precisely what they want.

Tooth enamel is the toughest construction within the human physique, a lot tougher than bones.  It’s attainable, albeit troublesome, to mechanically abrade (progressively put on away) enamel.  Enamel abrasion will not be our greatest concern with poor brushing method, although.  

There are two critical penalties of an aggressive toothbrushing method: 1) gum recession, and a couple of) root abrasion.

Though poor brushing method will not be the first reason for gum recession, it’s actually a contributing think about many instances.  The gum tissues surrounding the tooth are comparatively delicate, so any inappropriate pressure may cause them to again away from that perceived damage.  Gum recession in itself is dangerous as a result of it’s a lack of attachment between the tooth and the underlying jawbone.  Gums which have receded don’t develop again.  Extreme gum recession can require gum grafting surgical procedure to restore the defects.

Within the consideration of poor brushing method, a recession is exceptionally dangerous as a result of it exposes the roots of the tooth, growing the danger for the second consequence of laborious brushing: root abrasion.  Root abrasion is more likely than enamel abrasion as a result of the roots of tooth would not have a protecting enamel coating.  As a substitute, the roots are lined in a skinny layer of cementum, which could be very vulnerable to abrasion.  As soon as the cementum is gone, the underlying dentin (the most important element of tooth) is uncovered, resulting in a excessive danger for cavities and tooth sensitivity.  Like gums, cementum and dentin don’t regenerate on their very own.  If extreme abrasion happens, dental restorations may be essential to restore the defects.

The Zent Flex mechanism of “breaking” the joint at 150g of pressure is suitable based mostly on scientific analysis in regards to the pressure required to take away dental plaque versus the pressure that damages dentin.  Analysis helps (and it simply is smart) that growing pressure will improve plaque elimination.  That’s the entire level of brushing: to take away the sticky movie of plaque that comprises disease-causing micro organism.  In some unspecified time in the future, although, that growing pressure will take away not solely the plaque but additionally the dentin to which it’s caught!

The brink of 150 grams of pressure can be an accepted standardized quantity for Toothbrushing as the suitable quantity of stress.  We see this within the testing protocols that the American Dental Affiliation makes use of in its Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) index.  They use 150g of pressure when testing the abrasion potential of assorted sorts of toothpaste.

The rationale dentin is so important to this dialog is that it comprises tiny pores, referred to as tubules, which create a communication between the oral surroundings and the nerve inside every tooth.  Chemical or mechanical processes that open or widen these tubules will open that communication, which means you may be extra prone to really feel scorching, chilly, and candy sensations within the nerve.  This examine exhibits that utilizing a decrease pressure when brushing truly helps to shrink these tiny pores, decreasing sensitivity considerably.

[Side note: While sensitivity is a more common consequence of open dentinal tubules, we also need to worry about cavities.  The open pores in dentin increase the risk for bacterial contamination, and therefore increase the risk for cavities on these exposed root surfaces.]

After utilizing the comb myself, I used to be shocked to study that I brush too laborious!  I’m a dentist!  In fact, I take into account myself to be somebody with an important brushing method.  Throughout my first use of the Zentflex, it was laborious to cease laughing at myself as a result of the press joint broke again and again.  I did really feel, as I brushed, that I might need been lacking areas, which triggered me to pay shut consideration to how totally I used to be masking the tooth.

The comb itself is comfy and well-constructed.  The bristles really feel soft-to-medium-soft.  (Extra importantly, they felt a lot softer after the press joint broke at 150g of pressure.)  As I continued brushing, I seen that I used to be progressively altering my method to maintain the joint from breaking, so I believe this brush carries nice potential for coaching individuals within the applicable quantity of toothbrushing pressure.  If that is the one toothbrush you employ, I imagine that over time you’d develop a brushing method that might not trigger the joint to interrupt.

Conclusion

This toothbrush can be a beautiful instrument for anybody with delicate tooth, gum recession, root publicity, or just a naturally heavy brushing method.  I like to recommend it for these specific individuals attributable to its protecting talents and its coaching potential.  It additionally has the benefit of being a lot cheaper than the typical electrical toothbrushes that promote the identical protecting features.

Dr. Lara Coseo

Dr. Lara Coseo, (DDS, FAGD) is a 2004 graduate of Baylor School of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Having practiced basic dentistry for 13 years, Dr. Lara at the moment serves as an Affiliate Professor at Texas A&M School of Dentistry.