Dental Pain
Dental pain is an especially difficult situation to handle on your own. True dental pain usually doesn’t respond to common over the counter pain control options. Let’s go over the different types of dental pain, what you can expect with each, and what you can do temporarily in each case.
Toothache (Severe Constant Throbbing, Hot and Cold Sensitivity)
Dentists call this type of toothache “irreversible pulpitis”. The nerve of the tooth has been traumatized and is in the process of dying. While this lasts you’ll have severe throbbing pain as well as pain from hot and cold. Many times the pain is enough to wake you up at night. I’ve had many patients tell me that it is worse than giving birth or having kidney stones. There are very few things you can do to help with this type of pain because of it’s severity. 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours will sometimes take the edge off. Orajel around the tooth will be ineffective. The only solutions to this problem are to wait for it to go away, have the tooth extracted, or have a root canal. If you decide to wait it out, you should realize that the tooth will likely become infected at some point in the future.
Toothache (Severe constant pain especially if any pressure is placed on the tooth, No hot and cold sensitivity)
Once the nerve of the tooth has died, the area inside the tooth becomes infected. This infection will often spread out of the tooth and into the bone around the tooth. This is known as a dental abscess. You won’t have any sensitivity to temperature in this case but you can still have severe throbbing pain and pain when you bite or anything touches the tooth. You can use 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours to take the edge off. Again Orajel around the tooth will not help. Antibiotics will help in this case to reduce the infection and relieve some of the pain temporarily. The pain will come back at some point in the future. The only permanent options for treatment are to take the tooth out or do a root canal.
Toothache (Pain only when biting)
If you have pain on biting after having fillings done, your bite is usually a little bit high and needs to be adjusted by the dentist. Avoid biting on that area as best you can until you can get it adjusted. If you haven’t had any dental work done recently, this can be the result of a crack developing in the tooth. The best thing to do is avoid chewing on the tooth until you can see the dentist. Most of these teeth end up needing a crown and occasionally need a root canal if the crack goes into the nerve.
Mouth Ulcer
Ulcers in your mouth can mimic the pain from the a toothache. These can develop all on their own or sometimes they are the result of biting your lip or cheek. If you see a roundish white area surrounded by a bright red halo, you likely have an ulcer. Orajel placed on the ulcer will help numb it and reduce the pain. Most of these will heal on their own within a week.
Sinus Pain
Sinus pain is another one of those situations that can mimic a toothache. The roots of your top molars literally sit right next to your sinuses and any type of sinus pressure from a cold, etc can cause your teeth to ache. You’ll usually feel a minor to moderate constant ache in those areas. One of the best tests of this is to bend your head and upper body down towards your feet and then straighten up suddenly. If this causes additional pain it is usually sinus related. Decongestants like Sudafed will help relieve some of this pain.
TMJ Pain
Lastly, many people develop TMJ pain. See our section on TMJ problems for more information. We have quite a bit of information on things you can do to help relieve this pain.
Clean Your Own Teeth In Between Dental Visits
**Before we get started, I want to be clear that I am not recommending that you never see your dentist for cleaning visits. There are some areas of your mouth that you can’t clean yourself and you also need the dentist to check for cavities, infections, and oral cancer. Please use this guide as a way to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible in conjunction with proper dental care. **
Supplies
To clean your own teeth, you’re going to need a couple of special instruments that you can buy at the drugstore or online.
This is an example of one particular kit that I like. You can click on the image to go to Amazon and buy it. The instruments are very similar to the ones a dentist or dental hygienist would use. The ones at the drugstore tend to be quite a bit cheaper and don’t work as well. I recommend spending the couple of extra dollars to get a decent kit.
I also recommend that you get an electric toothbrush with a round head. You can check out my recommendations on electric toothbrushes here. Electric toothbrushes that rotate and oscillate work very similarly to the polishing equipment at the dental office.
The last thing you’re going to want to get is known as disclosing solution. This can come in a liquid or as tablets. Click on the link to go to Amazon and see one product that works well. There are also some mouthwashes that do the same thing.
Cleaning Your Teeth
Once you’ve got everything ready, you’re ready to clean your teeth. The first thing you want to do is use the disclosing tablets or liquid. Be careful with this stuff as it will stain just about anything in addition to the dental plaque on your teeth. Your teeth should look something like this. Nice right? All that red stuff is plaque and build-up on your teeth.
Next take your toothbrush and toothpaste clean every single surface until you’ve removed as much of the red / purple color as possible. This may take a little more time than you expect. Dental plaque is much harder to remove than it looks.
Now anything that is left after spending some serious time with your toothbrush is likely a type of hard build-up on your teeth known as calculus or tartar. This is what your dental hygienist spends all that time scraping off. This is where the dental instruments come in. Please sterilize the instruments before using them. You can do this by dipping them in isopropyl alcohol and letting them dry completely or lighting the alcohol on fire (my favorite method).
There are several areas where most people tend to build up the most tartar. The heaviest area is on the back of your lower front teeth and around your top molars. Most people also tend to build up a smaller amount in between their teeth and right along the gumline. I’ve circled some of these common areas in red.
Take the tip of the instrument and scrape it along the surface of your tooth removing this hard material. When you’ve got it cleaned off, the dental scaler should slide smoothly along your teeth surfaces. You’re going to want to check all these areas with the dental scaler as best as you can. The hardest place for you to get to is going to be in between your teeth. You’ll have to do this mostly by feel as you won’t really be able to see what you’re doing. Place the tip of the scaler alongside the tooth, in between them, and scrape upwards. Never scrape down as this can damage your gums.
Avoid using the scaling instruments on your teeth too often. Once every 2-3 months is the most you should do. Once all the hard material is cleaned off your teeth you should be able to keep everything very clean with good brushing and flossing alone.
Next time you go to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned, it should be a much easier experience!
Mouthwash Reviews
Recommendations Updated April 16th, 2018.
Before I get into the recommendations I want to explain a couple of things about mouthwash. Mouthwash can be a good companion for strengthening your teeth or helping bad breath but brushing and flossing always need to come first. You need the mechanical removal of bacteria that both provide. You won’t be able to fix bad breath with just mouthwash. There are also a lot of different types of mouthwash. Here are a couple of the major differences…
- With or without Fluoride – Fluoride is great for reducing the likelihood of getting cavities. Brushing and flossing is sufficient for most people (if done regularly!), but if you like to make sure you are doing everything you can, this is an easy way to help.
- With or without Alcohol – Alcohol gives mouthwash that burning sensation that some people love and others hate. It also helps dissolve essential oils that provide the actual antibacterial effect. There have been some concerns that the alcohol in mouthwash could lead to an increased risk of oral cancer, however, there has been NO convincing evidence to date that this happens. There is some concern however, that alcohol can dry your mouth temporarily.
- Dry Mouth Rinses – A variety of conditions or medications can lead to dry mouth. Ask your physician or dentist if you are concerned. Using a dry mouth mouthrinse and a fluoride mouthrinse (or one that includes both) IS VITAL in cases of dry mouth. Dry mouth can lead to a multitude of problems including cavities, bad breath, and thrush. Certain rinses contain helpful ingredients and enzymes to counteract these effects.
Alcohol Free Mouthwash without fluoride
Oxyfresh is my favorite overall mouthwash. The reason for this is that it contains no alcohol and has primarily natural ingredients that are easier on the tissues in your mouth. Studies have shown that it can significantly improve the health of your gum tissues to help you avoid gingivitis and gum disease. Oxyfresh in combination with good brushing and flossing will help you maintain excellent gum health and give you better breath to boot.
Alcohol Free Mouthwash with fluoride
My favorite alcohol free mouthwash with fluoride is Listerine Total Care Zero. A second option is Act Anticavity Mouthrinse. Both rinses help reduce cavities (through the action of the fluoride) and kill germs that cause bad breath. If you are at a higher risk for cavities and want the additional fluoride, these are good options.
Alcohol Mouthwash with Fluoride
Listerine Total Care helps to prevent cavities and the germs that lead to bad breath. If you like that burn of alcohol and want to get the protective effects of fluoride as well this is a great option.
Alcohol Mouthwash without fluoride
These mouthwashes are great for bad breath, at least temporarily, but won’t do anything to strengthen your teeth. Listerine makes the best products in this category.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth can be very challenging and lead to many dental issues. Using a good mouth rinse is one way to help reduce some of these problems. One option is Biotene. This contains enzymes that help stimulate saliva production in the mouth.
Another option is Act Total Care Dry Soothing Mouthrinse. What I like about this one is that it contains fluoride which helps to strengthen your teeth and repair damage that has been done from having dry mouth.
For Kids
Children’s mouthwash should have fluoride in it, which is critical for children when their teeth first come in. Children should never use an alcohol containing mouthwash. You should also be careful to watch that they don’t swallow the mouthrinse as this can give them excess fluoride exposure. Children who use a mouthrinse should be closely supervised initially to make sure they are using it properly.
Picking the Right Dentist
Picking the right dentist can be a really challenging thing to do! Unlike many other service based businesses, you have very little way of knowing the competency of a specific dentist. There are, however, some steps you can take to increase your odds of finding a good one. I’ve listed them in order of importance.
- Don’t go to a corporate dental office. I worked at several corporate offices early in my career and I can tell without a doubt that these offices are not structured to provide optimal patient care. They are structured to provide maximum profit. There are a lot of good dentists who work at these places but the corporate structure limits their ability to provide the best care for you. Some corporate offices are really easy to spot like Aspen Dental, Comfort Dental, Kool Smiles, Pacific Dental Services, Monarch Dental, etc. Other corporate dental offices are a bit trickier and use names like “Your Town” Dental Care. Unless you do some digging you won’t be aware. Heartland Dental Care is one of the main ones that does this.
- Go to a dentist who you feel comfortable with and who is willing to sit down and explain everything to you. An honest dentist will always be willing to explain treatment to you and usually won’t become defensive. If in doubt seek a second opinion. An honest dentist won’t care if you do this either.
- If the dentist treats his staff or patients poorly, don’t go to him. I’ve known dentists who yell at staff, throw things at them, and treat them unfairly. These dentists usually hate their career and only do it for the money. Your odds of getting good treatment from a dentist who hates being a dentist are far less.
- Choose a dentist who has been out of school for at least several years. Early career dentists just haven’t had the repetitions to be quite as good clinically as more experienced dentists. Again, this is not always true, however on average a more experienced dentist will be able to provide better quality clinical treatment. I learned a lot in my first 5 years in dental practice but also made quite a few mistakes. This is unfortunately the learning curve for anyone in a skilled profession. Several books have made the claim that 10,000 hours of practice is what it takes to become an expert at any task. In dentistry terms that is right around 5 years of work.
- Seeing a dentist who owns their own office or is in a group practice with several owners, is usually your best option for quality dentistry. Owner dentists have a vested interest in providing the best care possible. They know they will be there long term and they will be the ones to fix any poor quality work at their own expense. Associates in corporate offices know they can just move on to the next job and usually don’t expect to be somewhere long term.
- It is not always best to use someone who is in network with your insurance. While there are a lot of good dentists who are in network with insurance plans, reimbursement is significantly less and they are not able to spend as much time on each patient. I don’t find this a deal breaker and you will save a lot of money on an in network dentist, but keep it in mind.
Toothpaste Reviews
(Before you read through my toothpaste picks, you may want to read my article on the different ingredients in toothpaste. It will explain about all the different common ingredients as well as provide a chart on how abrasive many different brands of toothpaste are.)
My Top Pick:
Colgate Total Care is the best toothpaste I’ve found. Throughout many scientific studies, it has been found to reduce plaque, gingivitis, and bleeding far more than other toothpaste formulations. It also reduces your risk of cavities slightly (about 5%) over the others. Lastly it has a relatively low abrasiveness index so you won’t damage the enamel of your teeth.
Specialty Toothpastes
SLS Free
Some people also are very sensitive to the ingredients in toothpaste. Certain ingredients can cause mouth sores and irritation. One of the most common irritants is known as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). If you’re one of these people you should definitely try an SLS free toothpaste. You won’t get that same foaming effect that you get with other toothpastes but it will clean just fine. They can be difficult to find in stores as most of the major toothpaste manufacturers don’t make this type. One of my favorite SLS free toothpastes is Tom’s of Maine Clean and Gentle.
Sensitive Teeth
Sensodyne Pronamel contains a special ingredient (potassium nitrate) to reduce the sensitivity of the nerves in your teeth. It does take several weeks to get maximum effect. I also like this one because it has very low abrasiveness.
Bad Breath
Oxyfresh Fluoride Toothpaste. This is a toothpaste that is minimally abrasive and tends to be a bit more gentle for most people. It works well, includes fluoride, and zinc to help reduce bad breath.
Kid’s Toothpaste
Kid’s should not get fluoride toothpaste until they are about 2-3 years old. Once they are old enough to not swallow the toothpaste you can start them on a kid’s toothpaste. I personally like the Tom’s of Maine strawberry toothpaste. It is the only toothpaste my kids would use for a long while because you don’t get that same burning feeling you get with most other toothpastes.
Baby and Toddler Toothpaste (Fluoride Free)
Under age 2-3 kids should not use a fluoride toothpaste (see above). You can brush with just water or you can use a fluoride free toothpaste like this Xlear Spry Tooth Gel that has xylitol. Xylitol reduces the amount of cavity causing bacteria and is very safe. See the Xylitol section of the website for more information.
Fluoride Free
I generally do not recommend using a fluoride-free toothpaste. There are significant benefits to using fluoride topically via toothpaste…. Water fluoridation is another matter though. If you’d like more information about the scientific studies on fluoride, please read my page where I go over everything you need to know about fluoride. My positions might surprise you. I do however understand that some people will not use any products with fluoride. One of my favorite fluoride free toothpastes is from Tom’s of Maine. I’d also recommend a strong emphasis on a good diet, minimization of any sugary drinks, and using sugar free chewing gum or mints, ideally with xylitol as the sweetener.
Toothbrush Reviews
Reviews Updated February 25th, 2017
Electric Toothbrushes
As a dentist I really like electric toothbrushes. Electric toothbrushes have been scientifically proven to reduce more plaque than a manual toothbrush and they also have a lot of different features to make your brushing more effective. I’ve personally tried out just about every brand and use one every day myself.
While most electric toothbrushes are superior to a manual toothbrush, there are some electric toothbrushes that are even better than others. So without anymore ado here are my recommendations for electric toothbrushes…
Best Overall:
The best electric toothbrush in my opinion is the Oral B Pro 500 Smartseries. I personally use the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries with the sensitive brush heads because I’ve found that it cleans the best of any electric toothbrush I’ve ever used (and I’ve used pretty much all of them). In two minutes of brushing my teeth feel just as clean as they do after a professional cleaning.
Some of its features include…
- A pressure sensor so you don’t brush too hard
- Interchangeable brush heads (there are 9 different types you can purchase which include Cross Action, Floss Action, Precision Clean, Deep Sweep, Dual Clean, 3D White, Ortho, Powertip, and Sensitive)
- Different brushing modes including Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, and Deep Clean
- Bluetooth technology to connect to your phone and analyze your brushing habits
- A timer to help you brush the full two minutes
- Long battery life (lasts approximately 10 days in between charges)
Why is it the best toothbrush?
A 2005 study found that… “Brushes that worked with a rotation oscillation action removed more plaque and reduced gingivitis more effectively than manual brushes in the short and long-term… No other powered brush designs were consistently superior…”. Studies since then have backed up this research. Sonic toothbrushes do not work as well as rotation oscillation toothbrushes.
I also have personally seen how well it works compared to all the other options. I simply can’t get my teeth as clean with a regular toothbrush as I can with this toothbrush.
Best Mid-Range Option:
For a budget option for my patients I usually recommend the Oral B Vitality. Again, it doesn’t clean as well the more expensive options but will generally do a much better job for you than a manual toothbrush.
Some of the benefits of the Oral B Vitality include…
- Interchangeable brush heads (you can use all the same brush heads as any other Oral B electric toothbrush)
- Rechargeable
- Very affordable
Budget Option:
If you’re not sure if you, or whoever you’re buying it for will actually use it, consider buying a cheap one before springing for an expensive one. I have a link below for the Arm and Hamer Spinbrush. It does a decent job cleaning. Remember that you still have to change the brush heads every three months.
Brush Heads
There are a lot of different brush head options for the Oral B Toothbrush. You want to change the brush heads on your toothbrush every three months, just like you’d change out your regular toothbrush.
Best Clean:
For the best possible cleaning ability go for the Oral B Cross Action brush head. Another overall good option is the Floss Action Head. I find these brush heads to be a bit too aggressive for me because I have unusually sensitive teeth and gums. Most people really like how well these clean though.
Sensitive Gums:
If you have really sensitive gums or teeth you may like the Precision Clean or Sensitive Brush Heads better. The Precision clean is a bit softer than the Cross Action brush heads while the Sensitive one has the softest bristles available. I personally use the sensitive brush heads and I’m still able to get a really good clean.
Braces:
If you’re in braces you’re going to need to use a couple of different brush heads to really clean those braces effectively. You’ll want to start with the Ortho brush head which fits around the brackets used in braces. Once you’ve cleaned really well with the Ortho head you can use the Power Tip to clean in those harder to reach places. It is small and gets into all the nooks and crannies around the brackets, wires, and other hardware used for braces.
Bridges or Other Tight Spaces You Need To Clean Around
Another good use for the Powertip is if you have bridges or implants that need better cleaning than you can get with a regular brush head.
Oral B does have some other brush heads that look more like a regular toothbrush but I don’t like these as much. The round head really cleans better than any other design. Unless you just really love the other types and can’t brush without them, I’d stick to these specific brush heads.
Manual Toothbrushes
Regular:
Manual toothbrushes can be hard to recommend mostly because everyone has different preferences. That said, I have literally tried hundreds of different toothbrushes and my favorite out of all of these, BY FAR, is the Colgate SlimSoft Toothbrush. It is the softest toothbrush I’ve ever tried and cleans very well because the thin bristles are able to reach into nooks and crannies better. They can be difficult to find and there are some fake products on Amazon so make sure and read the reviews and buy a legitimate one from Colgate.
Eco-Friendly:
If you are looking for a more eco-friendly toothbrush, the Preserve toothbrushes are made from recycled plastic and can themselves be recycled.
Here are some other things you need to know about toothbrushes and brushing with a manual toothbrush…
- Buy one with soft bristles. They reduce the risk of damaging your gums and teeth. All the toothbrushes I’ve recommended above have soft bristles.
- Kids need smaller toothbrushes than adults. It makes it easier for them to brush their back teeth.
- Toothbrushes need to be replaced every three months because they get dirty and worn out.
- You should brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time. This provides the best benefits for your teeth and gums.
Sugar Substitutes
Looking for dentist recommended candy and gum? There is a sweetener known as Xylitol that actually fights cavities. Studies have shown that chewing gum with enough Xylitol can reduce your risk of cavities significantly. The same holds true for mints or other candies with xylitol. Xylitol sweetened candy and gum is also diabetic friendly. Xylitol has a glycemic index of 7 versus 100 for pure glucose.
For more information on Xylitol you can visit http://www.xylitol.org
I have tried many of the gums and candies listed below and was happily surprised to find that it tastes almost exactly like sugar sweetened gums and candies. I chew the gum every day at work because it tastes good and it is an easy way to help prevent cavities. Here are links to the Amazon stores of the four major companies who produce Xylitol products.
Types of Xylitol Products
Gum – Xlear, Epic Dental, and Xyloburst all sell xylitol gum with a sufficient amount of xylitol to help fight cavities. Other companies may claim their gum has xylitol but unless it has 0.5-1 gram per piece, it won’t help fight cavities very well. 6 grams a day is recommended. The fresh fruit gum seems to lose its flavor rather quickly but the cinnamon lasts for a long time. I like the flavor on both though.
Mints – I really like the mints. These are also produced by Xlear, Xyloburst, and Epic Dental
Candy – They have lots of different types of candy ranging from hard fruity candies to melt in your mouth chocolate. Again, all these taste surprisingly good for something made with a sugar substitute.
Bags of Xylitol – You can use xylitol in a 1:1 ratio in place of sugar. It is great for putting in coffee or over cereal. It is not quite as good for baking projects. Don’t eat too much at first as your body takes some time to get used to the xylitol and it can cause a laxative effect initially with high amounts.
Products for Dental Pain
If you’ve ever stood in the dental aisle at a drugstore, you’ve likely been severely confused by all the different product choices. Let’s first take a look at the most common ingredients in these products so that you can make an educated decision on which product to get, no matter the brand. (Quick rundown on terms… Anesthetic – Makes it so you don’t feel pain, Analgesic – Relieves pain, Antiseptic – Prevents the growth of microorganisms)
Ingredients
Benzocaine (10-20%)- This is a topical anesthetic. When placed on your gum tissue it will numb the top 1-2 mm of tissue but will not numb any pain coming from your tooth. It can help with irritations of the gum, tongue, or cheeks.
Benzalkonium chloride (0.1 -0.13%) – This is an antiseptic, which helps to prevent infection. This is important for a wound like an ulcer.
Docosanol (10% cream) – This is the active ingredient in Abreva, a FDA approved OTC medication that significantly shortens the duration of cold sores. It penetrates into your skin and blocks the virus that causes cold sores from spreading.
Camphor (3%) – This works to reduce irritated and itchy areas. It stimulates certain types of nerves that help reduce pain and itching. It is good to use on cold sores, but you shouldn’t use it on open wounds (such as a canker sore / ulcer).
Menthol (0.5%) – Menthol has a lot of different applications. It is used in many products to create that cold sensation whether on your skin or in your mouth. In dental applications it is often used in mouthwashes for bad breath, to sooth sore throats, and as an analgesic for minor pain and irritations.
Phenol (1.4%) – Phenol has been used for a long time as a topical analgesic and antiseptic. It was actually one of the first drugs to be used in cleaning surgical wounds to reduce infection. There have been some concerns as to it’s long term safety for use.
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)- This is a polymer that helps certain medications stick to canker sores. The challenge with many traditional medications is that they only work for about 20 minutes because they fail to stay in the area.
Sodium Hyaluronate – This is is often used in conjunction with PVP and speeds healing of canker sores / ulcers.
True Dental Pain
Dental pain can be difficult because there aren’t many over the counter options for pain control that work well when there is true dental pain. For severe toothaches your best option is to take 400-800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours and see a dentist as soon as possible. This generally isn’t something you can take care of yourself. For other types of dental pain related to canker sores, cold sores, and TMJ symptoms there are some products and steps you can take to help relieve the painful area.
Canker Sores / Ulcers
These painful areas inside your mouth can be caused by everything from sun exposure to the type of toothpaste you use. Plain orajel or any other product containing 20% benzocaine will cause some temporary numbness in the area but only work for about 20 minutes. Some newer products have come out that do quite a bit better than plain orajel. They tend to coat the area, reduce the pain, and speed healing. My two favorite products are Canker X and Orajel for Canker Sores.
These areas should always heal within 1-2 weeks with no treatment. If you have an area that doesn’t heal within a couple of weeks, you should have a dentist take a look at it as it can be the sign of something else going on.
Cold Sores
Cold sores are caused by a specific type of virus and most often appear on your lips. Oftentimes you can feel the area start tingling before the cold sore actually breaks out. Abreva is a medication that is approved for cold sores and helps them heal more quickly. As soon as you feel a cold sore coming on, start applying this medication. It is good to have on hand as you have to start applying it early for the best results.
TMJ Pain
Some people have occasional TMJ pain. Most of the time this pain will resolve with a simple combination of rest, soft diet, and anti-inflammatory medication (400-800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours). If your TMJ pain is more than occasional, you may need to look at a more in depth TMJ management program that includes a TMJ splint and specific exercises. For more information see our page on TMJ Treatment Options.
Sinus Pain
It is relatively common for sinus pressure to cause your upper teeth to hurt. The roots of your upper molars sit right inside the maxillary sinuses and any pressure can cause a dull aching pain. This pain is usually worse when you bend over stand back up. The best option in this case is to take a decongestant.
You want to purchase a decongestant that contains Pseudoephedrine. Many common decongestants contain Phenylephrine which is far less effective, if at all. Any medication with Pseudoephedrine in it has to be purchased at a pharmacy where they will want to see your ID because pseudoephedrine has often been used to create methamphetamine in home meth labs.
Floss and Interproximal Brush Reviews
I have only one overriding criteria when trying new types of floss and flossing products. Does it make flossing easy? You can get really technical with all the different types of floss and products but in the end it really comes down to whether you’ll use it or not. If a product is difficult to use, you won’t use it. Because of that I’ve entirely ruled out any type of floss that is unwaxed or shreds easily. While these types of floss may clean slightly better (because they catch on everything!) it doesn’t seem to make a difference in the overall health of your gums. A lot of the cheap types of floss at the store fall into this category. Floss is pretty inexpensive anyway so please don’t skimp and get a terrible product!
Regular String Floss
Glide floss is easy to pop in and out and usually doesn’t shred. This product is so easy to use that I can literally floss all my teeth in twenty seconds flat.
Same story for Reach Total Care floss.
Disposable Flossers
Some people aren’t quite coordinated enough to use string floss effectively so they turn to disposable flossers. These products have floss attached to a handle that makes it easy to get back to those hard to reach spots. If you’re one of those people, this is the brand of disposable flossers I recommend. Use it once and then throw it away.
Products to Use with Braces
Braces are a whole other challenge when trying to keep your teeth clean. If you’re dead set on using string floss I recommend buying Superfloss. It has a rigid section at the end that you can use to thread under your braces. You can also trying using floss threaders with regular floss but I find that this is a much easier solution (see my rule #1!). Otherwise, see the section below on using Waterpiks or an Airflosser to get a much better and quicker clean.
Interproximal Brushes for Large Spaces or Braces
If you’ve got large spaces in between your teeth or braces, interproximal brushes are going to help clean those areas much better. Again, I like this product because it is easy to use. There are several other similar products but many of them require you to buy a specific handle and refills for it. This one is all in one.
Electronic Products
If you can afford to buy a electronic cleaning product I would highly recommend it, especially if you have braces or have had significant dental work in the past. These products work at least as well as regular floss and in some cases do much better. They are also extremely easy to use in case you have limited dexterity in your hands.
A Waterpik works by shooting a jet of water out of it’s tip. It is extremely useful for cleaning into between teeth, under bridges, around braces and just about everywhere else.
The Airfloss works very similarly to the Waterpik. It works great for cleaning in between teeth and can replace regular floss. There have been some concerns about it’s durability as compared to the Waterpik.
Temporary Fillings
Many drugstores sell temporary dental filling material. This material is very similar to what dentists use as a temporary filling material. It contains an ingredient known as “eugenol” that helps soothe the nerve of the tooth until you can have a permanent filling or crown completed. Now this material can be very difficult to get to stay in place, even as a dentist! Please keep that in mind before you try putting a temporary filling material in. There are multiple factors that decide whether the material will stay in place.
The first is the shape of the area you are trying to fill. If it has several walls around it will usually stay in place pretty well. When you are missing a large portion of the tooth, this material will really struggle to stay in place.
It also matters whether there is tooth decay in the area you are trying to fill. Areas where you’ve just lost an old filling will generally retain the filling material better than an area that has a large cavity. This soft tooth structure doesn’t allow the material to stick very well.
The last factor is how you place the material. Here are the steps I recommend for placing the material…
Placing the filling material
Make sure to dry the tooth area you are trying to fill. Water is going to make it not stick as well. Place the material in place, use your finger to quickly shape it, bite up and down a couple of times, and then let it set up all the way. This usually takes a couple of minutes. If you keep messing with it while it is setting, you’ll dislodge the material and it definitely won’t stay in place. Once in place, be very careful with it. No sticky or hard foods as these can remove it or break it.