Brushing your enamel with an excessive amount of pressure may cause everlasting harm to the important tooth construction. However how a lot pressure is an excessive amount of? The Zent flex toothbrush affords an elegantly easy resolution that ensures you at all times brush with precisely the precise strain.

My preliminary impression of the concept behind the Zent Flex toothbrush was, “That’s good!”  There are related ideas in electrical toothbrushes that beep at you or flash a pink gentle when the consumer makes use of an excessive amount of strain, however they don’t really cease the pressure.  We at all times advise sufferers to brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush.  In spite of everything, it takes little or no strain to take away dental plaque from the enamel.  However in my expertise, there are some individuals who simply can’t appear to minimize the strain they use.  The distinctive design of the click 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 potential, albeit troublesome, to mechanically abrade (progressively put on away) enamel.  Enamel abrasion is just not our greatest concern with poor brushing approach, although.  

There are two severe penalties of an aggressive toothbrushing approach: 1) gum recession, and a pair of) root abrasion.

Though poor brushing approach is just not the first reason behind gum recession, it’s definitely a contributing think about many instances.  The gum tissues surrounding the enamel are comparatively delicate, so any inappropriate pressure may cause them to again away from that perceived harm.  Gum recession in itself is dangerous as a result of it’s a lack of attachment between the enamel 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 approach, a recession is exceptionally dangerous as a result of it exposes the roots of the enamel, growing the danger for the second consequence of onerous brushing: root abrasion.  Root abrasion is more likely than enamel abrasion as a result of the roots of enamel would not have a protecting enamel coating.  As an alternative, the roots are lined in a skinny layer of cementum, which may be very prone to abrasion.  As soon as the cementum is gone, the underlying dentin (the key element of enamel) is uncovered, resulting in a excessive threat for cavities and tooth sensitivity.  Like gums, cementum and dentin don’t regenerate on their very own.  If extreme abrasion happens, dental restorations is likely to be essential to restore the defects.

The Zent Flex mechanism of “breaking” the joint at 150g of pressure is acceptable 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 sensible) that growing pressure will enhance 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 strain.  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 can be extra prone to really feel sizzling, chilly, and candy sensations within the nerve.  This examine exhibits that utilizing a decrease pressure when brushing really helps to shrink these tiny pores, lowering 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 stunned to be taught that I brush too onerous!  I’m a dentist!  After all, I contemplate myself to be somebody with an important brushing approach.  Throughout my first use of the Zentflex, it was onerous to cease laughing at myself as a result of the click joint broke time and again.  I did really feel, as I brushed, that I may need been lacking areas, which brought about me to pay shut consideration to how completely I used to be protecting the enamel.

The comb itself is snug and well-constructed.  The bristles really feel soft-to-medium-soft.  (Extra importantly, they felt a lot softer after the click joint broke at 150g of pressure.)  As I continued brushing, I observed that I used to be progressively altering my approach to maintain the joint from breaking, so I feel 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’ll develop a brushing approach that may not trigger the joint to interrupt.

Conclusion

This toothbrush could be an exquisite software for anybody with delicate enamel, gum recession, root publicity, or just a naturally heavy brushing approach.  I like to recommend it for these explicit individuals attributable to its protecting talents and its coaching potential.  It additionally has the benefit of being a lot inexpensive 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 normal dentistry for 13 years, Dr. Lara at the moment serves as an Affiliate Professor at Texas A&M School of Dentistry.