Brushing your enamel with an excessive amount of drive may cause everlasting harm to the important tooth construction. However how a lot drive is an excessive amount of? The Zent flex toothbrush presents an elegantly easy answer 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 mild when the consumer makes use of an excessive amount of strain, however they don’t really cease the drive.  We at all times advise sufferers to brush gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush.  In any case, 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 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 more durable than bones.  It’s attainable, albeit troublesome, to mechanically abrade (steadily put on away) enamel.  Enamel abrasion shouldn’t be our largest concern with poor brushing approach, although.  

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

Though poor brushing approach shouldn’t be the first explanation for gum recession, it’s actually a contributing think about many instances.  The gum tissues surrounding the enamel are comparatively delicate, so any inappropriate drive may cause them to again away from that perceived damage.  Gum recession in itself is unhealthy 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 unhealthy as a result of it exposes the roots of the enamel, growing the chance for the second consequence of exhausting 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 main element of enamel) 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 is likely to be essential to restore the defects.

The Zent Flex mechanism of “breaking” the joint at 150g of drive is suitable primarily based on scientific analysis in regards to the drive required to take away dental plaque versus the drive that damages dentin.  Analysis helps (and it simply is sensible) that growing drive will enhance plaque elimination.  That’s the entire level of brushing: to take away the sticky movie of plaque that accommodates disease-causing micro organism.  Sooner or later, although, that growing drive will take away not solely the plaque but additionally the dentin to which it’s caught!

The brink of 150 grams of drive 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 drive when testing the abrasion potential of varied sorts of toothpaste.

The rationale dentin is so important to this dialog is that it accommodates tiny pores, known 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, that means you can be extra prone to really feel scorching, chilly, and candy sensations within the nerve.  This examine reveals that utilizing a decrease drive 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 shocked to study that I brush too exhausting!  I’m a dentist!  After all, I think about myself to be somebody with a fantastic brushing approach.  Throughout my first use of the Zentflex, it was exhausting to cease laughing at myself as a result of the press joint broke time and again.  I did really feel, as I brushed, that I may need been lacking areas, which brought on me to pay shut consideration to how totally I used to be overlaying the enamel.

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 drive.)  As I continued brushing, I observed that I used to be steadily altering my approach to maintain the joint from breaking, so I believe this brush carries nice potential for coaching folks within the acceptable quantity of toothbrushing drive.  If that is the one toothbrush you employ, I consider that over time you’ll develop a brushing approach that might 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 folks on account of its protecting skills and its coaching potential.  It additionally has the benefit of being a lot cheaper than the common electrical toothbrushes that promote the identical protecting features.

Dr. Lara Coseo

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