The ÉclatDent blog

Brushing & brushes : tips and guides

Sonic or oscillating, manual or electric, soft or medium bristles: the toothbrush questions come back constantly, and the answers are simpler than the marketing suggests. This category covers how to brush correctly, when to replace a brush or head, whether an interdental brush beats floss, what a water flosser adds, and whether UV sterilisers are useful. The goal is the same each time: remove plaque every day without wearing enamel or gums.

The reference guide: Which toothbrush to choose: the decision guide →

A 5-minute interdental routine: the 40% your brush forgetsBrushing & brushes

A 5-minute interdental routine: the 40% your brush forgets

Your toothbrush only reaches about 60 % of tooth surfaces — and the missing 40 % is exactly where gingivitis and cavities start. Use interdental brushes wherever the...

· 7 min read

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UV toothbrush steriliser: useful or a gimmick?Brushing & brushes

UV toothbrush steriliser: useful or a gimmick?

UV-C light really does reduce bacteria on a brush head, but the free habits come first: rinse the head after use, let it dry upright in the air,...

· 5 min read

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How Long Should You Keep a Toothbrush (and Why Change It)?Brushing & brushes

How Long Should You Keep a Toothbrush (and Why Change It)?

About three months, manual brush or electric head: beyond that, the bristles flare and bend, the brush still foams but no longer breaks up plaque, and it irritates...

· 5 min read

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Interdental brushes or floss: which should you choose?Brushing & brushes

Interdental brushes or floss: which should you choose?

It depends on the space between your teeth: floss slips into tight gaps, interdental brushes clean wider gaps, receded gums, braces and bridges better, and they are easier...

· 5 min read

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Soft, Medium or Hard Bristles: Which Toothbrush Should You Choose?Brushing & brushes

Soft, Medium or Hard Bristles: Which Toothbrush Should You Choose?

Soft, for almost everyone. It is not the hardness of the bristles that removes plaque, a soft film, but the regular, methodical contact of the filaments; hard bristles...

· 5 min read

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Brushing your teeth before or after breakfast?Brushing & brushes

Brushing your teeth before or after breakfast?

Before, in most cases. Orange juice, coffee, fruit, yoghurt: an acidic breakfast temporarily softens the enamel, and brushing right after wears it. Brushing before removes the night’s plaque...

· 4 min read

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Electric or Manual Toothbrush: What Difference Does It Make to Your Smile?Brushing & brushes

Electric or Manual Toothbrush: What Difference Does It Make to Your Smile?

A well-used manual brush already cleans very well: two minutes, twice a day, without pressing. The problem is that almost nobody really does it. A sonic electric brush...

· 6 min read

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Water flosser or dental floss: which one should you choose?Brushing & brushes

Water flosser or dental floss: which one should you choose?

Floss scrapes plaque against the tooth and goes under the gum: it is more precise but demanding, and many give it up. A water flosser dislodges debris and...

· 5 min read

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Peach toothpaste: can flavour really improve brushing?Brushing & brushes

Peach toothpaste: can flavour really improve brushing?

Yes, because the weak link in brushing is not technique, it is consistency: the evening brushing skipped, two minutes cut to forty seconds. A taste you like keeps...

· 5 min read

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