Embracing New Dental Technology and Treatment
It’s no surprise that many people do not brush their teeth for the recommended two minutes twice each day, and with a recent update from the USDA it is now confirmed that most Americans do not floss correctly either. As dentists, we do our best to educate our patients on maintaining their oral health. When you come in for your twice yearly exam, Dr. Brazdo takes the time to clean and polish every tooth, ensure that plaque and tartar are removed from the teeth and gums, and instructs you with a reminder of how to create a beneficial oral habit with the new toothbrush she sends you home with. It is not for lack of trying that dentists and patients alike have a hard time maintaining impeccable oral health.
Many patients would benefit from the daily guidance of a dentist to reach their oral health goals, and in the digital age a dentist’s advice is never far away.
A New Age of Dental Technology
Dental technology has come a long way in the last century. However, most of this has been created for the dentist. Better tools, new materials like composite resin and dental implants have made the craft of dentistry safer and much more aesthetically pleasing for patients. With the leaps and bounds in dentist-focused technology it’s about time that new strides were made for the patients. Patients of dentistry still struggle with the basics, and it’s not their fault. Years of bad habits and only checking in with your dentist twice each year can make it difficult to begin, and stick with, healthy habits. Thankfully there is a host of new technology available for dental patients to help keep them on track with their oral health routine.
Smile With Your Smartphone
In the digital age we now inhabit, there is an app for everything. Why not a dental app? In fact there are many dental apps that are designed to do everything from help kids get started with healthy habits and track their toothbrushing, to brushing timers, flossing and brushing tutorials, and even apps that can show you the effects of a tooth whitening treatment. It’s amazing how many tools are available for dental patients on their smartphones. If you are looking to improve your brushing habit you can download a brushing timer that will play two minutes of your own music for you to brush to every morning and evening. And, if you want to make sure you’re flossing correctly it’s only a video tutorial away.
Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes came on the market in 1960 and revolutionized toothbrushing forever. There are many different styles to choose from. Electric toothbrushes can now track the time spent brushing, and even sense when you are pushing too hard on your teeth. They can also link up to your smartphone via bluetooth technology to show you how well you are brushing and give you tips about how you can improve your routine. Now you have not only your dentist, but also your toothbrush keeping an eye on your oral health.
Videos in Dental Health
Recently a study found that people who recorded themselves brushing their teeth learned better techniques and brushed their teeth more efficiently over time. Because you “know” how to brush and floss your teeth you don’t often think about this task. Recording oneself in the act, however, made study participants pay more attention to themselves and brush their teeth properly. Videos can also help by refreshing your memory on how tasks like flossing are done. Go and check out a YouTube video on how to floss. Seeing someone floss properly can be encouraging to mimic and add to your daily oral hygiene routine. The best part about these videos is that they will always be there. Any time you have a question or concern about how to properly perform the task, you don’t need to wait until your dental appointment, you can just click on over to a video and see how it’s done.
Dental technology and treatment has certainly come a long way
Now that it is finally reached the patient’s point of view, we hope that you can use this technology to improve your oral hygiene routine. Of course if you have any questions about how to best brush, floss and take care of your teeth know that you can always count on your Melbourne, Florida dentist.