Zentflex Toothbrush evaluation | Teethstars.com

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

My preliminary impression of the concept behind the Zent Flex toothbrush was, “That’s sensible!”  There are comparable ideas in electrical toothbrushes that beep at you or flash a crimson mild when the person makes use of an excessive amount of strain, however they don’t truly 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 reduce 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 tougher than bones.  It’s potential, albeit tough, to mechanically abrade (steadily put on away) enamel.  Enamel abrasion will not be 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 will not be the first reason for gum recession, it’s actually a contributing think about many circumstances.  The gum tissues surrounding the enamel are comparatively delicate, so any inappropriate drive 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, rising the danger for the second consequence of arduous brushing: root abrasion.  Root abrasion is more likely than enamel abrasion as a result of the roots of enamel do not need a protecting enamel coating.  As a substitute, the roots are coated in a skinny layer of cementum, which could be very prone to abrasion.  As soon as the cementum is gone, the underlying dentin (the most important 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 perhaps essential to restore the defects.

The Zent Flex mechanism of “breaking” the joint at 150g of drive is suitable based mostly on scientific analysis concerning the drive required to take away dental plaque versus the drive that damages dentin.  Analysis helps (and it simply is sensible) that rising drive will enhance plaque removing.  That’s the entire level of brushing: to take away the sticky movie of plaque that incorporates disease-causing micro organism.  In some unspecified time in the future, although, that rising drive will take away not solely the plaque but in addition the dentin to which it’s caught!

The brink of 150 grams of drive can also 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 incorporates tiny pores, referred to as tubules, which create a communication between the oral setting and the nerve inside every tooth.  Chemical or mechanical processes that open or widen these tubules will open that communication, that means you’ll be extra more likely to really feel sizzling, chilly, and candy sensations within the nerve.  This research exhibits that utilizing a decrease drive when brushing truly 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 study that I brush too arduous!  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 arduous to cease laughing at myself as a result of the press joint broke again and again.  I did really feel, as I brushed, that I might need been lacking areas, which triggered me to pay shut consideration to how totally 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 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 imagine that over time you’ll develop a brushing approach that will not trigger the joint to interrupt.

Conclusion

This toothbrush could be an exquisite instrument for anybody with delicate enamel, gum recession, root publicity, or just a naturally heavy brushing approach.  I like to recommend it for these specific folks as a result of its protecting talents and its coaching potential.  It additionally has the benefit of being a lot cheaper than the common electrical toothbrushes that promote the identical protecting capabilities.

Dr. Lara Coseo

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