You may have a moment when you suddenly think to yourself that you’re going to become more of a minimalist. As a result, you decide that when it comes to your dental hygiene, you’re going to just stick with a toothbrush and toothpaste (and that brushing will see you through no matter what)! Unfortunately, you’re overlooking the fact that while a brush and paste are quite beneficial and powerful for preventive care, they cannot do it all. Let’s consider some good examples of why you need more than your toothbrush.
It Can’t Remove All The Plaque
Yes, the brushing portion of your dental hygiene removes a significant amount of plaque from your smile. However, it doesn’t remove it all. In fact, your care at home (on its own) won’t remove every last bit of plaque. Here’s what we encourage you to remember:
- Your twice-a-day brushing is very, very important, so keep it up
- You can’t remove the plaque from between your teeth and under your gumline with brushing; you need to floss, too
- Even with brushing and flossing, you will still have some plaque (and tartar) that will only be removed during a professional dental cleaning
It Can’t Whiten Your Teeth
It’s true that there are a lot of whitening toothpastes in the dental hygiene aisle. If you’re hoping for a minor “facelift” for your teeth, you will get a bit of illumination by using whitening toothpaste and your toothbrush. However, we say “minor” because you might not be able to notice it at all. Yes, your teeth may start to look a little bit better but true stains reside deeper than surface level, so you’ll need cosmetic care for a change.
