Manual Toothbrush – Manual toothbrushes come in either super soft, soft, medium or hard, and it is recommended never to use medium or hard because they are too abrasive on your teeth and gums. Make sure to change your manual toothbrush every three or so months or when the colour starts to fade from the bristles.
Electric Toothbrush – Electric toothbrushes help you clean your teeth by moving the bristles for you, so just you have to glide the toothbrush along your teeth slowly. Electric toothbrushes either come in circular or oval-shaped heads and either oscillate or use a sweeping motion.
Manual Floss – Manual floss comes in either waxed (which is great for tighter areas between teeth) or un-waxed (which shreds more but is more absorbent)
Floss Sticks – Floss sticks are floss aids that area great for children, patients with low dexterity or anyone who prefers an alternative to manual flossing. Floss sticks have a handle to hold on to with a piece of floss at the end. They can be disposable or reusable.
Floss Threaders – Floss threaders are a floss aid to help access underneath fixed restorative work and fixed retainers. There is a small loop where the floss goes through to access between the teeth.
Super floss – Much like floss threaders, super floss is used to access between the teeth where you cannot slip the floss through from the top of the teeth where they touch. Super floss is a pre-cut piece of floss that has a stiff end on it to poke through the contact.
Water Floss – Water floss is a fun gadget that uses water in a stream like form to clean out between the teeth. It is also great for patients with braces.
Air Floss – Air floss is a similar type of gadget to water floss, but instead of water, it uses puffs of air to clear out the contacts.
Proxabrush – This is a small Christmas tree-shaped brush that helps to clear out plaque from larger spaces between teeth or between the brackets from braces.
Sulcabrush – This brush is similar to a toothbrush but has 1/3rd of the bristles to help you clean out hard to access areas such as around the last molars.
Soft Picks – Soft picks are very thin brushes that can slip into tight areas between teeth. They are good for cleaning the lower front teeth, especially when there is a fixed retainer.
Rubber Tip Stimulator – This is a small rubber point used to massage the gums and promote blood flow to the gums and reduce inflammation.
Tongue Cleaner – A tongue cleaner comes in two forms, 1 has bristles much like a toothbrush, and the other is a piece of corrugated plastic. Both are used to scrape from the back of the tongue to the front to remove plaque.
Mouthwash – There are various types of mouthwash that are used for various different reasons, such as with added fluoride, with whitening ingredients and to help reduce gingivitis. Make sure to select the right mouthwash for you.
Xylitol Gum – Gum containing xylitol is actually helpful for your teeth for two reasons. Sugar-free gum helps to remove plaque from your teeth, especially after eating, and xylitol helps to reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth.