Brushing Teeth: New 'Massage Method' Quadruples Protection Against Tooth Decay, Study Suggests

Toothbrush, photo taken in Sweden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From the 25 March 2012 article at Science News Daily

Do you really want to avoid cavities in your teeth? Try massaging them with a high-fluoride toothpaste after lunch. “Rubbing toothpaste onto your teeth increases the fluoride protection by 400%,” says Anna Nordström, dentist, PhD and researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden..

…Eight years ago a new brand of toothpaste was launched in Sweden with more than three times as much fluoride as standard toothpaste. Available without prescription, it is aimed primarily at those with high caries risk….

…Also tested was a new method developed in collaboration with professor Dowen Birkhed, which involves rubbing toothpaste onto your teeth with a finger.
“This ‘massage’ method proved to be at least as effective as a third brushing in increasing the amount of fluoride in the mouth,” Anna Nordström explains. “Rubbing the front of your teeth with toothpaste can be an easy way of giving your teeth a third “shot” of fluoride during the day, after lunch for example. But this should not replace brushing with a fluoride toothpaste morning and evening — it’s an extra.”
Daily use is essential
Brushing with fluoride toothpaste has played — and continues to play — a major role in combating tooth decay, and there is strong scientific evidence that daily use of fluoride toothpaste has a pronounced preventive effect.
The study Effect of a third application of toothpaste (1450 and 5000 ppm F), including a “massage” method, on fluoride retention and pH drop in plaque was published in Acta Odontologica Scandinavia.
THE RESEARCHER´S TOP TIPS • Use toothpaste at least twice a day, after breakfast and before going to bed. • If necessary, brush a third time or rub on some toothpaste instead. • If you have problems with cavities, choose a toothpaste with a higher fluoride content. • Avoid rinsing out the toothpaste with water.

 

Related articles

• Healthy Teeth for Life: 10 Tips for Families (webmd.com)
• Dental exam OK? Thank fluoride (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Tooth Decay In Children On The Rise: Dentists Regularly See Kids With Cavities (huffingtonpost.com)
• Tips for Healthy Baby Teeth (drghadimi.wordpress.com)

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