CHANGE THE TOOTHBRUSH.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1919, Page 10

CHANGE THE TOOTHBRUSH.

A common error of those who do not practice oral hygiene is to retain the toothbrush far beyond the limits of advisability. The brush, after prolonged use, and probably faulty cleansing, becomes an ideal breeding-ground for 'the micro-organisms of the mouth, to destroy and defeat which is, of course, the whole plan of campaign. Let us imagine a child using a brush in such a condition —i e., with minute or even microscopic food plaques in its interstices. The gum generally becomes more or loss scratched, and hypertrophic gums bleed freely, with resulting direct inoculation of germs. To fix anything like a definite time for the retention of a brush seems impossible, since its useful life must depend upon the amount of cleanliness exercised by the child or parent, but three months seems to strike the mean between meticulous care and the claims of economy. Questioning young children will frequently bring to light the fact that more than one member of the family use the same brush, with unfortunate results in cases of gingivitis and ulcerative stomatitis. A few minutes each morning at a clinic instructing children in the proper manner in manipulating a toothbrush is time well spent. The value of a vertical as well as horizontal movement should be pointed out, and care taken to show the importance of cleansing and brushing the lingual sides of the teeth. It is also advisable to teach the youngsters that gum bleeding during brushing is not an excuse for stopping regular cleaning, but just an indication that a softer brush might be used.