DRY Tooth Brushing

Most of us tell our patients that they need to brush twice a day... And if we're feeling extra ambitious we might even teach them the Bass technique. 

With our recommendation are our patients actually removing plaque?  When our patients typically brush their teeth they feel the mint, they feel the foam and 17ish seconds later they are done!  

Dry brushing is where you have the patient start on the lingual without any toothpaste (right handers on the right lingual and left handed people shout start on the left lingual).  The patient brushes his/her teeth until the mouth feels super clean and fresh and THEN the patient adds toothpaste and brushes again.  

Patients actually brush longer and more effectively. The November 2013 Perio Report  said:

"Research published in the JADA in 1998 confirms this.  Patients instructed to dry brush their teeth, beginning on the inside of the bottom teeth first and brushing until the teeth felt and tasted clean throughout before adding toothpaste showed significant benefit after six moths.  This resulted in 63 percent reduction in lingual calculus and a 55 percent reduction lingual bleeding."

Read more about dry brushing here. (http://www.dentaltown.com/media/interactive/341/magazine.pdf)

Also, want some tips on how to instruct your patients on this technique? Watch our short, helpful video below.