The great toothbrush debate: is an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush more effective? Dr. Hilliard

The answer is simple: both! It’s true; you can effectively brush your teeth with either a manual or an electric toothbrush, and still maintain a clean, healthy smile. While both toothbrushes do an good job of cleaning your teeth and gums, they each offer different advantages.

Picking the Right Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush is great if you have arthritis, or are unable to grip the smaller handle of a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes also have a convenient two-minute timer, so that you know you are brushing long enough. Here are a few helpful tips to help you purchase the right electric toothbrush for your needs:

• Make sure it’s comfortable and easy to hold onto.
• A toothbrush with soft bristles is best for removing plaque without hurting your teeth or gums.
• Small headed brushes are recommended, since with a smaller brush head you will be able to reach all areas of your mouth, including the often hard to reach back teeth.
• Pick a toothbrush that fits your mouth. Brushing your teeth should always be comfortable.
• Always pick a toothbrush that has the seal of approval from the American Dental Association.

Whether you use an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush, it is recommended that you change the toothbrush (or just the head) every three months, or whenever it starts to show wear (such as bent, or fanned out bristles). It is also important to change your toothbrush after you’ve had a bad cold or illness. Your toothbrush can collect bacteria that may lead to infection if it’s not replaced.

As always, remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once. Brushing after each meal and remembering to floss can maximize the health of your smile!

If you’re wondering which kind of toothbrush is best for you, be sure to ask Dr. Hilliard. Call 863-644-0430 to schedule an appointment.

If you have a favorite toothbrush, or some helpful advice about picking out the right toothbrush, we encourage you to share your opinions with other patients just like you! We welcome your comments - happy brushing!

Softly Brushing Your Way to Clean Teeth, From Dr. Hilliard

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. We always recommend that our patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, we recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference!

--Dr. Hilliard

Dr. Hilliard Around the Web

If you've ever visited us at Dr. Hilliard's office, you already know that Dr. Hilliard and the rest of the team love connecting with their patients. We love the ability to communicate with all of you online too! Besides our web site and our blog, Dr. Hilliard is on many other networks too!

• Become a "fan" of Dr. Hilliard on Facebook

• View and comment on our photos on MySpace

See you around the web!
--Dr. Hilliard

What are you doing this summer? from Dr. Hilliard!

Its summer here for the team at Dr. Hilliard's office, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbeque, a camping trip, or just having fun in the sun, we want to hear about it! Leave a comment on our blog and tell us about your summer!

Happy Travels,

-From Dr. Hilliard

Summer Fun with Dr. Hilliard

Here at Dr. Hilliard's office, we like to have a little fun, especially during the summer!


If you haven't heard yet, our weekly word scramble contest is on! Check out the Office Fun & Games page of our web site, and download this week's wordscrambles. You may enter multiple times, and the more you enter, the more chances to win a drawing for a fabulous prize!

The prizes include a choice of: a trip for you and five of your friends or family to the movies, or a $100 gift card to a shop of your choice!

Drop off your submissions at our office, and GOOD LUCK!

--Dr. Hilliard

Taking Care of Your Toothbrush, from Dr. Hilliard

You know your toothbrush is a vital tool for the proper care of your teeth – but do you know the best way to take care of your toothbrush? Following are some guidelines for toothbrush care from Dr. Hilliard:



One toothbrush should have one owner.

If you share your toothbrush, you could also be sharing bodily fluids and bacteria, increasing your risk of infection.

Toothbrushes need privacy, too.

For the same reason, when storing brushes, make sure they are placed in such a way that they can't touch each other.

Give your toothbrush some space.

Keep your brush in a clean, well-ventilated spot and make sure it has time to dry in between uses. Keeping your toothbrush in a closed, moist space regularly can encourage the growth of germs.

Showering is good for your toothbrush.

Before and after each use, rinse your toothbrush under running water to eliminate excess toothpaste and other residue. Rub your fingers along the bristles – but only after washing your hands; no use substituting one set of germs for another. When you're finished, shake out the brush to accelerate drying.

Let your toothbrush indulge in a nice bath.

You may be able to reduce the amount of bacteria on your brush by soaking it in anti-bacterial mouthwash after each use.

Don't get too attached to your toothbrush.

Swap your old toothbrush for a new one at least as often as every three to four months. Keep an eye out for frayed bristles and replace sooner if necessary. The more worn the bristles, the less effective brushing is. Of course, if you've been sick with the flu, a cold, or a mouth infection, say goodbye to your toothbrush and move on to a new, germ-free one immediately.

Beware of too-good-to-be-true toothbrush-cleaning products.

Some products profess to being designed to "sanitize" your toothbrush. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), there is no conclusive evidence that these products provide any particular benefit to your health. The ADA also encourages consumers to be wary of products claiming to "sterilize" your toothbrush, as there is currently no data to support such claims.

Don't trust Aunt Minnie's toothbrush-cleaning advice.

Although they certainly mean well, and they're clearly creative, your friends and relatives with home-cooked ideas about cleaning toothbrushes may not be the safest sources of information. Dishwashers, microwaves, and boiling water are no substitute for simply buying a new brush – and in fact could damage your brush, rendering it less effective.

Remember – what's good for the toothbrush is good for the teeth!

--Dr. Hilliard

Braces 101 with Dr. Hilliard

Should you need to call Dr. Hilliard's office in case you sustain any damage to your braces, we can help you more effectively if you can tell us exactly which piece is in trouble! Here’s a handy diagram and corresponding list of all the parts that make up your braces.



Elastic Tie: Tiny rubber band that fits around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.


Archwire: The main wire that acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout treatment, as teeth move to their new positions.

Loop in Archwire: Frequently used for closing space left by an extraction. Many archwires don't have a loop.

Bracket: Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth's surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube: Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring: Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire: Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band: A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook: Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band): Small rubber band that is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.