Motherhood spa aka Oral health with Oral-B iO8

 


Let's cut to the chase, shall we... today I want to talk about motherhood and oral health... a topic that is rarely discussed when motherhood ups and downs are mentioned... and sometimes, like in my case, it doesn't always go so perfectly hand in hand. After 3 pregnancies in a relatively short amount of time, then nursing all babies past 18 months, then acid indigestion and overall crowding of the teeth, my oral health required many interventions: from replacing chipped fillings, constant battle with new cavities, and two new crowns, I had my share of oral drama... 

Seriously, it's like clock work, after each pregnancy I feel like I have to start over and put out a bunch of little fires. I usually check in with the dentist while pregnant, but other than a regular cleaning, there is little they can do until the baby is out. Anyway, I feel like I am finally turning the corner here, and my oral health seems to be relatively balanced. However, between some sensitivity, some gum exposure around the crowns, and general proneness to cavities between my teeth, there is a lot to deal with at once, and a heck of a task for one little toothbrush :) I spent too much of my free time looking for a perfect toothbrush that could address all these issues and I thought something always had to give. 

And as you see in the entire paragraph, there is a lot to deal with here!

I am so so happy to report that I found the Oral-B iO8 Toothbrush, and I can finally say: happy teeth! we have arrived! First of all, my dentist recommended that I get a good electric toothbrush, because manual brushing - in my already "pretty complex" case was just not feasible, a manual toothbrush can't precisely reach each tooth on multiple surface areas, something my tight bite absolutely requires. I have been an avid user of Oral-B electric toothbrushes in the past, but the Oral-B iO8 is just the next level, it's simply the state of the art. Its powerful, yet gentle micro-vibrations ensure that each tooth gets properly brushed, even the hard to reach areas.

I love the Smart Pressure Sensor that ensures I don't brush too hard, something I struggled with in the past... I would over-brush - irritating my gums and stripping enamel - which would worsen my sensitivity. Once I started brushing with  Oral-B iO8, this improved significantly. The AI Recognition of my brushing habits that I can review on an interactive display inside the toothbrush's app offers me something more. It allows me to optimize my brushing and improve my habits to ultimately achieve better oral health! That's where the magic happens! I had no idea that I brush one side far more and far longer than the other, it's no wonder one was over-sensitive and stripped of enamel and the other had more plaque. This toothbrush was a total game changer for my brushing routine and a great boost for my oral overall health.

Depending on your objective you can choose between 6 distinguishably different brushing modes: Daily Clean, Intense, Whitening, Gum Care, Sensitive and Super Sensitive. I use the gum care and sensitive interchangeably, because these two fit my objectives, the best part about either one of these modes, is that vibrations - even though they seem different in intensity and frequency  - don't feel dizzying, they just feel normal, my hand doesn't feel all tingly after using it either, something that always bothered me when I was done using other electric toothbrushes. Overall, I think it this toothbrush is an amazing investment and if it keeps me out of a dentist chair for long enough, it sure will save me a lot - and I mean - a L O T of money in dental bills!

The other day, I had a pleasure of chatting about oral health during a pandemic with a Registered Dental Hygienist from my local Salem Dental Arts office, Sarah Crow, who happens to be the president-elect of  the American Dental Hygienists Association for Massachusetts. She mentioned that even though dental procedures are considered high risk for Covid-19 exposure, there has been very little virus transmission among patients and dental professionals. That is why it is crucial to not put dental appointments on hold. Of course, a good habit of brushing and flossing is as important as ever. We also chatted about the best toothbrushes on the market and what makes the Oral-B iO8 the best one out there. She pointed out that no other brush has the oscillation head movement (vs. back and forth) and that is the key to the most precise polish motion around the tooth, without abrasives.  It is especially important for patients like myself, to achieve perfectly clean teeth without over-brushing or gum irritation. Sarah pointed out another Oral-B feature that has not occurred to me before, its smaller, round head which allows to move the toothbrush into hard to reach areas, like back molars and then reach tooth one at a time, something that no other electric toothbrush does as well as Oral-B. The most important about effective toothbrushing is doing it at a 45 degree angle with small circular up-down motions, instead of shoving the toothbrush back and forth, and super important, bing gentle!

For more interesting stats and figures on good brushing, you can check hereOr check some helpful resources from Sarah's practice. 

I’m also excited to share Oral-B’s latest initiative in gifting deserving patients across the country with an Oral-B iO of their own! By partnering with dental professionals across all 50 states, they are finding patients who need iO most during this time. Through this effort, Sarah was able to give 5 of her patients Oral-B iO brushes and help them better their everyday day oral care routines.



Blog written as partnership with Oral-B iO8