Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1925-01-15

mouth. The brush should be care
fully selected. Most tooth brushes
should select brush which is as
stiff as may be used vigorously on
the gums without causing pain. Such
brushes are usually marked medium.
A new brush is always somewhat
sitter than it will be after it has
been used for time. In buying, one
are too large to permit Of sufficiently
free movement in the mouth. A brush
about the size of those sold as
youths brush is to be preferred. The
bristles should not be too closely set;
there should be nearly as much space
between the rows Of bristles, as is
occupied by the bristles. A brush
having the bristles rather deeply
notched cross-wise is very desirable.
AS to the softness, each person
should rather consider what the
brush will be after little use. While
the brush is new the bristles may be
softened by soaking the brush for
few minutes in warm water before
using. Persons who use too stiff a
brush are apt to avoid brushing the
soft tissues. and lose that which is
of great value in cleaning, the stirnu-
lation Of the gingivae, or free margin
Of the gums.
For many persons, special brushes
should be selected to meet the pc
cular conditions presenting in their
most impossible to clean about the
mouths. In some mouths it is al
third molars, either upper or lower,
unless the bristles near the end of
the brush are very short. Those
with tuft of very long bristles near
the end are generally to be avoided,
as they fold back against the handle,
when the brush is carried back in
the mouth, and do little or no clean
ing. The end bristles should be
short enough so that there will be
sufficient room between the teeth
and the cheek for the brush to be
moved freely. Some of the brushes
on the market, which have the long
tuft of bristles at the end, make very
good brushes if these long bristles
are cut short with a pair of scissors.
In some mouths there is not sufficient
room to the buccal Of the upper third
molars for brush with the shortest
possible bristles. In such cases, a
brush with small tuft of bristles at
the end may be carried directly a.
cross the occlusal surface, with the
tuft reaching over. The tuft may
thus moves along the buccal and al
SO the the distal surface (around the
wisdom teeth). For some persons,
whose lower front teeth are inclined
being convex will make it possible
a brush with bend in the
handle (the back side of the handle
to reach the lingual surfaces of the
teeth to better advantage. 1t has
been my policy to examine each
mouth as to the available space for
the brush in various parts, especially
about the third molar and the lingual
of the lower incisors. / also note
whether it is best to have the jaws
apart or the teeth in occlusion. In
many mouths the buccal surfaces of
the upper second and third molars
can be cleaned more effectively with
jaws closed. 1t has been my policy,
also, to give directions to my patients
in my private practice as to the style
of brush to be used. In this, there
should be certain standard types
which will be right for most people,
and others to suit special require
ments.
Movements of the Brush.
Each person should form the habit
of following definite routine Of
brushing. It makes no particular diff
ference where one begins or ends, if
the habit is formed of following the
same routine at each brushing. When
one has once formed such a habit,
there will be little danger of missing
any part Of the mouth. I suggest
the following plan: After the brush
has been held in the water for
moment, end should be carried fully
back to the last molar tooth, or be-
You'd it when possible, on the left
side of the lower jaw. The ends of
the bristles of the brush should be
placed against the gums over the
roots of the teeth, and then, with
either straight or a twisting move
ment of the wrist, the brush should
be swept over the teeth toward their
occlusial surfaces. This should be
done several times. One should learn
to repeat this motion quickly with
twisting of the wrist, and while so
doing, gradually brinc the hr,,sb for-