[neilep (OP)]

Gentlemen and Ladies, Inbetweeners and Unknown ?...Confused and Disorientated !

I lay before you a debate I have been listening to on my car radio  whilst stuck in traffic  (12 miles in two hours!).....It has been stated that in addition to toothpaste that if you use warm water , then this will be more effective than the usual cold !

Any speculations on the tooth of this...sorry..I mean Truth of this !!

..if so...why so ?

Sincerest regards

Le Sheep


ps: hugs & Shmisheys

[Karen W.]

I have not heard that but will take a run at it to see if it works! Would be interesting.. Hey I want some light up teeth to! LOL!

[paul.fr]

I don't see how water temperature will affect the removal of plaque. It may soften the brushes / bristles(which is it?) of the toothbrush. If you use a hard toothbrush then softening of the (insert proper name here)brushes / bristles may reduce any gum damage, i suppose...

[another_someone]

I would guess it is more that if you brush with ice cold water, you don't do it as long, whereas warm water you may not feel as much on your gums, so you brush more.

Warm water I would guess would make your gums more prone to bleeding - maybe it might generally improve the blood supply to your gums and teeth?

Other possibility might be that more of the chemicals in the toothpaste might dissolve into your mouth, and thence into the gums (made the more sop by the slightly dilated capillaries in the gum because of the warmer water).

Not that I have ever actually heard this theory before, so I am not even sure what evidence exists as to its efficacy.

[neilep (OP)]

THANK YOU PAUl & GEORGE .

There was no conclusion to the discussion I heard. Purely speculations and yours seem very worthwhile !

Perhaps there is some fact behind this and maybe Chris will shed some light on it !

[Karen W.]

Hi I found this at:

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/888181727.Ot.r.html


Re: Brushing teeth with warm water.
Date: Sat Feb 21 20:25:33 1998
Posted By: David L. Beck, grad student, Microbiology Program,
Area of science: Other
ID: 886226285.Ot Message:


I asked my dentist, and what he said is this: the cleansing action of brushing your teeth is not affected by the temperature of the water you use, but the toothbrush is. If you use a soft bristle tooth brush then it doesn't matter what temperature of water you use because the bristles are soft and will work gentlely around your teeth and gums, easily cleaning them. If you use a medium, or hard bristled toothbrush then you should use warm water when you brush your teeth. The warm or slightly hot water will help to soften the bristles and thus help the bristles to work gentlely around your teeth and gums.

I guess the moral of the story is, use a soft bristled tooth brush; then it doesn't matter.

David

[neilep (OP)]

Cripes !!!..How on earth did you find that ?....

THANK YOU Karen !!......fantastic !!

[another_someone]

Hi I found this at:

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/888181727.Ot.r.html


Re: Brushing teeth with warm water.
Date: Sat Feb 21 20:25:33 1998
Posted By: David L. Beck, grad student, Microbiology Program,
Area of science: Other
ID: 886226285.Ot Message:


I asked my dentist, and what he said is this: the cleansing action of brushing your teeth is not affected by the temperature of the water you use, but the toothbrush is. If you use a soft bristle tooth brush then it doesn't matter what temperature of water you use because the bristles are soft and will work gentlely around your teeth and gums, easily cleaning them. If you use a medium, or hard bristled toothbrush then you should use warm water when you brush your teeth. The warm or slightly hot water will help to soften the bristles and thus help the bristles to work gentlely around your teeth and gums.

I guess the moral of the story is, use a soft bristled tooth brush; then it doesn't matter.

David

Are we only talking about natural fibre tooth brushes, or toothbrushes with plastic fibres?

[Karen W.]

It did not say anything about natural fibers. I read several articals and they all pointed to soft or medium brushes being softened by the hot water making brushing more thorough as far as getting up and around the gum areas and in cracks and crevices!