Want to know an interesting fact why you need a blotting brush?
“Brushing And Flossing May Be Worsening Your Oral Health!!!”
That’s according to Dr Philip Price who stated that normal mechanism of brushing leaves the tartar concentrated at the gum line where it is left to fester and he went as far as saying it can also cause periodontal disease.
Now that may seem crazy to me and you which is why we have created this article. We want to find out the scientific basis for these bold statements and fundamentally learn about his own unique approach to cleaning the teeth and gums for better oral health.
He created the Blotting Technique For Teeth and tested it on different groups of people. They noticed considerable changes within 3 weeks.
What was so special about this technique?
Blotting Technique Is Unique And Powerful
Dr Price created a unique brush that would enable it to get into the gum line area and absorb the plaque out into the bristles. The design is quite unique and differs from your average toothbrush.
The blotting toothbrush consists of a brush that is a 4 row by 41 tuft slender head for greater manoeuvrability. It uses a gentle .007″ diameter DuPont TynexTM end-rounded textured nylon bristle that draws out plaque and debris from gingival crevice.
All brushes come with a maintainer cover to protect and reform the bristles.
The Problem With Conventional Brushing
Dr Price said that the normal mechanism of brushing makes things worse in regard to your gum health. In fact, it actually worsens the condition and causes periodontal disease. At first this might seem far-fetched but hear me out.
What he said was, when brushing with a normal toothbrush and toothpaste, the plaque will get displaced but it’s not removed from the oral cavity. It’s actually just mashed up together on and under the gum line, so really all your doing is moving the dead cells and bacteria around the mouth rather than removing it.
That’s counter-productive and all your basically doing is polishing your teeth rather than actually cleaning them.
How Did He Discover The Blotting Brush & Technique
During the 1960s Dr Price was well into his research on why people have gum disease even though they were brushing and flossing for the recommended amount of time.
He came to the conclusion that mouthwashes, toothpastes and flossing was not enough. There had to be better ways to cure gum disease.
So he started to extensively analyse the Masai Tribe in Africa and saw how they had great white looking teeth including the gums. He noted the mechanism of cleaning they utilised and although basic, worked like a charm…
Twigs From A Mustard Tree?
Yup, something so basic can keep your teeth and gums in good shape, who would have thought!. But we should point out that the twig from this tree has some antibiotic properties which enhances it 10 fold. Apart from that, they didn’t really use anything else to clean their teeth.
Just rubbing it along the gum line and the surfaces of the teeth was enough and if you look at pictures of these people, most of the time you will see a perfect formed smile with no sign of gum disease.
One other thing to mention is that the Twig shares 1 common trait with the blotting brush which is, it soaks up the residue from the gum area and completely gets rid of the plaque.
How Can Use A Blotting Brush At Home?
Once you get the proper technique down you will easily be able to do this whenever you feel like it although Dr Price mentioned that doing it twice per day would be sufficient to keep gum problems away.
Here is a video showing you the proper way to use the Blotting technique:
If you don’t have time to watch all the video, here is a quick summary:
- Normal tooth brushing pushes plaque down and into the gum lines which irritates the gums and will lead to gum disease
- The special blot brush has bristles that help absorb the plaque into them which can then be removed from the mouth
- Don’t use an ordinary toothbrush for this technique as it may cause more damage to the gums
- First step: hold the brush at a 45 degree angle towards the gum line
- Second step: start tapping the brush up and down against the gum line for around 5 seconds in one spot
- Third step: Rinse out the brush or suck the bristles clean as you go and then move onto the next area
- Fourth step: Once the outer portions are cleaned start on the inside areas. Line the brush with the inside of the gum line and carry out the same tapping motion.
- Fourth Step: Remove the plaque from the inside of the cheeks and tongue by gently brushing in a circular motion.
- Replace the brush every 3-4 weeks
- In the start you may notice increased bleeding gums but this will go away after a few uses
- If you have advanced form of gum disease and notice there are gum pocket depths of 4mm, this technique may not work.
You can purchase your very own blot brush from The Holistic Dental Store. A pack of 4 will cost you $12.97.
Is The Teeth Blotting Technique Scientifically Proven?
When it comes to obscure methods of cleaning, we always try to look for published journals and research papers to help us get a better understanding on how and why a particular method works so good.
In the case of the teeth blotting Technique we have not found any journals online that show us the proof that this method does in fact help with gum disease. We actually do believe it can benefit the gums because of the mechanism that is utilised and how the Masai Tribe cleaned their teeth.
But saying it can cure periodontal disease is probably a step too far in our opinion, you need to supplement the brushing technique with anti bacterial and anti inflammatory solutions for it to be effective.
That was until we read his book…
Dr Price’s Book Called: Acquiring And Maintaining Oral Health
Dr Price wrote a book specifically talking about gum disease and what causes it. He also went into detail on the blotting method and has provided numerous before and after pictures backing up his claims. If your interested you can download the book at Toothwizards.
Teeth Blotting FAQ’s
Q. How hard should one press when blotting?
A. It is difficult to put amount of pressure into words. If the gums become sore, one is pressing too hard. Usually, it is best to begin the blotting technique with very little pressure and gradually increase it as the mouth becomes healthier. One should never use excessive pressure as this usually causes soreness of the gums.
Q. How long will one have to continue this Blotting?
A. The blotting technique is another method of brushing so technically you can do this every day for the rest of your life. You will enjoy a lifetime of mouth health free of cavities and gum disease.
Q. Can blotting help people who have a dry mouth condition?
A. Yes, it usually can. The stimulating action produced by the cleaning of the mouth can reactivate partially degenerated mucous glands (glands that produce saliva) and restore their vigorin producing the fluid. People that have a dry mouth should not use any mouthwash whatsoever.
Q. If one does this type of cleaning, is it still important to have a prophylaxis (a cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist)?
A. In any type of treatment, one must first answer the question, “Why?” Why would you want your teeth cleaned by the dentist? There are three reasons : (1.) removing calculus, (2.) removing of stains, (3.) polishing teeth.
Of these three, after the blotting and total mouth hygiene technique is completely mastered, removing stains and polishing the teeth are the only reasons left. However, this is a good time to have the dentist check and see if calculus is forming; for if it is, you know that your method of mouth care is not diligent nor complete enough.
I Personally Use The Bass Method Of Tooth brushing
Although I think the Blotting technique is a good way to help with gum disease, I am a big fan of the Bass Toothbrush Method. I had bleeding gums and my normal toothbrush and toothpaste were not doing anything to reduce the problem. I searched all over the Internet about getting rid of bleeding gums and finally stumbled upon a research paper showing the effectiveness of the bass toothbrush.
The study carried out showed this method of brushing was the best for removing plaque because it disrupts the plaque and bacteria from under the gum line.
The main difference between this and the blotting technique is that with the blot brush you tap the gums gently to soak up the plaque while the bass toothbrush uses fast micro vibrations to dislodge the plaque and kill bacteria.
The second main difference is that when you use the bass toothbrush you need to apply an anti bacterial solution that can seep down into the gum lines and kill the bad bacteria whilst still keeping the good bacteria alive.
It’s worked wonders for me and something I recommend you try out. Actually I suggest you use both methods and see which one gives you the better results. You could carry out a little experiment of your own :)
Summary
The Blotting Technique For Teeth was first created by Dr Phillip Price after years of research and studying. He found out that the Masai tribe of Africa only used a twig from a tree to clean their teeth and the mechanism was similar to that of the Blotting Brush.
The brush basically goes into the gum line and soaks up the plaque and dead bacteria which are then washed away. But it wasn’t just the gums and teeth, the whole inside of the mouth including the cheeks and tongue needed to be cleaned to have maximum effect.
It’s quite simple to use once you have seen it in action. All you do is place the brush at a 45 degree angle towards the gum line and tap them for 5 seconds before moving on to the next area. Make sure to clean the inside of the teeth as well.
The brushes aren’t too expensive either, they can be brought for a couple of dollars but if you are going to use this method long term we recommend you buy them in packs of 4 or more because it’s suggested that you change the brush every 3-4 weeks. You will save money doing it this way.
