Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Philips Sonicare. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Today is World Oral Health Day, and new research is taking a closer look at how well our daily brushing habits are actually working. The findings suggest there may be a surprising gap in many people's oral health routines — especially at night.
Cosmetic dentist Dr. Sharon Huang joined Inside South Florida to explain what the research found and share simple ways to improve your routine.
The problem with manual brushing
Huang says the research on manual brushing is eye-opening.
"Research from 59 clinical studies showed that brushing manually will actually leave 50% of the plaque behind, which is very concerning, especially overnight, because the bacteria now has an eight-hour uninterrupted window to grow and multiply, especially in these hard-to-reach areas in between the teeth and along the gum line," Huang said.
The mouth-body connection
Oral care is about more than just teeth — it is directly connected to overall health.
"Our mouth is the entryway to our body. There's so much research linking the bacteria that's living in our mouth to our body. It travels through the entire mouth — inflammation, connection to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and just overall wellness, and that's why it's so important to get this bacteria under control," Huang said.
How to combat overnight bacteria growth
To combat bacteria growth, Huang recommends switching from a manual toothbrush to a sonic toothbrush, specifically the Philips Sonicare 6500.
"The good news is that Sonicare has the technology. The Sonicare 6500 removes 1,000% more plaque than your manual brush. It is powered by 62,000 bristle movements. It also has this Sonicare fluid action — it pushes fluid in between the teeth and along the gum line, and it helps you feel the care," Huang said.
She added that it is the toothbrush she recommends to her own patients and is the number one sonic toothbrush recommended by dentists worldwide.
The Night Switch Experience
In honor of World Oral Health Day, Philips is hosting the Night Switch Experience to bring the research to life.
"We're showing the audience what is actually happening in our mouth at night and the little tips that we could do to help our oral health," Huang said.
The Philips Sonicare 6500 is available nationwide. For more information and to find the right sonic toothbrush for you, visit philips.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
