If you’ve been following for a bit, you might remember that I have some pretty hefty dental anxiety. Aside from a handful of traumatizing incidents, I have acidic saliva, which predisposes me to decay, so I’m always worried about cavities and such, since I’m prone despite my best efforts. I am extra diligent about at-home dental care to be both preemptive and proactive, and that has certainly helped.
I had my semiannual cleaning canceled during quarantine, so that made me a little nervous. However, I upgraded to the new Oral-B iO toothbrush shortly after, and as someone who has never felt all that strongly about a toothbrush, it’s utterly impressive how clean my teeth feel. you know that ultra slick feeling you felt when you got your braces off? that’s kind how it feels after every brushing.
Oral-B iO is the result of six years of research and innovation to bring the results of a professional cleaning, but at home and everyday. Within a week or so, the most noticeable difference was in my gums. They’ve been finicky since I was pregnant (that’s a common side effect) but far less so with the soreness when flossing, etc since I started using the Oral-B iO. It cleans so deeply along the gumline (six times more plaque removal than the average toothbrush) yet is so gentle, and that makes such a difference for me.
It also helps that Asher wants to do everything I do, which means that I also brush to encourage him to do the same. He’s totally intrigued by the digital display, and it’s useful for my frazzled mom brain to have it do the tracking of how long I’ve been brushing. And the display does so much more than that- I control my brushing mode (always whitening! 😁), am reminded to change my brush head, and it even tells me when I’m using optimal pressure for my sensitive gums.
And y’all know that I only share the products I genuinely use and love, but this partnership is one I was especially excited about because of the way OralB is giving back in light of the pandemic. Through their Force for Good initiative, they partnered with dental professionals across the country to identify deserving patients who have either suffered from a loss of income, have gone above and beyond within their communities, are struggling to maintain oral health or attend dental visits, or have extenuating circumstances that further complicate the situation.
Here in California, Dr. Justin Shyba and his Soquel office helped get Oral-B iO systems into some deserving hands and mouths. From patients who lost everything in the CZU fires, to those who have had to cancel their dental appointments due to lapsed insurance as a result of unemployment, to those who immunocompromised and are in strict quarantine to protect themselves from covid. I especially felt for the overextended, working/homeschooling mom that was gifted- that feeling of barely having time to brush teeth much less schedule a dental appointment. In each of these situations, and the ones like them across the country, a gifted toothbrush is more than just the momentary joy- it’s an opportunity to maintain better oral health, which affects your overall health, while safely at home. It’s the peace of mind it brings, knowing you’re doing your best in these unprecedented times, and knowing that a little bit of professional technology in a home situation can go a long way.
love, Ravayna
This post was brought to you in partnership with Oral-B but all opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the companies that make LoveRavayna possible.
