Which Toothbrush Should You Choose for Oral Health?

Good oral health is directly proportional to your oral hygiene habits. These play a significant role in maintaining your mouth and teeth in top shape.

Of course, to get the most out of your everyday oral care routine, you need the right toothbrush. Now, you must be wondering, what toothbrush is the best for me?

There´re many factors to consider before deciding which toothbrush is the best suited for you. So there´s not a short (or easy) answer to that question.

Toothbrush options are diverse but fear not. Here, we bring you all there´s to know to confidently answer the question: Which toothbrush should you choose for oral health? Let´s begin!

Choosing the Right Toothbrush, The Ultimate Guide

When deciding which toothbrush best suits your specific needs, we can catalogue the factors involved into three main groups.

Bristle hardness and pattern

Depending on its bristles´ hardness, a toothbrush comes marked either as “hard,” “medium,” or “soft.” And sure, a hard-bristled toothbrush will help you get rid of more plaque.

However, “hard” bristles and an improper brushing technique can damage gums and teeth by irritating gum tissue and eroding tooth enamel.

Because of this, dentists recommend using a soft or medium-bristled toothbrush. There are also several bristle patterns, crisscross, wavy, tapered, and some toothbrushes even include polishing-cups-equipped bristles.

So, your choice in this regard depends mostly on comfort and your own dental health needs.

Toothbrush size, head shape, and handle design

Size

Not all mouths are equal, so making sure your toothbrush has the right size for your mouth is crucial.

A standard toothbrush head´s size should be around half an inch wide and an inch tall. This´ll allow brushing even the harder-to-reach areas in most mouths.

Head shape

Other than its size, another critical factor is your toothbrush head´s shape. Usually, these come in either rounded or a conventional square shape.

Still, when it comes to reaching (and properly cleaning) your back molars, a diamond-shaped toothbrush (preferably with a flexible handle) is the best choice.

Handle design

There´re four main types of toothbrush handles:

  • Straight
  • Non-slip grip
  • Contra-angle
  • Flexible

Our recommendation here´s that whatever handle you choose. Make sure it lets you brush properly (and comfortably) even the hardest-to-reach areas in the back of your mouth.

Types of toothbrush

Although manual toothbrushes are the most common type of toothbrush, these aren´t, by any means, the only ones available.

Electric toothbrushes

These feature rotating bristles that make brushing your teeth almost effortless. Nonetheless, besides all its benefits, an electric toothbrush will be more expensive.

Also, based on their movement, electric toothbrushes can be sub-divided in:

  • Rotating toothbrush: with a small, high-speed oscillating head that allows you to properly clean your back molars.
  • Sonic toothbrush: which oval-shaped head emits a high-speed pulsation.

Recent studies conclude that the multi-directional movement of an electric toothbrush allows it to remove plaque easier than a conventional toothbrush.

Interdental brush

Consisting of a reusable handle with small, disposable brushing tips. Interdental brushes are used to thoroughly clean the spaces between teeth.

Sulcabrush

It´s a specific tool with arrow-tip-shaped bristles. This design makes it perfect for cleaning along the gum line, between crowns, and in hard-to-reach areas such as crowded teeth.

Independently of which toothbrush you settle for, be sure you ALWAYS use the proper brushing technique.

Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle using a gentle, circular pattern where the gum tissue meets your teeth. This´ll allow you to clean thoroughly under your gums.

Avoid at all costs scrubbing your teeth in rough back-and-forth motions. This is a sure way to damage gum tissue.

Still doubtful about toothbrush types/brushing techniques? Our team of dental professionals will happily give you expert insight on which toothbrush should you choose for oral health.

Disclaimer: The content provided on this website is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Any reliance you place on the information provided in these blogs is, therefore, strictly at your own risk. We shall not be held responsible for any loss or damage resulting from the use of the information provided on this website.

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