What Kind of Toothbrush Should You Use?

Powered or Manual Toothbrushes?
The first toothbrush decision is whether to use an electric or a manual toothbrush. There isn’t a firm consensus that one is better than the other - in most cases it boils down to a matter of personal preference. Powered toothbrushes are two, three, or four times more expensive than the ordinary variety, but tend to last much longer. Lazy brushers may get better results with an electric toothbrush. The small, rotating head(s) are effective at reaching into tight spaces between teeth and other hard to reach spots.

Are you a lazy brusher? To remove plaque, a person should brush for about three minutes, which for most of us feels like an eternity. People also tend to think they brush for longer than they actually do — some powered toothbrushes come equipped with a timer, a handy crutch indeed.

Manual Toothbrushes - Hard or Soft Bristles?
The answer to this question is more clear cut. Soft bristles work perfectly well for most people, and are a must for those with unhealthy teeth or gums. Strenuous brushing with medium or hard bristles can damage teeth and gums; better to brush thoroughly but mildly with a soft bristle toothbrush.

Toothbrush Size Matters
Toothbrushes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The operative word in making a selection is comfort. Your toothbrush should comfortably reach all brushing areas, especially those hard to reach molars. Sometimes the handle, rather than the head, is the key to comfortable brushing. Trial and error is probably the best way to judge which toothbrush works best for you.

Toothbrush holders for the kid in you–or the kids

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 17th, 2008 at 3:27 pm and is filed under tooth care for adults. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “What Kind of Toothbrush Should You Use?”

Cory from Dental Heros Says:
November 15th, 2008 at 11:53 am
There was actually a study conducted recently that concluded that there is no significant difference between a powered and manual toothbrush in terms of their effectiveness. So, it really comes down to preference. As you mentioned in the article, whether you’re a lazy or active brusher will probably determine your preference.