How to choose the right toothbrush
We highly recommend good dental hygiene to our patients. Not only do healthy teeth and gums prevent oral problems appearing, they are also crucial for our wellbeing, since gum disease is linked to all kinds of issues such as diabetes and heart disease.
Choosing the right toothbrush plays a vital role in keeping your teeth and gums in good condition. However, with so many types for sale these days, many people who come to us mention that it can be difficult to decide which one is the most suitable.
Below are a few tips to help you decide:
Bristles
Toothbrushes, whether manual or electric, are made of nylon bristles than come in a range of soft, medium and hard bristles. The hard variety can tend to cause your gums to shrink if too much pressure is applied. There is also the risk that if you brush over-enthusiastically, you could damage your teeth enamel. On the other hand, very soft bristles might not tackle plaque effectively, so it is recommended to usually to go for medium.
Design
We generally recommend a smaller head for your toothbrush, since it will be able to get to hard to reach places in your mouth more easily.
When it comes to the handle, you want to make sure the handle fits comfortably in your hand so you can get a good grip to brush your teeth effectively. It should be easy to manoeuvre and preferably have a non-slip surface.
Manual vs Electric
Both types are acceptable provided they are used effectively.
The good thing about the manual toothbrush is that it comes in a larger variety than many of the electric toothbrushes and you get more options including large, standard or small heads with soft, medium or hard bristles along with a handy tongue cleaning option.
Electric toothbrushes are useful if you have limited movement or find cleaning particularly difficult. These toothbrushes usually have heads which either rotate and oscillate, or pulsate. Also, one of the best features of an electric toothbrush is the timer. Most people do not brush for the recommended two minutes. An electric brush will help you get the optimum brushing time. Some modern electric toothbrushes also have built-in sensors, which will flash red or stop working, if you impart too much force, which is useful.
Further information can be found here.
Ultimately though, the right choice between the two will come down to what you feel most comfortable with, providing you are thorough with your dental hygiene.
One final point to know is that whether you choose a manual or electric toothbrush, it is important to replace them (the electric ones you can buy new heads to fit onto the handle) at least every three months. This is important to ensure the toothbrush remains effective at cleaning your teeth.
If you are still unsure as to what would be the perfect toothbrush for you as an individual, why not make an appointment at Hydean Dental Practice and we can advised what is best for you.