Tips to pick the right toothbrush

HOW DO YOU PICK THE RIGHT TOOTHBRUSH?

You should change your toothbrush when the bristles get worn and frayed. The bendings in bristles indicate that it is time to replace your existing toothbrush with a new one.

It is applicable for electric toothbrushes as well as manual toothbrushes.

When toothbrushes with nylon bristles were invented in the late 19030s, people did not have many choices. But today, you have a plethora of brands selling toothbrushes with different shapes, styles, and sizes, which makes choosing the best one is challenging. Right?

Picking the right toothbrush will make your teeth cleaning activity more enjoyable. The simple way to choose the right toothbrush is to consult your dentist for a recommendation.

Typically, dental doctors and oral hygienists suggest a toothbrush based on the following 3 important components:

1) Bristle variety Nowadays, toothbrushes are available with a variety of bristles say soft, medium, and hard. Likewise, the bristles have different patterns like rippled, crisscross, wavy, etc.

Mostly, dentists recommend soft bristles that are trimmed to a dome shape because they are the safest choice for our teeth. Similar to vigorous brushing, tooth brushing with medium or hard bristles also damage the enamel, injure gum tissues, and will expose the root surfaces.

Hence toothbrushes having soft bristles with rounded tips over the edges are suggested.

2) Brush head size Your toothbrush should easily fit into your mouth and reach all places of your mouth.

For instance, the sides and backs of molar teeth are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Hence you have to prefer small head-sized toothbrushes.

Oral hygienists suggest toothbrushes with half inch wide and 1 inch tall are sufficient for adults.

3) Comfortable Handle Whatever the brush head shape is, tapered or rectangular, your toothbrush handle should provide a non-slip grip even when it gets wet.

Nowadays, oral hygiene manufacturers model their toothbrushes with a long handle with a flexible neck. It provides a non-slip grip even when the brush gets wet.

What you should consider while picking the powered toothbrush heads?

Replacing the powered brush heads when they become worn or frayed is also mandatory. Similar to toothbrush varieties, you have different types of electric toothbrush heads to choose from.

The following components will aid in picking the right electric toothbrush heads: • Angled toothbrush head - Dentists prescribed angled toothbrush heads because they are efficient to reach all regions inside our mouth.

• Choose the appropriate head size - The compact toothbrush heads are smaller in size and have few bristles. It is suitable for people with small mouths whereas most people choose full-size toothbrush heads. You can pick the right one suitable for your needs.

Bottom line Replacing the toothbrush or toothbrush heads every 3 months is also a part of effective oral hygiene. You should look at the type of bristles, the size of the toothbrush heads, and handles while picking the right one.

If you feel hard to choose the right toothbrush amongst the different types, styles, and brands available in the market, consult your dentist or an oral hygienist.

Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy MDS