It’s something you pick up and use twice every day and yet when we select our toothbrush, we might not spend much time at all considering the differences between them and choosing one that will work the best for our needs. Making sure you have the correct toothbrush is your first line of defense against cavities, gum disease, and all the nastiness that comes with bad oral hygiene. But what are we looking for in a toothbrush and why?
The Size
Let’s start with the size – because it is important. Not all our mouths and teeth are the same and toothbrushes are manufactured to represent that. Many different shapes and sizes exist on the market. A good rule of thumb when choosing a toothbrush for size is to not get something too big. Try and find one that will brush about two teeth at once. Choosing a toothbrush that’s too big might mean you won’t get to brush the harder to reach areas because the toothbrush will simply be too big to get to them. Look for something that’s going to comfortably get everywhere in your mouth.
The Handle
This one is a purely personal preference, and often what draws our eyes to a specific toothbrush on the supermarket shelf. Ultimately, the handle has little to no effect on the cleaning effectiveness of the toothbrush and this one is all about personal choice. A contoured, rubberized grip might offer a perception of comfort, but it will also affect the price of the toothbrush, so choose something you like and worry about the bristles instead.
The Bristles
If anything about choosing a toothbrush is important, it’s the bristles. Companies like Team Technologies invest huge amounts of money into perfecting bristles and the manufacturing process of bristling for good reason. Many people believe that a toothbrush with harder bristles is going to be more effective at removing plaque, but in reality, those hard bristles have a tough time bending and flexing into the gaps of your teeth and can actually end up being less effective. They might also end up causing gum inflammation. You should choose a toothbrush with soft or – at most – medium bristles.
What About for Children?
It’s important that you consider all the same things for children when buying their toothbrushes. Select a soft bristle with very small head size and a nice big handle so that your kids can easily hold it and reach everywhere in their mouths. Fun novelty handles might also help with motivating your kids to brush their teeth.
We’re never going to escape the need to constantly polish our pearly whites, so we might as well make sure we’re doing it the most effective way we can. Our toothbrush is the first step. Supermarkets and pharmacies can often stock an overwhelming selection of manual and electric options and choosing one can feel like a gamble. Considering the three things we’ve mentioned here can eliminate the guesswork and make it much easier for you to find something that will be effective for you.
