Walk down the dental product isle in any drugstore, pharmacy or supermarket and the choices can be overwhelming.
There are a multitude of brands, sizes, colors, as well as manual and electric brushes to choose from. The particular brand you choose is not as important as the bristle strength and size of head.
If you read the label it should list the bristle strength which can vary from extra soft, soft, medium to hard. Our office always recommends soft bristles as we feel they are more gentle on the gums and less likely to cause any possible damage to tooth enamel. The next consideration is the size of the brush head. Many people think that a large head means that they will be able to do a better job of cleaning their teeth. In fact our mouths, especially in the very back, have very limited access. For this reason we recommend a small brush head that allows you to reach around the back of the molars and all other areas.
Electric tooth brushes have been around for over 40 years. There are many economical styles that provide exceptional cleaning ability. Almost all will come with the above mentioned soft bristle, small brush head. One of the biggest advantages to using an electric brush is that it prevents the ‘scrubbing’ pattern that so many people use that causes damage to the gums and enamel. Rather than the patient doing the work you simply guide the brush gently along the gum and tooth surface allowing the brush to spin or vibrate to gently remove plaque and debris from your teeth. We have noticed excellent results for many of our patients who have made the change to an electric brush.
One last thought on toothbrushes:
Change it often approximately every 1 – 3 months. It should never look like the bristles are falling over.