Good oral hygiene is the foundation for the overall health of your mouth and your body. The cornerstone of that is the right toothbrush and that’s what we’re going to discuss today.
As holistic dentists, we regard your oral health as part of a whole. That whole encapsulates all those things good oral health has influence over so we have a vested interest in ensuring you’re using the right toothbrush.
We know that gum disease can have serious ramifications for your general health and has been linked to heart disease and diabetes. A good oral health regimen is the best way to prevent any of these from happening to you. Keeping your teeth clean also influences your smile, your happiness, mental well-being and overall health, so it is vitally important.
Choosing the best toothbrush is the first step on your road to great oral hygiene. Getting the right brush for you is a case of careful selection and trial and error. Select from the best available to find the most effective toothbrush that feels comfortable and gets the job done.
Selecting a Toothbrush
There are several characteristics that make a toothbrush work for each individual. They are size, bristle, handle and manual or electric. Let’s look at each of those in turn.
Size – The size of your toothbrush will be determined by your age and how big your mouth is. The best toothbrush will be the one that is small enough to get into all those nooks and crannies, but large enough to cover everything. Trial and error will be the deciding factor in size.
Bristles – The bristles on a toothbrush can be soft, medium, or hard. This refers to how rigid the bristles are, which influences how comfortable it is to use and how much plaque it is capable of removing. You will probably find one type is more comfortable to use than another as you try them. A soft bristle is fine as long as you have no existing problems with plaque.
Handle – The handle of your toothbrush may be fluted or straight, rigid or flexible. Each feature allows the toothbrush to work within the confines of your mouth in different ways. As long as the head is small enough to reach all areas of your mouth, the type of handle comes down to comfort in the hand.
Finally, look for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval on any toothbrush you buy to ensure they meet minimum safety standards. Most you’ll find on sale at your dentist and local drug store will comply, but check before you buy.
As you can see, finding the best toothbrush is largely a matter of trying them to see which is best for you. As a dentist, we would suggest starting with a toothbrush with a smaller head and soft bristles and working your way up from there. Most adults we see in our dental clinic began with these and are still happy using them.
If you would like advice or more information on choosing the right toothbrush, visit our dental clinic or contact us through the website.
