What Type of Toothbrush Should I Use?
What type of toothbrush should I use? One of those odd questions you ask yourself but always forget to ask your dentist. Well stress no more, we’re here to finally answer your questions. From manual to electric and more, we’ll cover it all today.
How to Choose Your Toothbrush
Two things to look out for, the first being a small compact toothbrush head and the second being soft or very soft bristles. There is a multitude of toothbrush head designs for different purposes such as for braces or under dental bridges, however, for the most part, a small-headed soft bristle toothbrush is the way to go.
Manual vs. Electric Toothbrush
Are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes? Well, the short answer is no but the long answer is maybe yes. Again, for most people out there, there’s no difference between using an electric or manual toothbrush with plaque reduction given we aren’t eating lots of sugary food or drinks and are brushing twice a day with flossing. Here are the benefits listed down below:
Manual:
Cheap and easy to replace when they get worn out
Convenient for travel
May feel less sensitive for those with sensitive teeth
Can give more control when using it
Electric:
Good for those with limited manual dexterity e.g. arthritis in the wrists
Can help encourage children to brush
Timer and pressure sensor to help ensure you are brushing appropriately
If you have trouble reaching your back teeth, you can open your jaw about halfway and move it towards the side you’re brushing to give more room for brushing the back teeth.
Modified Bass/Bass Technique (Sulcular Technique)
We’ve decided which toothbrush to use, how do we actually use it? Do I just scrub back and forth? No. First off, we’re cleaning teeth not scrubbing the floor tiles. Please be gentle with yourself. It’s similar to trying to sweep the dirt off the ground, a hard broom just pushes it around and creates a mess. A softer broom actually sweeps the ground clean.
Hold your toothbrush 45-degrees pointing towards your gums, and put a bit of pressure onto the tooth but not too much
Small, circular pattern around your gum line - like wax on and wax off from Karate Kid
Make sure you're brushing the outside and inside parts of your teeth
Overlap in the middle, because people tend to miss here sometimes
For those with braces again, we recommend you also hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards your teeth and brush in a circular motion too (Charter Technique). Also, make sure you give your tongue a bit of a clean too.
A good idea of how well you’ve cleaned your teeth is to have a good look in the mirror (surprisingly many people don’t look in the mirror while brushing). Otherwise, plaque disclosing solution/tablets/toothpaste. This stuff stains the plaque blue/purple/red that has been missed and shows you areas that you should focus on.
A 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis shows that the Modified Bass/Bass Technique is the most efficient at removing plaque (1).
How Often to change
Like mobile phones again, you'd probably eventually swap it out for another after a while. Unlike mobile phones, you probably wouldn't want to keep your toothbrush for a few years.
Usually, around 3-4 months is the time limit. Or if you notice the bristles of your toothbrush starting to bend quite a bit. In that case, you'd probably want to brush using less pressure. One way is to use 2-fingers or consider switching to an electric toothbrush - usually, the newer ones will let you know if you're putting too much pressure on your teeth.
Children's Toothbrush
What should my kids use? Same as adults except for a smaller size head. The ones from the supermarket are usually way too big. They’re less likely to grow into it, unlike shoes or clothes. Most of all, let them decide on the colour & design. If they love it, they'll use it.
You can get Pikster's Glo Toothpaste for children that comes with a light that light up places they've missing. Good way to make sure they're not missing certain areas. Or, you can consider plaque disclosing tablets. After brushing or even before, you can chew up a tablet and then rinse your mouth.
Sharing, Storage or Disinfection
Can I share my toothbrush with my partner or someone else? No. Sharing is not caring with toothbrushes. If you need a new toothbrush you can always visit your dentist, they usually give free toothbrushes with your hygiene visits.
How do I store my toothbrush? Store it in an open well-ventilated area. Otherwise, bacteria can grow if they can’t dry out.
Do I need to disinfect them? No.
Recommendations
Curaprox CS 5460
I personally use this and love it! The head is small enough to reach the back teeth easily. They've made the body an octagonal shape so by making sure you line up the side to the ground, you know you'll be pointing the bristles 45-degrees to your gums. Most of all, they come in many colours combinations so you’ll never mix it up with anyone else.
G-U-M Red-Cote Plaque
Disclosing Tablets
Plaque-disclosing tablets that stain missed plaque.
Piksters Plaque Glo Toothpaste
Good way for parents and their kids to brush in a fun way! Bit of a sneaky tactic to see how they've brushed using the light. I mean you can use it too, not just the kids.
References
Janakiram, C, Taha, F & Joe, J 2018, 'The Efficacy of Plaque Control by Vairous Toothbrushing Techniques - A Systematic Reveiw and Meta-Analysis', Jounral of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, vol -12(11)
