What to Look for in a Toothbrush

Head into a drug store today and you’re faced with a wall of toothbrushes, each of which seeming to promise a better, whiter smile. So which one do you choose?

The most affordable one?

The one with the fancy bristles?

The most colourful one?

To help you make a choice you can be confident in, we’re going to cover the main aspects you should consider when shopping for the right toothbrush.

Why your toothbrush matters

A good toothbrush matters for two separate, but related reasons.

First, your toothbrush is your everyday guard against cavities, gum disease and other harmful bacteria invasions. Brushing regularly greatly diminishes your chances of getting cavities and even losing teeth. While just about any toothbrush will help, a good toothbrush is more effective at helping you guard your oral health.

Second, a bad toothbrush will not only lower the efficacy of your regular brushing efforts, but it can also damage your gums and your teeth. That means you’re somewhat setting your dental health back each time you brush your teeth.

To make sure your toothbrush does its job well, you need to be choosy when you purchase a new one (which you should do every three months).

Our expert Lethbridge dentists will outline the most important things to look for so that you can make the best decision for your needs and get the most out of your toothbrush.

3 things to look for in a toothbrush

SIZE

Your toothbrush should fit comfortably in your mouth and in your hand. If it’s too large, it will make getting into the nooks and crannies of your smile more difficult, even impossible. However, if you get a toothbrush that’s too small, it will take longer to brush your whole mouth, and you’ll be more liable to miss spots. For most people, a toothbrush roughly a half-inch wide by an inch long is optimal. However, if that doesn’t work for you, finding the right toothbrush size may take some searching and experimentation.

Quick tip: choose a toothbrush that fits in your mouth – an easy rule of thumb is a head that’s one inch long by half an inch wide.

BRISTLE TYPE

Most toothbrush packaging prominently displays the ‘softness’ (or hardness) of the bristles. While you usually have three choices, soft, medium and hard, most people should default to soft. Hard, and even medium, bristles can often do damage to your gums, especially if you press down on your toothbrush with force. However, there’s another bristle type that’s not as well known: round vs. straight bristles. Just like hard bristles, straight ones can cause damage to your gums, so stick to rounded bristles for a better, more ergonomic teeth cleaning!

Quick tip: stick to soft, round-tipped bristles.

PROFESSIONALLY RECOGNIZED

The American Dental Association (or Canadian Dental Association here) rigorously tests different toothbrushes to ensure they are effective and won’t fall apart under normal use. Choosing a toothbrush with an ADA or CDA seal of approval is a great shortcut to getting an effective toothbrush. But, you don’t have to rely on dental associations only. You can also talk to your dentist about which toothbrush will be right for you.

Quick tip: look for the ADA or CDA mark of approval.

Enjoy your toothbrush

The most important thing about your toothbrush is that it feels good to you and you enjoy using it. After all, the most important part of brushing is making sure you do it regularly – twice a day at minimum or after every meal.

So now that you know what to look for in a toothbrush, you should be able to more easily make a decision when faced with that colourful wall of toothbrushes in the future.

It is important to find a toothbrush that will fit your needs and be comfortable for you to use. Be sure to replace your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles start to wear down. At our dental clinic in Lethbridge, we can help you find the perfect toothbrush for your oral health care routine. Give us a call at 403-381-1155 today to book an appointment with one of our dentists. We would be happy to discuss your oral health care needs and recommend the best toothbrush for you.