What Kind of Toothbrush is Best?

If you want to keep your gums and teeth healthy as well as the rest of your body, brush your teeth at least once or twice per day. In addition to giving you a great smile and healthy gums, you’ll also be lessening the risk of developing other more serious conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. But as the first step toward great oral hygiene, you’ve got to select the proper toothbrush. If you’re wondering how to do so, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Electric or Manual?

For many people, the first decision for choosing a toothbrush is whether to use an electric or manual type. Though electric toothbrushes are more expensive than manual ones, they have the advantage of giving you far more strokes per minute. On average, an electric toothbrush can produce up to 10,000 strokes per minute, while a manual toothbrush can produce up to 3,000 strokes per minute.

Bristle Selection

Before ever putting a toothbrush in your mouth, give some serious thought to what types of bristles you prefer. Whether you use a manual or electric toothbrush, you’ll be able to select from soft, medium, or hard bristles. If you are like most people, you will probably want to use a toothbrush with soft bristles. This is a crucial decision for you, since using bristles that may be too tough on your teeth and gums can lead to damage to tooth enamel, gums, and even root surfaces.

Seal of Approval

When you find a toothbrush you like, always make sure your new toothbrush has the seal of approval from the American Dental Association. By having this, you will know your toothbrush has undergone numerous quality control tests regarding safety and how effectively it can clean your teeth.

Pick the Right Size

Finally, always choose a toothbrush for yourself that is the right size to make it comfortable to hold and put in your mouth. Along with making sure the brush’s head will clean hard-to-reach teeth, use one with a handle that feels comfortable and is long enough to meet your needs.

By following each of these tips, you’ll be well on your way to improving your dental health, no matter whether your toothbrush is manual or electric.