Which Toothbrush is Right For You?

Brushing your teeth is a vital part of retaining good oral hygiene and keeping your teeth strong, clean, white and healthy! As an adult, the American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth at least two times per day. You should brush more often if you frequently snack on sugary foods or drink coffee and soda throughout the day. So with all of this brushing, the big question remains – which toothbrush is right for you?

If you browse the toothbrush aisle at your local pharmacy, you’ll see a wide arrangement of brushes in all different styles, price ranges, and bristle textures. You’ll first want to decide if you want a manual (disposable) or an electric powered toothbrush. While the electric toothbrush has garnered a lot of attention over the past few years, any toothbrush can be effective if you are using it the right way. Remember that a toothbrush’s main purpose is to clean your teeth and stimulate your gums.

Let’s take a closer look at the difference between manual and electric toothbrushes. A manual toothbrush has a lot of good things going for it, including low cost and widespread availability, being small and portable, ease of use for kids and adults, and less pressure on teeth and gums than it’s electric counterpart. If you are brushing the right way, a manual toothbrush will serve many people just fine. For those that don’t get the results that they want with a manual toothbrush, the electric version may be a good choice. Electric toothbrushes can be costly and inconvenient for travel, but they definitely get the job done in terms of cleaning teeth and stimulating the gums. Electric toothbrushes are also a great option for those with arthritis or limited hand, wrist or arm mobility.

Other criteria that will help you choose the right toothbrush for you are size, bristle variety, cost, likability and effectiveness. Look for a brush that has an American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval to ensure that the toothbrush has the right kind of bristles and durable construction. Aside from this criteria, the rest is really up to personal preference! Your toothbrush should be one that fits comfortably in your mouth, one that has either soft or medium bristles (hard bristled can be too rough on your gums and enamel), and one that you like.. and like to use!

If you have any questions about what type of toothbrush you should be using, or want to know which toothbrushes DentaLux dentists personally recommend, feel free to Contact Us!