Most people don’t put too much thought into buying toothbrushes. In fact, they often just ask their dentists for a recommendation, then buy that brush, use only that brush until they see the dentist again, and the cycle repeats. Not all toothbrushes are created equal, and there are some things you should look for if you want a truly high-quality brush that will provide excellent oral care. Here are some of the most important things to consider:
It Shouldn’t be Plastic
Plastic toothbrushes are incredibly easy to manufacture. Hot plastic goes into molds, cools, and then comes out ready for bristles and a box. It’s most manufacturers’ preferred material for obvious reasons – they stand to make a small fortune when a toothbrush costs $0.05 to make and they can charge you $5 for every single one you buy. Instead of buying plastic, consider bamboo toothbrushes, instead. You can find them for the whole family (and even your pets)! They are naturally antimicrobial, biodegradable, strong, and quite affordable, and the best part is that they’re good for the planet.
It Should Have Soft or Medium Bristles
Dentists typically agree that a soft brush is all you need to remove plaque and debris from your teeth, however, it’s up to personal preference which bristle strength you use. You should spend two minutes brushing twice each day. To remove any food particles left between teeth that the soft bristles can’t push out, you will need to invest in some dental floss. Sure, you COULD find the standard wax-coated strings, OR you can take the eco-friendly (or as we like to say, eco-awesome) route and get biodegradable silk floss.
A Smaller Head is Better
Though toothbrushes with large, fancy heads with different bristle colors, shapes, and lengths may look high-tech and fancy enough to do a better job cleaning your teeth, it simply isn’t the case. A large head just gets in the way and makes it more difficult for you to reach the backs of your teeth and into the back of your mouth. Stick to a smaller toothbrush wherever you can. Most high-quality toothbrush manufacturers will offer small-headed brushes, and of course we’re one of those! You can check out our slim handle toothbrushes, here.
Powered Toothbrushes Are NOT Better than Manual
A high-quality toothbrush is not the one with the largest price tag. It isn’t the one with the biggest and fanciest-looking head, and it isn’t the one that has batteries or a giant oscillating head that spins around on your teeth. A high-quality toothbrush is made of a material other than plastic, and according to the American Dental Association (ADA), it has a small head and soft or medium bristles.