How to Choose the Best Toothbrush in India – Buying Guide
It is important to think about a few things when trying to choose the right toothbrush. There is no one perfect toothbrush for everyone. Most importantly, the brush should reach all of your teeth and clean them properly, including those at the back.
It should also clean the gaps between teeth, where bits of food can get stuck. Our expert Dr. Sumit Chhatwal gives an insight on the ways to brush and talks about what things to look for in a toothbrush.
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Soft Bristles Are Light on Your Enamel and Gums
There are different varieties of hardness in bristles - soft, medium, and hard. For sensitive teeth, soft bristles are recommended. However, medium and hard type bristles are used commonly by individuals. It is recommended to opt for soft bristles instead.
Soft bristles are light on gums and the enamel. Brushing hard with medium and hard bristles can damage the enamel and cause sensitive teeth. Another vital aspect is checking if your toothbrush has round tips as it is softer for your teeth.
Orthodontist
Dr. Sumit Chhatwal
Hard bristles cause cervical abrasions and enamel loss, causing dentin to expose, which leads to hypersensitivity.
Hypersensitivity is a sharp dental pain caused by any stimuli such as hot or cold due to exposed dentin surface, and dentin is the layer beneath the enamel which makes most of the tooth and 30% organic in nature.
2
Different Designs for Better Cleaning
There a different brush designs with different grips and body design for better grip and easy reach in the mouth. The bristle design is not a very important component as it doesn't make much difference. There is a brush with a wide grip and small head, and flexible neck for better cleaning.
If your existing brush is difficult to use when cleaning the molars (one of the large teeth at the back of the mouth), prefer a toothbrush with a small head or flexible neck or both for cleaning without hurting your jaw or gums. The molars are tricky to clean and more prone to the cavity. With this, you will be able to clean your teeth fully.
Orthodontist
Dr. Sumit Chhatwal
These are significant designs for a particular individual according to the dentition pattern, but toothbrushing techniques play a vital role.Round bristles are good, but again technique is important for cleaning appropriately.
For ideal dentition that is well-aligned teeth, block type effectively cleans the tooth surfaces and interproximal areas, but if there are some irregularities in the dentition such as crowding or malaligned teeth, then wavy type plays the significant role in effective cleaning of tooth surfaces.
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Bamboo Toothbrushes Are an Eco Friendly Alternative
Some of them are fully compostable, including head and body, and some are only body compostable as the bristles are made from nylon. Check the pack and details thoroughly before making a selection. Certain brands provide charcoal infused bristles, which are good for whiter teeth and healthy gums.
Make sure to keep your toothbrush in an open and dry place as bamboo toothbrushes are more prone to mold and fungus if left wet. To tackle this, many toothbrushes are now treated thoroughly for Water resistance. Check the label specifications for this feature.
Orthodontist
Dr. Sumit Chhatwal
If you are a nature lover and sentimental about the environment, then this bamboo toothbrush is the only toothbrush you should have, just necessary precautions to be taken, mainly check for BPA free bristles while buyingand try to keep it moisture-free.
Consult a Dentist if You Have Certain Tooth Problem or Fillings/Crowns
You may be suffering from gingivitis, periodontal disease, or have some recent fillings, crowns. In such a case, it is best to consult a dentist and make a recommendation on which toothbrush shall be best for your teeth.
Certain aspects can be taken care of with thorough analysis and require expert advice for better function. Many brands advertise to cover certain aspects but may not be a tailor-made solution for your teeth.
Orthodontist
Dr. Sumit Chhatwal
Thin bristles and soft type is recommended, but periodic evaluations by professionals in these conditions are necessary.Thin bristles and soft type is recommended because thin bristles easily reach under gingiva and subgingival cleaning is necessary for periodontal problems.
Gingiva is fragile (hard type can induce bleeding easily) in such problems so precautions should be taken, but periodic evaluations by professionals in these conditions are necessary. Round bristles are good as they cover more surface area and effectively remove plaque, but the technique is important for cleaning appropriately.
4
Additional Features - Tongue Cleaner and Charcoal Infused Bristles
With a throwback to old techniques of charcoal being beneficial for teeth, companies are bringing back the same benefits with new charcoal-infused bristles, which help bring better benefits like whitening of teeth, reduced bad breath, and removal of bacteria better than a traditional toothbrush.
Nowadays, certain toothbrushes double up as tongue cleaners as well. With a cleaner placed at the head, you can clean your tongue for fresh breathe too. Check the back of the head of the toothbrush for tongue cleaner.
Orthodontist
Dr. Sumit Chhatwal
A patient came to me two years back about his problem of plaque accumulation frequently. It needed cleaning of teeth from dentist frequently, and he was using a regular toothbrush with straight bristles, so I told him to change the toothbrush with round bristles and showed some toothbrushing techniques, now he did not want oral prophylaxis from two years as there was less plaque accumulation.
