Brushing your teeth is an integral part of daily life, and it is essential to maintaining good oral hygiene. Different types of toothbrushes have been made and marketed through the years, from simple chewed sticks used thousands of years ago to the modern contraptions that use electricity and reach interdental spaces.
If you’re looking for a toothbrush, there are tons of options at the supermarket or health store aisles. So, how do you know the difference between them? Buying the wrong toothbrush can irritate your gums and damage your enamel. If you have questions about the types of toothbrushes or want a few buying tips from us, call Splendid Dental Bellaire 713-244-7797 today.
Manual Toothbrushes
These are the most common types of toothbrushes, and they come in different shapes and sizes. You can even find manual toothbrushes for infants and young children. The four most important qualities of manual toothbrushes are:
- The hardness of bristles – These options are soft, medium, and hard-bristled brushes. Harder bristles clean away more plaque, but when used often, they can cause bleeding and irritation.
- Bristle pattern – You’ll find crisscross, wavy, or tapered bristle patterns, which achieve different cleaning effects. Talk to a dentist to help you determine your dental needs and the bristle pattern that suits you best.
- Head shape – Most toothbrushes are rounded or squared off at the ends. Diamond-shaped brushes can help to reach the sides and backs of your farthest molars.
- Handle design – Handles can be straight, non-slip gripping, flexible, or contra-angle. The handle should be comfortable to hold and enable them to reach the farthest corners of the mouth.
Always choose soft-bristled brushes for children and older people. If you have a medium- or hard-bristled toothbrush, regulate your brushing intensity to prevent gum irritation, bleeding, and thinning enamel. You can use a hard-bristled brush once or twice a week and a soft-bristled toothbrush the rest of the time.
Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes rotate and vibrate to help clean hard-to-reach places in your mouth. While expensive, they are effortless to use and are more popular because of that. You simply press a button and move the toothbrush around in the mouth. Electric toothbrushes are further divided into three types of toothbrushes:
- Standard – regular electric toothbrushes
- Sonic – fast enough to produce a characteristic ‘hum’ when brushing
- Ultrasonic – faster than sonic toothbrushes
The multi-directional movement of electric toothbrushes helps to clean the teeth better.
Interdental Toothbrushes
An interdental brush or interproximal brush is a small, often disposable brush for cleaning between teeth or wires of dental braces. It usually comes with an integral handle or reusable angled plastic handle and cleans interdental spaces.
Interdental brushes are not replacements for regular toothbrushes. Use them together to reduce plaque buildup and incidences of gingivitis. People with permanent braces need extra help to keep all areas of the teeth and gums clean.
Sulca Brushes
People use sulca brushes to clean the gum-line closest to the teeth. The brush includes a pointed-arrow design so that it can closely reach the gum-line. Use sulca brushes to clean hard-to-reach areas like between crowns and bridgework and between crowded teeth.
End-Tuft Toothbrushes
This is a tiny round brush consisting of soft but tightly-packed nylon bristles. The bristles allow the center bristles can reach deeper into small spaces between teeth. The handle is ergonomically designed to give firm grip, control, and precision.
Choose the Right Types of Toothbrushes with Splendid Dental Bellaire
Good dental health is a collection of the oral habits you practice daily, and knowing the difference between the right types of toothbrushes is a great start. Are you wondering how to choose the right toothbrush for yourself? Contact Splendid Dental Bellaire at 713-244-7797, and we’ll help you settle on the right toothbrush for better oral health. Don’t forget to schedule regular professional cleaning services and teeth whitening services to keep your teeth in the best shape possible!