Long gone are the days of just a single toothbrush option, but at what cost? With so many options on the market nowadays, it can be difficult choosing the toothbrush that is right for you. Electric or manual? Hard bristles or soft bristles? Rechargeable or battery powered? We’re going to take a look at one of these options today, which is the option that most affects your health and your brushing routine. So, what is the better choice? Hard bristles or soft bristles?
Extra Soft
Believe it or not, there are actually two other options besides just hard and soft bristled toothbrushes, and extra soft is one of them, though it is not easy to find in the aisles of your local drug store. These toothbrushes are specialized for people who suffer from various gum diseases since they have a softer tough and are less likely to aggravate the gum line. However, they won’t do much when it comes to the actual cleaning part, so unless you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease, have a receding gum line, or are prone to bleeding gums, it’s better to skip this one.
Soft
For effective and safe cleaning, choose a soft toothbrush. Contrary to what you may think, these soft-bristled toothbrushes are what dentists recommend when looking for a new toothbrush. The bristles are firm enough that they will remove debris from your teeth (with proper brushing techniques of course), yet soft enough that they will not cause wear on your enamel or irritate your gums. Just be sure that you’re not aggressively brushing or putting too much pressure on your teeth as a soft-bristled toothbrush can cause just as much damage as a medium or hard bristled brush when used incorrectly.
Medium
Another one of the less common choices, medium bristled toothbrushes essentially produce the same results as a soft-bristled toothbrush, but cause more damage over time. Therefore, you’re much better off skipping this one and opting for the softer bristled alternative.
Hard
Finally, there are the hard bristled toothbrushes, which apparently very few of us should be using in the first place. If you haven’t already guessed why due to the explanations above, using a hard bristled toothbrush does irreversible damage to your gums as well as your enamel. Although they remove slightly more plaque than their softer-bristled counterpart, the risks that come with using a hard bristled toothbrush vastly outweigh the pros, so it is hard to justify this choice in a toothbrush.
When in doubt, speak to your dentist about which option is best for you.
