The real question when buying a toothbrush is: Which one should you choose – hard or soft bristle? On the Internet it is usually recommended to buy a hard brush if there are no complaints, and a soft brush if there are problems with your teeth and bleeding gums. However, in a conversation with socialbites.ca, the dentist-therapist, periodontist “SM-Dentistry” Ph.D. warned that everything is not so simple. Elena Martynova.
“After eating, soft plaque forms and settles in the recesses and between the teeth, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria that always surround the tooth surface. “If the soft plaque is not cleaned in time, it gets fixed on the teeth, thickens due to the saturation of saliva with minerals, and turns into tartar that you can no longer clean on your own,” he said.
He says you can clean three out of five tooth surfaces with a toothbrush. Dental floss, interdental brushes and irrigators are used to clean the contact surfaces.
Important parameters for choosing the “right” toothbrush are the hardness of the bristles, the quality of their processing, the size of the brush head, the number of bristles in the package and the material from which the bristles are made.
As the expert stated, many people like to use hard brushes, arguing that they cannot brush their teeth with any other brush. But the problem is that a hard brush has very thick bristles and can only clean the convex surfaces of the tooth.
“It is impossible to clean the cracks (recesses on the chewing surface), contact points, near the gums, and between the teeth with such a brush. If you brush as we were all shown in childhood, with a hard brush you can damage the enamel in the cervical area of the teeth and damage the gums. “Also, if you use whitening toothpaste that is very abrasive, dental problems will definitely occur,” the dentist warned.
The doctor said that a hard toothbrush is only suitable for cleaning dentures and that no dentist would recommend it to their patients.
According to the doctor, soft toothbrushes are recommended for all patients. Fine and soft bristles remove more plaque and thoroughly clean all grooves and side surfaces of the teeth. Additionally, using a soft brush prevents gum diseases.
“Only a soft brush should have a head length of no more than 3 cm, dense tufts with even bristles and processed bristle edges. And a warning: you can’t put pressure on a soft brush. If you brush your teeth vigorously, the bristles stop cleaning effectively and deform faster. When you notice that the bristles have lost their shape, you cannot continue to use such a brush, even if three months have not passed before the planned replacement,” said Martynova.
He also stated that, according to manufacturers, brushes with different levels of bristles and additional tips add effectiveness in brushing teeth. But studies have proven that rubberized tips create additional volume, but are worse removed from the bristles, which reduces the effectiveness of hygiene. Additionally, irregular bristles adhere worse to the tooth surface and do not help the quality of the cleaning.
“If your gums are bleeding or your teeth are sensitive, changing the brush will not solve the problem. Only a dentist will help you carry out the necessary treatment and choose a brush taking into account the characteristics of your teeth and gums. Also, during the appointment, the doctor will adjust the cleaning technique to improve the quality of home hygiene,” the expert concluded.
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Source: Gazeta

Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.