Let’s see how to choose the best manual toothbrush according to your needs and which ones are the best on the market for effective oral hygiene.
Oral hygiene is essential for the teeth gums and keeps the breath fresh. At every meal, food residues stick to the enamel of teeth, spaces between gums and teeth, and on the tongue. In this way, the bacteria proliferate. The most common problems are caries, plaque, gingivitis, bad breath, sensitivity.
To maintain proper oral hygiene, the toothbrush should be used every day after every meal, before going to sleep, and possibly, followed by a session with good interdental wires to eliminate even more thoroughly food debris.
There are also electric toothbrushes on the market, but the manual toothbrush remains the most used due to its simplicity and low cost.
Table of Contents
How to choose a manual toothbrush: Types and Characteristics
Before choosing the best manual toothbrush, let’s see how it is made and its parts.
Bristles of the toothbrush
The bristles of toothbrushes are always synthetic. Also used natural bristles simultaneously, but dentists strongly advise against them because they breed bacteria. The bristles are mounted on the head and can take different structures.
In the cheap toothbrushes, bristles are all the same height and vertical compared to the head. On the other hand, we have several bristles in vertical and oblique positions and placed at different heights in other brushes. This arrangement aims to reach the spaces between teeth with longer bristles while the shorter bristles brush the dental wall.
The bristles can be soft, medium, or hard. Medium-hard bristles are the most used and most suitable for most people. Soft bristles are necessary for sensitive gums and teeth and children’s toothbrushes.
In some cases, hard bristles are necessary, but it is better to leave this type of bristles to the dentist’s indication as badly used can damage tooth enamel and irritate the gums. In all cases, you must use the toothbrush with soft movements without ever exerting pressure.
Brush head
The head is the part on which the bristles are mounted. The heads, of rectangular shape, almost always have the rounded tip, sometimes particularly tapered at the ends. The head’s size is important because you can also reach the molars at the bottom of the mouth without causing discomfort.
Some models of a toothbrush are equipped with a silver head. Silver has the quality of killing bacteria, so the toothbrush will always be clean and sanitized. Generally, the silver head is removable because it is inserted in the water for cleaning and is interchangeable.
In other cases, we can choose a whitening effect head. It is provided with lamella between the bristles or at the head’s edges, polishing the teeth.
Handle
The toothbrush handle must be handy and easy to use and is often one reason why many return to the manual after trying the electric toothbrushes, as considered by many heavy and unwieldy.
In this case, it is important to check the dimensions of our hands. Many handles come with a non-slip rough surface. Some are arched to the head to allow reaching the innermost corners of the mouth.
They are generally made of rubber or resin. They can form a single body with the head or have an oscillating joint that allows the head to tilt to reach the most difficult points.
Tongue cleaner
Some toothbrush models have ahead with a rough back wall or a rubber blade. Should use this part of the head to clean the tongue.
In fact, harmful bacteria are deposited on the tongue, which causes bad breath and can still settle on the teeth once we have finished washing them.
This is why it is essential to clean the tongue every time you brush your teeth. You can easily use a tongue cleaner to clean the inner surface of the cheeks.
Maintenance of the manual toothbrush
Using a special plastic cap to keep the brush clean is useful to prevent other germs and bacteria in the bathroom from settling on the toothbrush, especially if more toothbrushes are placed in the same glass.
Rinse the brush under running hot water and remove any toothpaste residue every time you brush your teeth. Periodically, leaving the toothbrush immersed in water and bicarbonate for a few hours is useful.
How often do you have to change the manual toothbrush?
Dentists indicate a toothbrush change every 2-4 months. In any case, when the bristles of the toothbrush are bent or damaged, it is necessary to replace it even if less time has passed.
If the toothbrush is damaged too soon, it could indicate poor quality or a bad use on our part. On the other hand, if we have a good-quality toothbrush, it should be replaced after 3-4 months even if the bristles appear in good condition.
[divider style="solid" top="10" bottom="10"]The best manual toothbrushes for oral hygiene
The best manual toothbrush is, in our opinion, the Oral-B Proexpert Pulsar, with a special head equipped with pulsating bristles that adapt much better to the contour of the teeth, thus ensuring a more accurate cleaning.
One of a kind is the Silver Care One, equipped with an interchangeable silver head with the antibacterial function that, in contact with water, emits active ions that allow a drastic reduction of the bacterial load, the only one to have this characteristic and to many considered the best toothbrush.
Below the top 10 best models, select from the best brands and suitable for different uses.
- The whitening toothbrush helps remove surface stains from teeth.
- Unique spiral polishing bristles in this medium toothbrush helps remove surface stains for...
- Unique spiral polishing bristles in this medium toothbrush helps remove surface stains for...
- PACK OF TOOTHBRUSHES: You will receive 6 Oral-B Cross Action All-In-One toothbrushes, a...
- PLAQUE REMOVAL: These toothbrushes reach deeper and remove more plaque between teeth* (vs...
- CROSSACTION BRISTLES: The Oral-B CrossAction bristles attack plaque with every stroke.
- 6 Count Value Pack: Every REACH toothbrush offers high quality oral care for the entire...
- Soft Bristles: Toothbrush contains bi-level bristles that clean in between teeth and...
- Ergonomic Contoured Handle: Angled neck and bristles, together with our trademark REACH...
- Blue Indicator Bristles fade halfway so you know when to replace your brush
- Comfort Fit Bristles are curved for grooves between your teeth
- Gentle End Rounded Bristles are specifically designed to be gentle on teeth and gums
- Features Charcoal infused bristles
- Whitens teeth by removing surface stains
- Power Tip bristles are extra long to help clean hard to reach places
- With the unique cup shaped bristles it cleans in between teeth and along gum line to...
- Tongue cleaner for fresher breath
- Is gentle on enamel and gums
- Remove up to 90% of surface stains with our unique Stain Eraser brush head
- Gently polishes away stains to help whiten teeth
- Pro-Flex sides individually adjust to teeth for a thorough clean
- Oral-B Clic is a revolutionary manual toothbrush that combines modern design with...
- Oral-B Clic comes with 1 ergonomic handle, 2 brush heads, and 1 magnetic holder
- Next Gen criss-cross bristles feature ex-filament technology, providing an exceptional...
- You will receive 4 Oral-B Cross Action All-In-One toothbrushes
- Removes up to 99% of plaque in hard-to-reach areas based on a single-use brushing study....
- CrossAction bristles attack plaque with every stroke
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