A toothbrush is one of the staple household objects that everyone uses. With the multiple choices in the supermarkets, one might wonder if there is such a thing as a bad toothbrush and if so then what is a good toothbrush? There are a number of factors to take into consideration when choosing the right toothbrush and these include:

• Hardness of bristles; for the average person, their toothbrush should have bristles that are neither too hard nor too soft. If they are too hard, they will destroy the tooth structure and if they are too soft, they will not effectively remove the plaque.
• Shape of the bristles; on the market, the two common shapes are the rounded bristles and the square bristles. The rounded ones are the better option because of how gentle they are on the rest of the tissues which minimizes trauma to them.
• Size of the toothbrush head: this is dependent on the size of one’s mouth which often correlates with their chronological age. For those with small mouths or children, the toothbrushes with smaller heads are more effective as they induce minimal trauma and are easier to control. The head shouldn’t be too big or too small.
• The size and shape of the handle; toothbrush handle designs have evolved over time and this has resulted in a wide range of options. Your toothbrush handle should be easy to grip and comfortable to ensure that the brushing process is as smooth as possible.
• Approval by a quality control body e.g. UNBS; is important as these bodies ensure that you get quality that is as good as advertised. Always check for the official seal and preferably, choose toothbrushes that have it on.
• Manual or electric toothbrushes; the end goal of both these types is the same and that is good oral hygiene. Both can give stellar results if used correctly and both can be disastrous if used inappropriately. The choice between these often comes down to personal preference, however, there can be instances for example in individuals with poor manual dexterity where the electric toothbrush would be the preferred option.

In some cases, the dentist will recommend a specific type of toothbrush to fit the individual contextual needs and this is when they may also recommend a particular brand. Do not forget to change your toothbrush once every 3 months, not too often and not too far apart.