Many people grew up being told that they needed to use hard bristled toothbrushes to really get their teeth clean. Most heard this from their parents, not from a professional.
This misconception has been passed down for years, with few people every questioning it. It sounds logical, after all.
Unfortunately, it's also not true. Hard bristled toothbrushes aren't that much better than soft bristled ones. While they might be able to scrape off a bit more plaque, their downsides are definitely not worth it.
Hard bristles don't just scrape the plaque off your teeth-they can also scrape off some of the enamel on the outside of your teeth. Over years of use, this can leave your teeth badly damaged and unprotected. Hard bristles also irritate the gums.
They can cause your gums to become extra sensitive, to bleed while you're brushing, and even to start receding. This, in turn, can result in gum disease or loose teeth.
Today, many soft bristled toothbrushes are just as good as hard bristled ones. It's likely that any plaque your soft bristled brush can't remove won't be scraped away by hard bristles. The only way to get rid of that type of plaque is to come visit us and have a professional cleaning done.
If you do believe you're not getting as much plaque off of your teeth as you should be, it might not be the brush's fault. You may not be brushing correctly. You need to make sure you're angling the toothbrush so that it hits your gum line.
Make circular motions with the brush instead of brushing up and down or side to side. You don't need to use much pressure, either. Instead, make sure you're spending a good amount of time on each area so that you don't miss any plaque.
Need some help perfecting your technique? Give us a call!
