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Toothbrushes

The function of toothbrush is to remove dental plaque from the surface of teeth.

Conventional

image of conventional toothbrushes

All conventional toothbrush head designs are effective in cleansing every tooth surface.

Diamond shape

The tips of these brush heads are narrower than those of the conventional ones. These tips are designed for an easy access to posterior teeth.

A toothbrush with any kind of toothbrush head cleans teeth effectively. However, the size of the toothbrush head should be considered according to the size of the oral cavity.

Block pattern

The bristles are of the same length and are arranged neatly like a block.

Wavy or V-shape pattern

The bristles form a V-shape or wavy pattern. According to the manufacturer, this is intended to give the bristles a better contact with the areas around the adjacent tooth surfaces.

Advantage

If these toothbrushes are used correctly, it is claimed by the manufacturer that their bristles will naturally be pointing at the gum line at a 45 degree angle. It is also suggested that since the bristles at the brush tip are longer, it enables the brush to reach the difficult to clean areas.

In fact, any of the above brush head design can effectively clean the teeth. Nonetheless, the bristles must be soft. Thus, you can choose according to your personal preference.

Handle design

Straight handle

All conventional toothbrushes have straight handles that are easier to control.

Contra-angle handle

This handle design is similar to a dental instrument, intending to access to the difficult to clean areas.

Flexible handle

This kind of handle intends to reduce gum injury caused by excessive brushing force.

Slip prevention grip handle

This handle intends to prevent the toothbrush from slipping away during toothbrushing.

None of the handle design possesses special tooth cleansing effect. You may make your choices according to your personal preference.

Powered Toothbrush

  • Mechanical motions of different brush heads
  • Brush head oscillates sideways, forwards and backwards
  • Each tuft of bristles rotates individually
  • The entire brush head rotates in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction

Is it suitable for you?

People with special needs, such as the physically and mentally disabled people, may choose to use powered toothbrushes.

The high oscillation/rotation speed of the powered toothbrush may cause injury to the teeth if it is not used correctly. The technique in using powered toothbrush is different from that of the manual toothbrush. You should consult your dentist to achieve an optimal cleansing effect with your powered toothbrush.

As powered toothbrushes are more expensive than manual toothbrushes, you may consider using it according to your financial capability.

Superbrush

It is designed to simultaneously clean the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of teeth.

Toothbrush head design

Three brush heads are combined together in the Superbrush. When the brush is placed on the chewing surface, all the three surfaces of the tooth are cleaned simultaneously. It shortens the brushing time.

Is Superbrush suitable for you? User should have well aligned teeth.

It is suitable for parents and health care workers who have to brush the teeth for the children or disabled, or for those whose manual dexterity is inadequate.

The choice of toothbrush is a matter of personal preference. If you are interested in using the superbrush, you can try it.

Single-tuft toothbrush

What is a Single-tuft toothbrush? It is a toothbrush with a very small head which can be used to clean wisdom teeth and crooked teeth effectively. There are various shapes of the brush head. The cleansing effectiveness of different shapes of the brush head is the same.

Function and method of use

It is used to clean the areas which are unreachable by conventional toothbrush such as:

Wisdom teeth

Hold the brush in a pen grip, and place the bristles at the gum margin of the wisdom tooth and brush gently to clean every tooth surface.

Crooked teeth

Hold the brush in a pen grip, and place the bristles over the tooth area where a conventional toothbrush cannot reach and brush gently.

Interdental brush

Function and method of use

Cleaning the adjacent tooth surfaces with a wide interdental space.

In case of gingival recession due to Periodontal Disease, the gap between the roots of the neighbouring teeth is wide. Under this situation, an interdental brush may be used instead of dental floss.

Insert the interdental brush into the gap between the roots of the teeth, brush forward and backward to clean the adjacent tooth surfaces.

Cleaning tooth surfaces underneath fixed orthodontic appliances.

It is rather difficult to clean the teeth with fixed orthodontic appliances in place. Therefore, people wearing fixed orthodontic appliances should pay special attention to their oral hygiene in order to reduce the chance of Dental Caries development. The teeth and the appliance should be cleaned in the morning and before bed at night everyday as well as after each meal.

Suggested cleansing method:

Firstly, brush the area between the orthodontic appliance and gingivae (gums). Then, brush the area between the appliance and the crown of the teeth.

Finally, insert an interdental brush into the area between the teeth and the appliance to clean.

Flossing is difficult for people wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. Hence, superfloss can be used to facilitate the removal of dental plaque on the adjacent tooth surfaces.

Designs of interdental brush
Toothbrush head design

Different sizes of brush head suit different widths of the interdental spaces.

Handle design

Long handle is suitable for home use, short handle (travel pack) is convenient to be carried around.

Replacement pack

When the brush head is worn out, it can be replaced. It is economical.

Which kind is suitable for you? All kinds of interdental brush have the same cleansing effect. You can choose whatever you like. For example, a travel pack will be used when travelling and a replacement pack will be more economical.

How to choose a toothbrush?

  • It is essential that the toothbrush can move freely in your mouth to clean every tooth surface. The bristles should be soft so that it does not injure the gums.
  • The size of the toothbrush head should be appropriate to the size of the oral cavity. In general, the size of a toothbrush head which is the same as the diameter of a one-dollar coin will be suitable for adults.
  • The bristle pattern and handle design should be determined by personal preference and habit.
  • Both manual and powered toothbrushes clean the teeth effectively as long as they are used correctly.
  • If you choose to use an interdental brush or a powered toothbrush, you should consult your dentist first.