Maintaining good oral hygiene begins with having the right toothbrush. However, with a myriad of options out there on the market it is hard to know which toothbrush to go for. Is a soft, medium or hard bristled toothbrush best?
Different people require different types of brushes depending on their dental needs. In general, however, most dentists recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush for your daily brushing. A soft toothbrush provides the right amount of pressure needed to remove any food particles or bacteria on the teeth or at the gum line.
Hard bristles are not necessarily bad but if used too rigorously they can cause damage to teeth and gums. Damage to the gum leaves you more susceptible to infections and may promote gum loss. Additionally hard bristled toothbrushes can erode tooth enamel and create the risk of tooth sensitivity.
At Lark, we sought to achieve a balance between effectiveness and safety and we use medium firm bristles for that extra oomph. Medium bristles are an excellent in-between texture for healthy teeth cleaning. The bristles are stiff enough that they efficiently clean the teeth of plaque, built up food particles and other debris, but they are not too hard, where they can cause damage to the enamel.
Several studies have evidenced medium bristled toothbrushes remove higher amounts of dental biofilm compared to soft toothbrushes. Biofilm is another word for plaque buildup. When plaque forms over the teeth, a film of bacteria sticks to the surface of the teeth. It is not visible to the naked eye, and soft bristles are not always effective at removing it.
You can shop our medium bristle toothbrushes here.
Always remember overzealous brushing does not equal cleaner teeth, it more than likely will lead to the opposite effect in the long term.
If you feel as though you are not getting a thorough enough clean with your current toothbrush, speak to your dental hygienist or dentist about which toothbrush may be best for your specific needs.