The first toothbrush was probably seen around 3000 BCE. It was actually a frayed twig created by the Babylonians and Egyptians. Accorrding to other sources around 1600 BCE Chinese created sticks from aromatic trees twigs to help freshen their breath.
William Addis made the first toothbrush to be produced on a large scale in 1770- he used bone and hair bristles.
The toothbrush as we know it today was invented in 1938 by the DuPont company. This had nylon fibers making it more robust and eficient than animal hair.
We cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene. Not only is this critical for the health of your teeth and gums but also for the overall welbeing . It has been proved there is a strong link between poor oral health and heart disease,cancer,diabetes,infertility,dimentia etc.
The best way to achieve dental health is to properly select and use your toothbrush.
Nowadays there is a great variety of oral health products on the shelves and chossing the right toothbrush for you could sometimes be a hard task.
So, what shall we look at when bying a toothbrush?
1/Size of toothbrush head
You should be able to access all the surfaces of even the furthermost teeth. That’s why we,at Irby Dental Practice, recommend small-headed toothbrush to make this job easier
2/Type of bristles
Soft bristles are generally more appropriate to use especially if you are prone to or already have gum disease. Hard or medium options could cause enamel to wear or gums to bleed . To put it simple healthier gums can allow use of a little bit harder bristles and withstand more enthusiastic brushing
3/Manual or powered?
It doesn’t actualy mattter as long as you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes employing the right technique. This will be enough to remove the buld-up from your teeth which will significantly reduce the chances for tooth decay or gum disesase.
There are certain situations though where the electric toothbrush should be the one of choice:
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if you have limited mobility
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if you tend to brush too hard: most of the electic toothbrushes have pressure sensors to help you balance the force you apply when cleaning your teeth
4/ What handle?
Generally speaking – it should be comfortable , easy to hold, ideally non-slip grip to allow better control of the head movement along the dental arch
5/ How would you know when your toothbrush needs replacing?
This is usually every 3 months or when you notice that the bristles are bent, stiff or they just start to fall out.
Worn toothbrush would certainly clean less and could also give you bad breath so make sure you know when to dispose of your old hygiene tool.
If you need any further information on how to look after your teeth , feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to help.