Are more expensive toothbrushes better?

This is the 4951th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Although brushing teeth is just a trivial matter in our daily life, it is related to the health of our teeth. As the ancients said, if you want to do your work well, you must first sharpen your tools. The effect of brushing teeth is not only affected by the brushing method, but also closely related to whether the toothbrush is suitable.

However, what kind of toothbrush is suitable? Is the more expensive the better?

As the saying goes: You get what you pay for! Looking at the price, it seems to make sense. In 2001, Feng Xiaogang directed a Lunar New Year drama "Big Shot", in which there is a classic line: "Do you know what a successful person is? A successful person buys the most expensive things, not the best. So, our slogan for real estate is: not the best, but the most expensive."

Those who can afford expensive ones are definitely successful people, but they are not necessarily healthy and successful people! Because some toothbrushes are expensive just because they increase the IQ tax, which has no practical significance for dental care.

In fact, the principles of choosing a toothbrush are very simple, just grasp two points!

A look at the "figure"

What is the shape? It means looking at the design of the brush head and handle of the toothbrush. The general principles are: ① The shape (streamline) and size of the brush head should be designed to facilitate the brush head to enter the difficult-to-brush parts in the mouth. This is because the shape of the mouth when open is a wedge-shaped space, and the space becomes narrower as it goes deeper into the mouth. So generally speaking, a toothbrush with a smaller brush head is the best choice. Under the premise of taking into account cleaning efficiency and health effects, the size of the toothbrush head should generally be able to cover 2 teeth; ② The brush handle should have an appropriate length and width, conform to ergonomic characteristics, be easy to hold, and not easy to slip or rotate.

Second, look at the "feel"

What does it mean to look at the feel? It means to look at the hardness and softness of the bristles of the toothbrush and the treatment of the top of the bristles. A suitable toothbrush should have bristles of moderate hardness and softness. Specifically, if you brush the skin of your fingers with a toothbrush, you should feel itchy rather than painful. If the bristles are too hard, they will not only damage the gums, but also the teeth. For patients with periodontitis, they should choose a toothbrush with softer bristles. This is like doing housework. If you wash more expensive utensils, you will definitely not use a rag that is too rough. In addition, the rounding of the top of the bristles is also to reduce the irritation of the bristles to the gums.

Since it is impossible to remove the packaging before buying a toothbrush, it is impossible to directly feel the softness and hardness of the bristles. Therefore, here is a little trick for everyone, that is, look at the instructions, generally fine-bristled toothbrushes are soft-bristled toothbrushes. This is because the diameter of the bristles will directly affect its softness and hardness.

Therefore, there is a professional concept of "health toothbrush", which is the so-called: ① small brush head, ② easy to hold the brush handle, ③ soft brush head, ④ rounded tips of the bristles.

In fact, not all toothbrushes on the market meet the requirements of "health toothbrushes", so you need to carefully compare the above standards when purchasing a toothbrush to find a suitable toothbrush. Toothbrushes that are more expensive are not necessarily better. As long as they meet the requirements of "health toothbrushes", toothbrushes that are affordable are more cost-effective.

Author: Shanghai Health and Health Development Research Center

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