Conventional 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:
0-2 years Brush head size should be approximately the diameter of a Hong Kong 10-cent coin (~15mm).
2-6 years Brush head size should be approximately the diameter of a Hong Kong 20-cent coin (~19mm).
6-12 years Brush head size should be approximately the diameter of a Hong Kong 50-cent coin (~22mm).
12 years and above Brush head size should be approximately
the diameter of a Hong Kong one-dollar coin (~25mm).
Bristle pattern
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
Function
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 Method of use: 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 Method of use:
Hold the brush in a pen grip, and place the bristles over the tooth area where 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.
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 traveling and
a replacement pack will be more economical.
