Your Guide on How to Choose the Right Toothbrush and Toothpaste!

Introduction

As we like to tell patients, while we do our best to make your dental visits count, your daily oral hygiene routine during the other ~360 days in the year are in your hands! They are critical in making sure your teeth are in tip top shape so you can show off your beautiful smile. Here we'll talk about two of your three best friends for great dental care - your toothbrush and toothpaste - and how to make sure you're choosing the best toothbrush and toothpaste for your needs. By the end of this article, we promise you'll be much less confused when Browse through the toothpaste and toothbrush aisle at the grocery store.

How to Choose the Best Toothbrush for You?

Manual vs. Electric

This is the first "fork in the road" in the great electric toothbrush vs manual debate. Both are completely valid choices, but each has their pros and cons when it comes to finding the best toothbrush. Here are some handy dandy tables to help you see these benefits and drawbacks!

Manual - Pros	Manual - Cons
Affordable! - these are often much cheaper than electric toothbrushes Easy to find - often available at grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, hotels, etc Travel friendly - easy to pack! No batteries, chargers, etc Easy to use - no instruction manual	Technique dependent - you decide how the brush does its work (ask us how if you’re unsure!) No timers, unlike electric brushes - so make sure you’re getting your 2 minutes in! No fancy features to help your brushing experience

Electric - Pros	Electric - Cons
Better plaque removal, according to many studies Built in timers to help make sure you get those 2 minutes in! Less effort needed - the brush does the work!	Higher upfront cost, and ongoing cost (e.g. brush head replacement) Requires charging or batteries - extra bulk when traveling, or just extra space on the counter

There you have it - both types of brushes have their pros and cons. As always if you are unsure which one works for you, ask our amazing dental hygiene team. At your hygiene visits, the hygienists will always go over techniques to make sure you’re finding every nook and cranny to clean.

Brushes are complicated! And now we’ll add another layer - the brush head itself. Which one is right for you?

Bristle Type

When you’re in the toothbrush aisle, you’ll see a firmness rating on the package, and it will either say extra soft, soft, medium, or firm. With so many options, which one is right for you? This one is a bit less complicated: a soft bristle toothbrush or extra soft bristle toothbrush is the level we recommend for the vast majority of our patients. Medium or firm bristles can be harsh on the enamel, your gums, and the root surfaces of your teeth, so we don't recommend using those. Besides, soft and extra soft do a perfectly acceptable job of removing plaque.

Brush Head Size & Shape

Size matters! In the case of toothbrushes, the size of the head is important. A toothbrush with a large head might be able to clean more teeth at once, but you will have a tougher time reaching back to clean your molars with it. Generally we recommend a smaller headed toothbrush, as it is easier to maneuver and really clean those tough to reach areas. For electric toothbrushes, round heads are generally easier to work in and around your teeth.

Staying with the brush head, the type of bristle is another consideration! Now you’ll have to bust out your magnifying glass - kidding, but you should take a closer look at the bristles when picking out a toothbrush from the grocery store. Generally there are two types - flat ended, or round ended bristles (this is referring to the bristle tips). The majority of toothbrushes have rounded bristles - and these are generally recommended because not only are they gentler on the teeth and gums, but they do a better job of getting into the nooks and crannies for cleaning.

CDA Seal of Approval

While this one isn’t too important, it still is a “nice to have”. Most of the major brands (Oral B, Colgate, Crest, etc) will all have this seal of approval. It means that the claims made by the brand have been verified by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), so you can be confident that you’re not being misled. In order to get the CDA seal, manufacturers have to submit evidence to back up their claims to the CDA, who then verifies these claims. So if you’re ever unsure if an item is legit, check for the seal shown below!

Example of the CDA Seal

Which Toothpaste is Right for Me?

On the Question of Fluoride

Fluoride is a contentious topic these days, however the vast majority of toothpastes contain fluoride. We consider toothpaste a “fluoride delivery system” that gets fluoride to your teeth so they can reap the benefits – and you get fresh breath as an added benefit! We covered the benefits of fluoride in a previous post, but in short - it strengthens the enamel, and makes it more resistant to the cavity-makers in the mouth known as acid-producing bacteria.

There are a few different formulations of fluoride toothpaste, but they are all relatively similar in impact. The most common are Sodium Fluoride (NaF), and Monofluorophosphate (MFP) - both are very stable compounds and are readily absorbed by teeth. MFP is regarded as safer for children. Another type of fluoride is Stannous Fluoride (SnF2) - this one has the same benefits as the other types in terms of enamel strengthening and resistance to decay, but it also provides some antimicrobial properties that help fight gingivitis (gum inflammation) and tooth sensitivity.

In short, all of these different types of fluoride work - in terms of a toothpaste, the one you like and can stick with is your best bet to help fight tooth decay. But what about fluoride free toothpaste? You may consider these for younger kids, as fluoride can sometimes cause fluorosis, which results in white chalky markings on your child’s teeth (which are harmless, but they can stand out!).

One natural toothpaste option is CariØ by XPUR - this is a toothpaste that contains xylitol, calcium, and phosphate - 3 ingredients that have been shown to help prevent cavities, and these are safe in children. And while we do stress that fluoride is safe and effective for everyone, sometimes an allergy or sensitivity can mean that you have to look at alternatives - something like CariØ is safe and effective for all ages.

Do Whitening Toothpastes Really Work?

Different toothpastes make different claims, but one common one is “whitening”. How effective is this? In short, the effectiveness of a whitening toothpaste is moderately effective at best. In general, what the best whitening toothpastes can do is remove some surface stains (coffee, tobacco, tea, etc), and after several weeks of consistent use, your teeth may appear to be slightly whiter. The key ingredients to look out for are hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide - some toothpastes may contain small concentrations of these guys - they’re the whitening agents.

Cutaway illus. of a tooth, with the main areas (enamel, dentin, pulp) highlighted.

Now that we’ve talked about what whitening toothpastes can do, let’s talk about what they cannot do. They cannot change the natural colour of your teeth. The natural colour of your teeth is a result of a few factors - the big one is the thickness, colour, and translucency of your tooth’s enamel (outer layer) and dentin (inner layer - this is yellower than enamel). These are influenced by genetics, age, and your diet. Also, sometimes a tooth has a deep stain that toothpaste can’t reach - so your toothpaste won’t work to whiten it.

Finding the Best Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

Illus. showing a cross section of a tooth, detailing its components: enamel, dentin, dentinal tubule, exposed dentinal tubule, and gingiva.

Another topic is a rather sensitive one - tooth sensitivity! Some toothpastes advertise helping tooth sensitivity, but do they work? For the most part, yes they do - but it depends on the type of sensitivity you’re having. Generally, if you feel like all or most of your teeth are sensitive to cold or brushing, this is the type of situation where a toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help. If you feel like a single tooth stands out as sensitive (to cold, hot, chewing, or random) and isn’t changing, that could point to a different issue - you can give us a call and we’d be happy to take a closer look.

But for generalized sensitivity, toothpastes can help - and certain ingredients will provide these benefits. So what should you be on the lookout for, in a good way? Here are a couple of common ingredients:

• Potassium Nitrate: commonly found in Sensodyne, this helps block pain signals that are sent from your tooth to your brain.

• Stannous Fluoride: found in many Colgate toothpastes, it forms a protective layer over your tooth surface, reducing sensitivity. Thanks to the presence of fluoride, it also has an anti-cavity benefit.

• Arginine: found in Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief, this plugs your “dentin tubules” and reduces sensitivity. Your tooth surface is full of these microscopic channels that travel to the nerve, and help your tooth feel cold and hot things (see picture below). “Plugging” these can help reduce sensitivity!
  

Ingredients to Watch Out For

While there are many beneficial ingredients in toothpaste, some aren’t so great, and you should be on the lookout for them. Here are some common examples:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - this foams up the toothpaste to help it spread. The problem is some people may be allergic or have sensitivity to it, resulting in canker sores or dry mouth which is why many people seek out an SLS free toothpaste.

• Triclosan - this has antimicrobial properties. For the most part it has been phased out of use in soaps and toothpastes (due to potential hormone disruption and antibacterial resistance). So you’re unlikely to find it on any store shelves, but it’s still worth mentioning.

  • Health Canada has a great resource on triclosan's safety.

• Artificial sweeteners - some toothpastes contain these to enhance the taste (e.g. saccharin, aspartame). If you have sensitivity or allergies to these, or are concerned about their long term usage, it may be best to avoid toothpastes containing these.

  • Quick note about dietary consumption of artificial sweeteners: while we could spend an entire discussion on this, the weight of the scientific literature suggests that in normal amounts, consumption of most artificial sweeteners is completely safe. If you have any health concerns with artificial sweeteners, please consult with your family physician.

• Artificial dyes - to give the toothpaste a flashy colour - e.g. Blue 1, Yellow 5. While these are safe for use, some may avoid these if they have allergies, or if they prefer toothpastes with natural ingredients.

The Return of the CDA Seal

Seal of the Canadian Dental Association featuring a red maple leaf and snake-entwined rod, symbolizing validated dental standards.

Just like with toothbrushes, toothpastes come with the stamp of approval from the CDA. So if you’re unsure if a toothpaste will “walk the walk”, look for the CDA seal. Then you can be confident that what you see is what you’ll get.

Summary: Finding Your Best Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Well, we promised you that you’ll be able to confidently walk down the toothbrush aisle and make an informed choice after reading our post, and we hope you’ll be able to do so! Electric and manual brushes both have their pros and cons, but both will work very well to keep your teeth nice and shiny! We recommend sticking to a soft bristle toothbrush. For toothpastes, the key ingredient is fluoride, and you can find the best toothpaste for your needs, whether it's a whitening toothpaste, a toothpaste for sensitive teeth, or a fluoride free toothpaste. There are many supporting ingredients that offer benefits such as reducing sensitivity and whitening - check the label to see what’s right for you! And of course, the CDA seal of approval is a nice feature to be confident that what you see will be what you get.

So there you have it! We hope this was an informative read, and we’ll always be around if you have questions - don’t hesitate to give us a call at 780-440-4800. And as always, “be true to your teeth, or they will be false to you!”