# Recommend a toothbrush **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 22, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907 "2008-08-22T05:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/1 "2008-08-22T05:42:12Z")
It seems my toothbrushes only last a couple months before the bristles get all bent and not very useful. I always go with the cheap store-brand kind of toothbrush, but is it better to go with a fancier one? Will those last longer and have me get more bang for my buck? ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/2 "2008-08-22T18:54:55Z")
Bump because I am likewise curious - also, how about mechanical vs. manual toothbrushes? Is there a clear advantage to the mechanicals? Do we have any dentist dopers about? ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/3 "2008-08-22T19:03:46Z")
One more bump… My dentist is telling me to get one of those electric spinny head toothbrushes. Anyone use one of those? ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/4 "2008-08-22T19:11:29Z")
[QUOTE=Daerlyn] Bump because I am likewise curious - also, how about mechanical vs. manual toothbrushes? Is there a clear advantage to the mechanicals? Do we have any dentist dopers about? [/QUOTE] Casual flosser, twice a day brusher here. I’ve never liked going to the dentist. I mean, I absolutely loathe it. Cleanings especially. I don’t like the prodding, scraping, polishing; any of it. So a few years ago I switched from a manual toothbrush to a Sonicare toothbrush. Where cleanings used to take a little less than an hour, now I’m in and out of the chair in about 20 minutes. I realize they’re kinda pricey, but for someone who hates going to the dentist as much as I do, it’s worth every penny. ---
**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/5 "2008-08-22T19:41:17Z")
My dentist recommends the [Braun Triumph](http://www.amazon.com/Braun-Triumph-9400-Remover-Toothbrush/dp/B000Q9YTTS) and my checkups have gotten much better since I started using it. It’s not cheap, though, and you need to keep buying the heads every three or four months. Probably save you money in the long run. I recall reading some time ago in Consumer Reports that you could brush your teeth just as well by hand, but it just seems easier for me (and more likely that I’ll do a good job). ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/6 "2008-08-22T20:32:35Z")
If you want to go cheap avoid the soniccare I use. But if you like avoiding dentists, you might consider it. I’ve used one for 4 years now and I have never loved a toothbrush more. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/7 "2008-08-22T20:38:55Z")
I have a Recycline toothbrush that I got at Target. It’s pretty standard as far as toothbrushes go except for the fact that it is made out of recycled yogurt cups and you can download a free mailing label to send it back to the company to recycle it when you’re done. Plus, it was cheap and came in black. How many black toothbrushes are there? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/8 "2008-08-22T20:46:55Z")
[QUOTE=Daddypants] One more bump… My dentist is telling me to get one of those electric spinny head toothbrushes. Anyone use one of those? [/QUOTE] [My dentist got me hooked on mine.](http://www.dentist.net/rotadent.asp) The biggest problems were the upfront cost ($120.00) and the brush heads are $20.00. I don’t wear down the brush heads, but I do get strep throat often which requires replacement faster. One other drawback, it took me awhile to get over how ticklish it made me on the gums behind the teeth. Oh, I still squirm now and then. But it does make my teeth squeaky clean. > [@](#): > > By purchasing the Rotadent brush, you agree to the following: > > 1)You have been properly trained in using the tooth brush and/or > > 2)You have owned the toothbrush previously and know how to use it and/or > > 3)You cannot locate a local dentist who can order this product for you. :rolleyes: It’s just a toothbrush. A really good one, but still. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/9 "2008-08-22T21:04:52Z")
I’ve got the sonicare spinny and I like it a lot. I’ve only replaced the head once so far and it’s been probably a year. My cleanings are better and it’s good for me because I press too hard with a regular brush. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/10 "2008-08-22T21:28:25Z")
My hygienists nagged me into getting a Sonicare because they didn’t like the look of my gums. I finally got one (they said get a real Sonicare, not one of the cheapo drugstore battery-powered knockoffs), and they’ve stopped pestering me about the state of my gums and pockets. I know there’s a joke somewhere about deep pockets and the cost of a Sonicare, but I don’t feel like sorting it out. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-toothbrush/460907/11 "2008-08-22T21:42:15Z")
Absolutely the best manual toothbrush I’ve ever tried: [Dentrust](http://www.dentrust.com/). This odd Langolier-shaped toothbrush cleans the front, the back, and the tops of your teeth all at once. It has flexible little plastic bristles that are very easy on the gums while doing a great job removing plaque. I’ve been using this kind of toothbrush for about fifteen years. Almost all my relatives have dental problems, and many have full dentures. I am 60 years old and still have all my own teeth, and I think the Dentrust is the main reason.