# Why do they sell hard bristle toothbrushes?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 26, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361 "2006-08-26T21:41:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2014, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/21 "2014-01-26T06:59:23Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> My partner is one of those people that just don’t feel like a soft or medium brush is doing any good - they want to feel some scrubbing going on.
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#):
>
> This is me. Soft brushes feel like I’m brushing with a cotton swab.
>
> I’ve used a hard toothbrush all my life. No bleeding gums or other problems. My dentists have never asked me what firmness of brush I use, so I assume it’s not causing any problems that they can see. What problem is it supposed to cause, gum calluses?
No, erosion of the enamel of the tooth itself.
You do realize, do you, that how it _feels_ to you is not evidence either that a brush is, or is not, getting you appropriately clean, or that it is not doing any harm. I am pretty sure that “scrubbing” of the teeth is considered to be very bad for them.
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### Author:  [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/22 "2014-01-26T12:12:54Z")
To the OP, Why _don’t_ they sell hard bristle toothbrushes. Where I live in oz it is really difficult to find them. I just want a plain ordinary toothbrush with a straight handle and all of the bristles the same length and angled the same way. I don’t want to pay through the nose for some fancy strip bristles in some strange swirly pattern. I don’t need rubberised grips made from three different materials that look like they were made in a sports shoe factory. I don’t need the head contoured or “angled like a dental instrument”. Just plain and ordinary and reasonably hard suits me just fine.
FTR, I have only once in my life had (extremely minor) issues with the toothbrush damaging the gums. I have had only one dental procedure in the last 19 years. I really see no need to change. What I am doing works. (But I do need to shop around for brushes and straighten the handle when I get home.)
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### Author:  [@mantis3dfx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mantis3dfx)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/23 "2014-01-27T02:41:37Z")
> [@njtt](#):
>
> No, erosion of the enamel of the tooth itself.
>
> You do realize, do you, that how it _feels_ to you is not evidence either that a brush is, or is not, getting you appropriately clean, or that it is not doing any harm. I am pretty sure that “scrubbing” of the teeth is considered to be very bad for them.
LOL! - I think 48 years of once to twice per day usage, with no issues and less cavities/etc compared to everyone else I know more than amply qaulifies as evidence. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/24 "2014-01-27T06:33:22Z")
They also make super-soft toothbrushes, which is what I use, after the dentist scolded me for brushing too enthusiastically and causing sensitive spots on my teeth from loss of enamel.
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### Author:  [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/25 "2014-01-27T16:07:41Z")
For cleaning grout, of course.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/26 "2014-01-27T16:43:26Z")
> [@Why did the Jesus sect become Christianity?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-jesus-sect-become-christianity/5625/10):
>
> And they’re hopeless. I’m still using a firm toothbrush I bought more than a year ago and it leaves my teeth feeling noticeably cleaner than a brand new soft brush.
Why not pair it up with Comet and make sure they’re extra clean and white?
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### Author:  [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/27 "2014-01-27T16:49:13Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> I prefer hard bristle, but haven’t been able to find one here _anywhere_ in maybe 15 years.
Same here! My wife has had a heck of a time finding hard bristle toothbrushes for me.
When I brush I really get in there, and medium bristle toothbrushes simply can’t give me the familiar tingle I’ve associated with ‘clean’ since I was a kid.
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### Author:  [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/28 "2014-01-27T17:28:46Z")
How much does the pressure we put on the brush with our hands change things? Perhaps hard bristled brushes are no big deal if you brush softly enough, and dentists recommend soft brushes because their experience is that people brush as hard as they can and soft bristles mitigate that?
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/29 "2014-01-27T17:53:27Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#):
>
> They’re actually really useful for housework. Note to houseguests: the toothbrush with the black bristles is for scrubbing grout, not teeth.
> [@don\_t\_ask](#):
>
> You have house guests that use your toothbrush?
Do they look for them in the toolbox? :dubious: Or do you keep them in the medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom :eek:
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/30 "2014-01-27T18:00:22Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> My partner is one of those people that just don’t feel like a soft or medium brush is doing any good - they want to feel some scrubbing going on.
> [@Thalion](#):
>
> My wife absolutely refuses to use anything but a hard bristle brush. Her dentist complains about it every time he sees her, but she won’t budge.
Add Mrs. B. to this peculiar list, along with the conviction that they’re about to stop making hard toothbrushes (dark aura of conspiracy theme music here), so she buys six at a time.
But then again, she thinks every household cleaning job needs abrasives from Comet upwards, so I guess I should count my blessings that she doesn’t know how to use my sandblaster.
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### Author:  [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/31 "2014-01-27T18:05:23Z")
> [@DrCube](#):
>
> How much does the pressure we put on the brush with our hands change things? Perhaps hard bristled brushes are no big deal if you brush softly enough, and dentists recommend soft brushes because their experience is that people brush as hard as they can and soft bristles mitigate that?
I don’t have to use nearly as much pressure with a hard-bristled toothbrush to get a better clean than with a medium. I definitely brush harder with a medium-bristled toothbrush but I am almost immediately through the bristles to the base because the bristles simply can’t hold up to the pressure, and afterwards I always have that ‘bleh’ feeling like I still need to brush my teeth. It’s probably all in my mind but there it is.
And to those who say their gums bleed with a hard-bristled toothbrush, they may be dealing with more than simply needing to brush their teeth. My gums don’t bleed while brushing regardless how much pressure I apply or the hardness of the bristles.
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### Author:  [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/32 "2014-01-27T18:18:07Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> My partner is one of those people that just don’t feel like a soft or medium brush is doing any good - they want to feel some scrubbing going on.
Yep.
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### Author:  [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/33 "2014-01-27T18:31:05Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#):
>
> You buy a new toothbrush every week?
If I buy from a local retail outfit they last just a few weeks for me. [I was using these](http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Health_&_Beauty/Bath_&_Body/Personal_Care_&_Grooming/Natural-Bristle_Toothbrushes_(Set_of_3_Toothbrushes)/H1975), but the bristles tend to begin falling out after a month or so, and although they are firm, they are not as hard as I like. [I’ve been using these for a while](http://www.amazon.com/Swissco-Tortoise-Natural-Bristle-3-Count/dp/B000TBY2ZO), which are just okay to be honest, but they are hard to find.
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### Author:  [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/34 "2014-01-28T03:09:16Z")
> [@bump](#):
>
> Why not pair it up with Comet and make sure they’re extra clean and white?
Huh? Is Comet a toothpaste?
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### Author:  [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/35 "2014-01-28T03:25:22Z")
I should add also, that I don’t use a firm-bristled brush so I can scrub the hell out of the easily-accessible surfaces of the teeth.
Firm bristled are less easily deflected, so they get into the nooks and crannies with sufficient pressure to lift the bacteria, food residue etc. It makes a pretty big difference IME.
As to why dentists advise against them, god knows. Maybe some percent of people do scrub too hard with a firm-bristled brush?
The “dentists recommend” tag seems to get applied to a lot of things, many of dubious benefit, so I’m a little skeptical of what the consensus really is on such things, and whether it’s been arrived at scientifically or through groupthink.
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### Author:  [@Strangeland64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strangeland64)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/36 "2014-01-28T03:32:18Z")
My teeth never feel clean with the soft or medium bristles. So I search high and low for firms, and when I find them I buy several at a time. I try not to scrub too hard , so hopefully the damage isn’t too bad.
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### Author:  [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/37 "2014-01-28T05:18:01Z")
Those wanting to use a soft toothbrush _and_ have their teeth feel nice and polished might try a Sonicare toothbrush [like this](http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HX5610-30-Rechargeable-Frustration/dp/B007ZN5ATQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1390886061&sr=1-1) or perhaps [this](http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Sonicare-HX3351-Operated-Toothbrush/dp/B000FEIOHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390886123&sr=8-1&keywords=e3000+sonic). I use them intermittently with my soft toothbrushes.
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### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/38 "2014-01-28T05:58:39Z")
Every dentist I e er asked this question has always said, “I don’t care, just brush more often.”
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/39 "2014-01-28T15:14:33Z")
> [@Mijin](#):
>
> As to why dentists advise against them, god knows. Maybe some percent of people do scrub too hard with a firm-bristled brush?
It comes down to this: if you can’t get it off with a soft brush, it’s not going to come off without damage to your gums.
Tartar build up and such can’t be brushed off; trying to means you only get what the hard bristles can reach on flat surfaces and does nothing about build-up in the crevices - less, actually, than softer, more flexible and penetrating bristles.
Hard bristles are extremely hard on your gums. Your gums are what you have to take care of if you plan to keep your teeth into old age; when your gums get weak and diseased, your teeth fall out or have to come out. Your teeth can be dead, amalgam-filled rocks and last you until you’re 100, but if your gums and the root cavities get infected and diseased… no more tooth.
So in the end, all that “extra cleaning” you think you’re getting from harder brushes is both false and counterproductive - you’re not cleaning deep and you’re doing damage to the parts you can reach that will lead to more problems. It’s on the same scale as the Victorian practice of swishing out with nitric acid - the ladies got super-white teeth by dissolving the enamel. At the cost of a mouthful of rotting stumps a few years later.
Really, folks, listen to the pros on this one and learn to use a soft brush properly.
(But who am I kidding, here, when even the Mrs. won’t listen to this argument…)
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### Author:  [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-sell-hard-bristle-toothbrushes/370361/40 "2014-01-28T15:44:52Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> It comes down to this: if you can’t get it off with a soft brush, it’s not going to come off without damage to your gums.
>
> Tartar build up and such can’t be brushed off; trying to means you only get what the hard bristles can reach on flat surfaces and does nothing about build-up in the crevices - less, actually, than softer, more flexible and penetrating bristles.
> …
> (But who am I kidding, here, when even the Mrs. won’t listen to this argument…)
Well, perhaps you don’t listen to her either, because you completely ignored what I actually said.
I said specifically that the reason I used a hard brush is **not** to be extra-vigorous on the accessible surfaces, and that IME firm bristles get into crevices _better_ than soft bristles.
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