Why would anyone use anything less than a "hard" toothbrush? Why?!

[FelixDeCat]

So Ive been buying toothbrushes with hard bristles for who knows how long and accidently picked up a medium from CVS the other day. After using it for the first time it felt like I was just smashing the entire head on my teeth, without the bristles penetrating anything. It was worthless. I was tempted to take it back and demand a refund!

I am dumbfounded as to why anyone use medium or even......gulp....SOFT bristles?!

 

[Tsavo]

So Ive been buying toothbrushes with hard bristles for who knows how long and accidently picked up a medium from CVS the other day. After using it for the first time it felt like I was just smashing the entire head on my teeth, without the bristles penetrating anything. It was worthless. I was tempted to take it back and demand a refund!

I am dumbfounded as to why anyone use medium or even......gulp....SOFT bristles?!

...because not everyone brushes their teeth with psychotic Herculean vigor, that's why!

 

[sandorski]

Too hard on the Gums. Don't press hard with your Toothbrush, unless you want a receding Gumline.

 

[moshquerade]

So Ive been buying toothbrushes with hard bristles for who knows how long and accidently picked up a medium from CVS the other day. After using it for the first time it felt like I was just smashing the entire head on my teeth, without the bristles penetrating anything. It was worthless. I was tempted to take it back and demand a refund!

I am dumbfounded as to why anyone use medium or even......gulp....SOFT bristles?!

you really want to know why?

toothbrush abrasion. a hard toothbrush will brush away your gums. then it will brush away the cementum (root structure) that is exposed so now you have sensitive teeth and receded gums all because you thought scrubbing your teeth like you'd scrub a dirty floor is the way to go.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Because by using a hard bristled toothbrush, you're performing oral surgery on your gums, not a good thing...

 

[Raduque]

Because by using a hard bristled toothbrush, you're performing oral surgery on your gums, not a good thing...

Yep, if I use a hard bristle brush, my gums bleed. A soft or medium bristle brush doesn't make them bleed.

 

[Adul]

its more about the technique rather than the hardness of the toothbrush. I use soft bristle .

 

[ManSnake]

This is the reason!

 

[darkswordsman17]

I am dumbfounded as to your inability to understand something so simple.

 

[Matthiasa]

This is the reason!

How could someone let it get like that....

eww

 

[Mike Gayner]

Medium bristles FTMFW.

 

[SketchMaster]

Felix every morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrSwaA-FAj4

 

[GasX]

Dear OP,

the answer to your question is: because SOFT bristles are what dentists recommend.

 

[SunSamurai]

 

[Eli]

I agree. Can't stand anything but hard bristles.

Though I've been using a Sonicare for the last year or so. Don't know what their bristles rate, but you don't have to do anything but move it around your mouth.

 

[Itchrelief]

This is the reason!

Time to switch to extra soft...

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't get why either. I like the hard bristles. You need to let the brush do the work, and not use force though, and always brush from gum to the tip of the tooth, not the other way. The picture above is probably the result of someone going up and down with lot of force.

Ever try to take food out from between your teeth with your tongue? it's very hard right? That's why you want hard bristles. They are more likely to clean those spots better. Of course flossing is advised too as even brushing wont get everything.

No I'm not a dentist.

 

[MJinZ]

Hard bristles are retarded. Humans were never evolved to clean teeth like these toothbrushes do.

The best ones are the spin brush Oral B-s where you can go over each tooth briefly without brushing for too much or too long, destroying enamel and gums.

 

[bobdole369]

I was fairly certain that hard bristled toothbrushes were voluntarily withdrawn from the market. I haven't seen a bona-fide hard bristled toothbrush since I was a lad, sometime in the 80's. I recall a commercial, a PSA where it showed the paint being scraped off a car. THe point was to tell people to not use hard bristled toothbrush.

Medium bristles make my gums bleed so I use soft. Am I a nancy-boy in the teeth?

 

[Mermaidman]

its more about the technique rather than the hardness . . .

Right on.

 

[CPA]

Most dentists recommend SOFT toothbrushes. Hard will wear away the gums and the enamel on your teeth.

 

[yhelothar]

Judging a toothbrush after one use? I've always had to break-in my toohbrushes before they feel comfortable. The few times I use a new one is always irritating.

 

[jonks]

I used hard bristles as a child when I thought the purpose of brushing was to scrub "dirt" off my teeth. I've learned better. Most people wouldn't use steel wool to polish their car.

 

[CRXican]

now I'm scared, I brush rather ferociously

I use whatever toothbursh the dentist gives me