Have you got a new electric or sonic toothbrush and are wondering which replacement heads to buy for it? Or do you have your old favourite at home and want to try something new? We’ll talk you through the options and how to choose the right toothbrush head.
TIME FOR A CHANGE
How often should you change your electric toothbrush head? For hygiene reasons and to maintain its effectiveness, change the head as often as a regular brush, i.e. every 3 months. For example, you could plan to change it with the seasons – at the end of March, June, September and December, or choose your own schedule. Some heads are even equipped with blue indicative fibres which fade to let you know it’s time to replace them. More expensive sonic toothbrushes notify you that it’s time to change the head using light indicators.
LET’S MAKE OUR CHOICE
Given that not all heads are compatible with all brands, you must first choose according to the brand and type of toothbrush that you have – by series or sub-series. This is the only way to be sure you’ve chosen correctly. With some manufacturers you can rest assured that whichever replacement head you go for, they’ll always be compatible with all of the brand’s brushes. But that’s not true of all of them, so choose carefully.
Once this first step is out of the way and you’ve narrowed it down to heads that are designed for your brush, it’s time to set your expectations. It’s worth factoring in issues such as sensitive teeth or teeth whitening.
FOR SENSITIVE TEETH AND GUMS
Sensitive teeth and bleeding gums are unpleasant problems which can make brushing your teeth painful. But you need not worry– you don’t need to avoid sonic or electric toothbrushes as a result. Simply choose replacement heads which are made with this in mind. They have extremely soft fibres, meaning they remove plaque gently and effectively without irritating sensitive teeth and gums.
FOR PERFECT PLAQUE REMOVAL
Practically all electric and sonic toothbrushes promise far more effective plaque removal than regular toothbrushes. That’s probably the main reason for buying one. You should be able to achieve really good results with any replacement head. But if you’re after almost flawless cleaning, you can choose from heads which promise even better results. Thanks to various bristle lengths or their specific placement they can remove plaque even from hard-to-reach areas.
FOR A WHITER SMILE
It’s not just toothpaste, but a well-chosen brush head too that can whiten teeth and remove pigment stains caused by certain kinds of food and drink. Several manufacturers even promise visibly whiter teeth after just a few days of brushing. Toothbrushes which promise the best results in this area have a specially designed, thickly set brush head and, in combination with sonic technology, remove stains after 3-7 days of brushing. If you have had your teeth professionally whitened, these heads can help you keep your radiant white smile for a really long time.
CARE FOR FIXED BRACES
Caring for teeth with fixed braces is often more complicated and demanding, meaning it requires more time. Replacement head manufacturers have also thought of this. To better reach all the curves around the brackets and wires, choose a head which is designed specifically for fixed braces or at least recommended by the manufacturer as being the most suitable. Whilst for certain electric brushes you can buy a whole set of differently-sized heads for looking after teeth with braces, other brands recommend their regular heads. They are smaller and thicker than the standard ones and remove plaque effectively. If you have braces, you should change your brush head every month.
HEADS FOR CHILDREN’S TOOTHBRUSHES
It’s important to brush little teeth from the word go, and, if your child can manage one, you can get them a children’s sonic toothbrush. There are small, extremely soft brushes on the market for even the smallest children. Choosing a replacement head is usually simple, since they always only have one option.
If your child has already had their third birthday, you are welcome to go for a more expensive toothbrush with more features and settings. These often have more types of replacement head which can be divided by size for younger and older kids. Whilst children over 3 only need a really small brush, for children over 7 the head will be a bit bigger. Rounded replacement heads for electric toothbrushes only come in one size for children between 3 and 10. As a rule, children’s replacement heads are smaller and have very soft bristles which don’t damage their gums and sensitive teeth. They are nice for kids to brush with.
HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER REPLACEMENT HEADS PROPERLY?
Looking after replacement toothbrush heads falls into two areas – daily care and special care. In terms of day-to-day care, be sure to thoroughly wash the head with water. Some manufacturers recommend that you then remove the head and rinse the spike that the head sits on. Always follow the instructions. Leave each part to dry on its own after washing.
With regard to special care, if you have been suffering from an illness or virus, it would be better to use a UV sanitiser. Maybe you’ve already come across them in shops but weren’t entirely sure what they are used for. They are useful tools for removing all bacteria and viruses from bristles. That way you don’t need to throw out the head and can safely keep using it. Simple insert the head into the sanitiser, set the programme and the sanitiser will use UV light to disinfect the brush’s surface and bristles. They don’t use any chemicals and so they are 100% safe to use.