Have you ever finished scrubbing away at your teeth and wondered if you’ve done more harm than good? If your mouth is feeling a little tender post-cleaning, your medium or hard toothbrush might be to blame.
We spoke with the dental pros about the benefits of soft-bristled brushes, plus their recommendations for the best soft toothbrushes on the market today.
The best soft toothbrushes at a glance
- Best soft-bristle electric toothbrush: Oral-B, Series 9 Electric Toothbrush, $300
- Best budget: Colgate, Hum Smart Rhythm, $25
- Best manual toothbrush: Nimbus, Extra-Soft Toothbrush Pack, $19
- Best splurge: Philips Sonicare, Prestige Rechargeable ElectricToothbrush, $380
- Best rotary toothbrush: Rotadent, ProCare Rotary Toothbrush, $105
- Best Bluetooth-connected: Oral-B, Genius 7000 Smart Series Toothbrush, $218
- Best for sensitive gums: Lingito, Nano Toothbrush (Pack of 4), $9
- Best eco-friendly: Nudoku, Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrush Pack, $9
- Best for travel: Patelai, Travel Toothbrush Pack, $7
- Best for small spaces: Mode, Electric Toothbrush, $148
- Best for kids: Nimby, Toothbrush Pack, $16
- Best with tongue scraper: CariPro, Electric Toothbrush, $119
Experts In This Article
What defines toothbrush softness?
The modern-day toothbrush has evolved significantly—and we’re not just talking about the leap from manual to electric toothbrushes. In fact, before the 1940s, it was rare to find a toothbrush that wasn’t made from real boar’s hair. (Yikes...) In 1938, tech-based giant Dupont de Nemours created the very first synthetic toothbrush made from nylon, which resembles what many of us use today.
In modern times, toothbrush bristles are still made out of synthetic nylon but are broken down further into a few main classes based on texture: extra soft, soft, medium, and hard.
“A hard-bristled brush has very dense bristles, which is a more aggressive scrubber, while a soft-bristled brush will have less densely packed bristles, which allows for the bristles to flexibly bend around the teeth and gums gently,” explains Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, Anita Rajpal, DDS.
