A good many people don’t give serious thoughts about visiting the dentist as frequently as recommended. Yet we tend to eat some food that encourages the growth of bacteria in your mouth and on our teeth. With the infrequent dental check-ups and personal habits that are nowhere close to exemplary, it is a good idea to invest in a toothbrush that will keep your pearly whites fresh and plaque-free.

But which toothbrush is the best?

Well, the right toothbrush doesn’t have to be electric or manual. Both types are equally effective when used right. The only edge a powered toothbrush has over the classic types is that it might help you ditch bad brushing habits such as failing to hit hard-to-reach spots.

To help you choose a good toothbrush, these are the five best toothbrushes (in no particular order) that dentist commonly recommend to their patients;

1. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Electric Toothbrush

The DiamondClean is considered the best Sonicare teeth whitening electric toothbrush by most users. It comes with five unique brushing modes: white, clean, polish, gum care and sensitive for you to choose the setting that best suits you.

With a dual charging system featuring a unique charging glass and a travel case, you can enjoy up to two weeks of regular brushing on a single full charge. To charge at home, simply place the toothbrush bottom down into the sleek charger glass that usually fits stylishly into any bathroom and doubles up as glass for rinsing your mouth after brushing. If you’re always on the go, you can always stay topped up thanks to the travel case that easily connects to a wall socket or a laptop via USB.

Away from charging, the DiamondClean electric toothbrush is also designed with two brush heads to offer a thorough clean to tricky spots, where food and bacterial plaque get trapped. The heads have diamond shaped bristles that effectively but gently remove surface stains and scrape plaque away.

2. Colgate ProClinical Expert White

This is a high-end electric toothbrush from the world leading brand: Colgate. It comes with three heads, lasting for about ten weeks each, and a handy travel case.

Thanks to its auto-setting that pauses mid-brush cycle, you will always get a reminder to proceed to other parts of your mouth and even know when your two-minute brush is complete. In essence, it automates the whole brushing experience making dental care a much easier task.

Unlike a manual toothbrush, the Colgate ProClinical Expert White has an oval head producing up to 32,5000 brush strokes per minute. The shape may make it a little tricky to hit the back teeth, but with a little bit of practice, you’ll get the hang of it.

3. Oral-B Vitality Dual Clean Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush

For a low-cost electric toothbrush, the Oral-B Vitality is top of the range. It works by producing high-speed oscillating motion resulting in a cleaner teeth and healthier gums. The toothbrush is compatible with a broad range of replacement toothbrush heads, including CrossAction, Sensitive Clean, 3D White, Precision Clean, FlossAction, TriZone, Deep Sweep, Ortho, ProWhite, PowerTip and Dual Clean, so you can always use the head that most suits you.

It features a built-in timer to help you brush for a full two minutes and ensures all the four quadrants of your mouth get a thorough clean.

4. Colgate Extra Clean Toothbrush

This is Amazon’s best selling manual toothbrush. The Colgate Extra Clean toothbrush has circular power bristles that can bend back far enough to scrape away plaque on those stubborn teeth at the back. The end-rounded bristles are specially polished to help protect your gums and enamel, keeping them cleaner and healthier.

The toothbrush has a thin, flexible handle that allows you to get a good grip. With this kind of grip, it is easier to get the right angle while brushing your teeth and hit the hard-to-reach spots, including the back teeth hiding food and the spaces between teeth.

The toothbrush is available in both soft and medium varieties so you can pick what you most prefer. Let the word ‘soft’ not mislead you; this variety has perfectly firm bristles for superior cleaning. Also, the toothbrush comes in a broad range of colours to ensure you get not just a good quality, but also a colour that you can resonate with.

5. Oral-B Pro-Health Clinical Pro-Flex Toothbrush

Most Oral-B products are great, and the Pro-Health Clinical Pro-Flex Toothbrush is one of the best from the brand. It features powerful bristles that are designed to be gentle on teeth and gums. You can be sure to get a superior clean with the two flexing sides that adjust to the contours and curves of your teeth.

It’s easy to understand why most dentists worldwide recommend this toothbrush: it removes well over 93 percent of plaque in the spots that are hard to reach when using manual toothbrushes. The toothbrush also removes most of the plaque along your gum line without hurting your sensitive gums, leaving your mouth feeling superior clean and producing fresh breath. You’ll love the fact that this toothbrush not only removes surface stains but also reduces gingivitis.

The Pro-Health Clinical Pro-Flex Toothbrush is available in both soft and medium varieties, both that give equally superior results. They are also available in different colours in each pack, so you can be sure to find what you love. Some reviewers of this bestselling toothbrush compare it to the most premium electric toothbrushes. You may want to save hugely by ditching the costlier powered toothbrushes in favour of this cheaper but equally effective alternative.

Wrap up

Even though we only listed these five dentist-recommended toothbrushes, we’re fully aware that there are still many other great toothbrushes out there. Besides, any toothbrush is worthless if you brush incorrectly.

These five toothbrushes may not be the best for everyone or for every situation, but according to dentists across the world, they are certainly at the top of the list no matter how you try to slice it. Always remember to get the softest toothbrush you can find as most people now over brush, doing permanent damage to the gums and enamel.