Editing Toothbrush (section)

==Tooth brushing==
{{main|Tooth brushing}}

===Hygiene and care===
It is not recommended to share toothbrushes with others, since besides general hygienic concerns, there is a risk of transmitting diseases that are typically transmittable by blood, such as [[Hepatitis C]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Lock | first1 = G. | last2 = Dirscherl | first2 = M. | last3 = Obermeier | first3 = F. | last4 = Gelbmann | first4 = C. M. | last5 = Hellerbrand | first5 = C. | last6 = Knöll | first6 = A. | last7 = Schölmerich | first7 = J. | last8 = Jilg | first8 = W. | year = 2006 | title = Hepatitis C&nbsp;– contamination of toothbrushes: myth or reality? | journal = Journal of Viral Hepatitis | volume = 13 | issue = 9| pages = 571–573 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00735.x | pmid=16907842| s2cid = 24264376 }}</ref>

It is advisable to rinse the toothbrush with water, shake it off and let dry after use.

Studies have shown that brushing to remove [[dental plaque]] more often than every 48 hours is enough to maintain gum and tooth health. Tooth brushing can remove plaque up to one millimeter below the gum line. Each person has a habitual brushing method, so more frequent brushing does not cover additional parts of the teeth or mouth.<ref name="clay">{{cite journal | vauthors = Claydon NC | title = Current concepts in toothbrushing and interdental cleaning | journal = Periodontology 2000 | volume = 48 | pages = 10–22 | date = 2008 | pmid = 18715352 | doi = 10.1111/j.1600-0757.2008.00273.x | url = http://red.unal.edu.co/cursos/odontologia/2016549/pdf/Claydon2008Cepilladoylimpiezainterdental.pdf }}</ref>
Most dentists recommended patients brush twice a day in the hope that frequent brushing would clean more areas of the mouth.<ref name=Attin>{{cite journal | vauthors = Attin T, Hornecker E | title = Tooth brushing and oral health: how frequently and when should tooth brushing be performed? | journal = Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry | volume = 3 | issue = 3 | pages = 135–40 | date = 2005 | pmid = 16355646 }}</ref>
Tooth brushing is the most common [[preventive healthcare]] activity, but tooth and gum disease remain high, since lay people clean at most 40% of their tooth margins at the gum line. Videos show that even when asked to brush their best, they do not know how to clean effectively.<ref name="best">{{cite journal | vauthors = Deinzer R, Ebel S, Blättermann H, Weik U, Margraf-Stiksrud J | title = Toothbrushing: to the best of one's abilities is possibly not good enough | journal = BMC Oral Health | volume = 18 | issue = 1 | pages = 167 | date = October 2018 | pmid = 30340623 | pmc = 6194646 | doi = 10.1186/s12903-018-0633-0 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

===Adversity of toothbrushes===
Teeth can be damaged by several factors including poor oral hygiene, but also by wrong oral hygiene. Especially for sensitive teeth, damage to dentin and gums can be prevented by several measures<ref name="PreventiveMeasures">{{cite journal|last=Magalhães|first=AC|author2=Wiegand, A |author3=Rios, D |author4=Honório, HM |author5= Buzalaf, MA |title=Insights into preventive measures for dental erosion.|journal=Journal of Applied Oral Science |date=Mar–Apr 2009|volume=17|issue=2|pages=75–86|doi=10.1590/S1678-77572009000200002|issn=1678-7757|pmid=19274390 |pmc=4327581}}{{open access}}</ref> including a correct brushing technique.

It is beneficial when using a straight bristled brush: not to scrub horizontally over the necks of teeth; not to press the brush too hard against the teeth, to choose a toothpaste that is not too abrasive;<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Lussic | first1 = A. | last2 = Jaeggi | first2 = T. | year = 2008 | title = Erosion—diagnosis and risk factors | journal = Clin Oral Investig | volume = 12 | issue = Suppl 1| pages = 5–13 | doi = 10.1007/s00784-007-0179-z |pmc=2238777 | pmid=18228059}} {{open access}}</ref> and to wait at least 30 minutes after consumption of acidic food or drinks before brushing.<ref name="PreventiveMeasures" /><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Cheng | first1 = R | last2 = Yang | first2 = H | last3 = Shao | first3 = M | last4 = Hu | first4 = T | last5 = Zhou | first5 = X | year = 2009 | title = Dental erosion and severe tooth decay related to soft drinks: a case report and literature review | journal = Journal of Zhejiang University Science B| volume = 10 | issue = 5| pages = 395–399 | doi = 10.1631/jzus.B0820245 | pmid=19434767 | pmc = 2676420 }} {{open access}} "It is concluded that keeping tooth unbrushed for at least 30 min after an erosive attack is necessary for protecting dentin"</ref>
Harder toothbrushes reduce plaque more efficiently but are more stressful to teeth and gum; using a medium to soft brush for a longer cleaning time was rated to be the best compromise between cleaning result and gum and tooth health.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Zimmer | first1 = S | last2 = Öztürk | first2 = M | last3 = Barthel | first3 = CR | last4 = Bizhang | first4 = M | last5 = Jordan | first5 = RA | date = Feb 2011 | title = Cleaning efficacy and soft tissue trauma after use of manual toothbrushes with different bristle stiffness | journal = J Periodontol | volume = 82 | issue = 2| pages = 267–71 | doi = 10.1902/jop.2010.100328 | pmid = 20722532 }} {{open access}}</ref>

A study by [[University College London]] found that advice on brushing technique and frequency given by 10 national dental associations, toothpaste and toothbrush companies, and in dental textbooks was inconsistent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-08-teeth-dentists-dental-associations-dont.html |title=What's the best way to brush teeth? Even dentists and dental associations don't agree |newspaper=Medical Xpress |date=7 August 2014 |access-date=8 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809061606/http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-08-teeth-dentists-dental-associations-dont.html |archive-date=9 August 2014 }}</ref>