The 6 best toothbrushes for healthy teeth, according to dentists

How I tested

Testing toothbrushes resulted in a seriously minty fresh mouth. These were the features I was looking for in a toothbrush based on our experts’ advice and after trying six toothbrushes.

Gentle on teeth: All our experts highlighted rough brushing as a concern for gum health down the road, which can cause issues like gum recession and tooth abrasion. Soft toothbrushes are ideal, especially if you also have sensitive teeth. I analyzed the feel of the bristles and how easy it was to mindlessly start brushing roughly. I found that some were more like a baby’s hairbrush and others were more like straw.

Handle comfort: You don’t realize how much room a toothbrush’s handle takes up in your  mouth until you use a poorly-designed option. The material and shape of the handle matters. I found some materials (wood, metal) that had a bothersome taste. Plastic seemed to be the most inoffensive handle material, with a bit of a curve near the brush itself to reach the back teeth more easily.

Price: If you’re opting for a manual toothbrush over electric, you probably aren’t looking to spend too much money. And considering dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush head every 3 months, the costs are much lower for a manual. 

Extra features: Some manual toothbrushes came with storage systems, replaceable heads, and tongue-cleaning features. I considered how these might help the cleaning and storage process for manual toothbrushes — or whether they were just a little overboard.

Best manual toothbrush overall

Tom’s of Maine Soft Toothbrush has a small brush head, soft bristles, and uniquely curved handle that lets you better access every tooth, all at an affordable price.

Pros: Simple design, sleek, curved top makes for easier access to all teeth, slender handle is comfortable, soft bristles, budget-friendly

Cons: No grippers or other features to help prevent slide if toothbrush is wet, soft bristles may break down more quickly over time

Tom’s of Maine toothbrush is simple, sleek, and has all the features dentists recommend with one particular stand-out attribute: a perfectly-curved handle that allows you to reach each tooth more easily. 

During testing, I found having less total material in my mouth while I was trying to maneuver the toothbrush onto my back teeth was surprisingly helpful, and vastly different from bulkier options with cool features like thumb grips.  I don’t plan on ever using a “straight” toothbrush again after seeing the capabilities of the arked handle.

Tom’s of Maine toothbrush also comes in simple colors and is available for only a few dollars.

Moreover, this toothbrush has extremely soft bristles, which all our dentists say is important to avoid gum damage. The bristles are also arranged in a slender, rather than wide, shape, making it easy to reach tight gaps between teeth and the very back of the mouth.

Lastly, this brush has a smaller head, which Dr. Rozenberg vehemently supports as a larger head leads to less precise brushing, while the smaller sizes encourage people to adjust the bristles to reach individual teeth and carefully brush at the gumline.

Best toothbrush for kids

Nimby Kids Toothbrush has a fatter, easy-to-hold handle; soft, long bristles ideal for gum health; and comes in a four pack for easy replacement.

Pros: Kid-sized handle, comfortable hand grip, soft bristles, pretty colors

Cons: No special features (e.g., characters, accessories) that might attract a younger kid’s attention

You might be wondering why your kid would want this plain, pastel-colored toothbrush when you can buy a million different alternatives featuring their favorite character from Sesame Street or Cocomelon. Well, this simple, well-made, and gentle toothbrush has all the features our dentists recommend for preserving your kids’ gum health from an early age. 

The bristles are extremely soft, even for kids who are rushing or have a rough hand. Phil Devore, DDS, at Image Dental in Las Vegas told Insider this helps improve gingival health long term. It has two levels of bristles, which is ideal since Dr. Devore adds long bristles can also help sweep under the gumline.

Additionally, the Nimby Kids Toothbrush has a slightly fatter grip than other kid’s toothbrushes (like a wider Crayola vs. the thin ones), making it easier to hold and maneuver with little hands.

The four-pack of assorted colors is not only budget-friendly, especially if someone loses one, but allows siblings to pick (err fight?) over the best color.

Best toothbrush for an extra-thorough clean

The Colgate 360 offers a more aggressive cleaning with varying bristles, a tongue scrubber, and grips on the handle so you can clean and polish every corner of your mouth.

Pros: Slatted tongue cleaner on the back, leaves you with the most clean feeling, multi-level bristles, helps polish teeth for whitening

Cons: Bulkier design, bristles are more aggressive and not as soft, only a slight curve to handle shape

A good, basic toothbrush helps reduce plaque build-up, cavities, and gum disease. But your toothbrush can work overtime if you want, doing things like cleaning out all the bad breath-causing bacteria and buffing stains off your teeth.

Dr. Rozenberg highly recommends the Colgate 360 for a deeper, more effective clean, largely thanks to its varying lengths and design of the bristles, which helps to both clean and polish the teeth for a whiter shine.

Additionally, the Colgate 360 focuses on removing bacteria from the entirety of your mouth, not just your teeth. It has a scrubby section on the back of the toothbrush that cleans the inside of your cheeks as you brush your teeth and can also be used on your tongue to nix bad breath.

This is the comfort recliner chair of the toothbrush world, with padding and grippers everywhere, making for an easy to hold product. When I tested this, I felt the company had paid attention to these extra features. However, it was also a bulkier experience than others, which may be a struggle for smaller mouths or hard to reach places.

Best luxe toothbrush

Oral B Clic is less wasteful with replaceable heads, and has a sleek design that includes a magnetic wall-mounting system for a cleaner countertop.

Pros: Sleek design, magnetic wall-mount storage system, deep clean

Cons: Metallic pen-like handle uncomfortable while brushing

Our dental experts are fans of Oral B as a brand, and the Oral B Clic is particularly unique. For starters, it features a metallic handle and a replaceable head that clicks into the base like with an electric toothbrush, making for less waste and a more luxe look. 

What’s more, the toothbrush comes with a round, magnetic wall mount to keep your toothbrush off the counter when not in use. The mount is easy to peel and stick and makes for a much cleaner-looking bathroom. I found the mount super convenient — I was able to keep better track of my toothbrush (always a struggle in a house full of kids, it seems) and I felt it was a better, more sanitary drying process. 

Dr. Rozenberg is a big fan of Oral B’s “crisscross” bristles, as they are angled to better remove plaque in the gaps between teeth compared to straight bristles. 

The overall cost is comparable to other manual toothbrushes, with a single replacement head running you $5 every three months — but it ends with less waste as you’re not tossing out the base.

The only downside I found during testing this fancy toothbrush was that it can feel like you have a pen in your mouth, thanks to the metal handle which clanks against your other teeth if you aren’t careful. The handle is also very straight, rather than angled to reach those more difficult spots. 

Best bamboo toothbrush

The Bite Bamboo Toothbrush is 100% plant-based, compostable, and has an interchangeable head.

Pros: Eco-friendly, completely compostable, removable head for travel, strong bristles for a clean feeling

Cons: Easy to overbrush with the stronger bristles, woody taste

If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly toothbrush, Bite’s Bamboo Toothbrush takes our top spot. 

Made from the sustainable material of Moso Bamboo, this toothbrush is 100% plant-based. It has a detachable head, which makes it easy to pack or travel with. But Bite doesn’t actually sell replacement heads (the manufacturing process is too wasteful) so you’ll replace the whole toothbrush when the bristles have become worn down. 

However, the entire bamboo brush is compostable — even at home — which is really cool and more sustainable than most options with a replaceable head.

The bristles are soft, as dentists recommend, and made from castor beans. Overall, this bamboo toothbrush is surprisingly affordable, with a two-pack running just $12.

All of this Earth-friendliness comes at a small cost: It does feel like there is a piece of wood in your mouth… because, well, there is. So, if the taste of toothpicks bothers you, you won’t like this toothbrush. 

Also, even though bamboo is naturally antimicrobial, it’s important to let the toothbrush dry completely with proper airflow so it doesn’t get moldy — so storage in a drawer isn’t an option.

But if you’re looking for a truly eco-friendly toothbrush that also helps remove plaque and care for your gums, the Bite Bamboo Toothbrush is worth every penny.

Best toothbrush for sensitive gums

Nimbus Regular Microfine Xtra Soft is so soft it feels like brushing with a cloud, making it ideal for cleaning sensitive gums and teeth.

Pros: Comfortable hand grip, uber soft bristles, pretty colors

Cons: Ultra-soft bristles break down quicker

The Nimbus Regular Microfine Xtra Soft is one of the softest toothbrushes available, which makes it especially perfect for sensitive gums and teeth. It basically feels like brushing with a cloud. All of our experts are fans of an uber-soft bristle as it minimizes the ability to brush really aggressively, which means you aren’t damaging your oral health in the long run.

Dr. Field adds the Nimbus brush specifically is his top choice because of its “unique design that gets into the tooth crevices well.”

It’s a full-size version of the kid’s Nimby we liked so much and, in addition to soft bristles, has the same key stand-out feature: a comfortable, grippy handle making it easy to grasp and use. It is also one of the most wallet-friendly, at around $2 per brush.

I’m curious to see how this will hold up over time. During medical review, Dr. Ritter pointed out that ultra soft bristles break loose their structural integrity quicker, so they need to be replaced every two months versus the more common three.

What to look for in a manual toothbrush

It can be eye-opening to realize how many features a simple manual toothbrush really has. You can always ask your personal dentist which type is best for your specific mouth, but in general, our experts say the most important features are: 

• Varying heights on the bristles, which helps to sweep under the gumline.
• A comfortable grip, since this helps you leverage into the back corners of your mouth.
• A sleek handle design that won’t feel bulky in your mouth, for comfort. 
• A curved handle, between where your hand goes and the head of the toothbrush, which is better angled to reach the back teeth.
• Gentle and soft bristles, which all our experts recommend as they’re gentler on your gum line. This prevents you from damaging your gums or causing a recession through brushing too aggressively.

FAQs

What are the benefits of a manual toothbrush?

A manual toothbrush helps reduce plaque build-up and minimize the changes of future problems like cavities and gum disease. That’s because the bristles are often long or of varying length so they can clean below your gum line, and the bristles are ideally soft enough to not cause gum recession.

Manual toothbrushes also have the added benefit of being very lightweight and no-fuss, which is great if you travel a lot. And they’re a lot cheaper than an electric option.

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How often should you replace a manual toothbrush?

You should replace your toothbrush every three to four months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This helps keep the brush bristles stiff and working to remove plaque effectively, and to prevent bacteria from growing on the brush. However, if the bristles are ultra soft like the Nimbus Regular Microfine Xtra Soft, they lose their structural integrity faster and need to be replaced every two months, Dr. Ritter told us during medical review.

In an effort for sustainability, we highly recommend saving old toothbrushes to use to clean small stains or muddy shoes.

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Manual vs electric toothbrush: Which is better?

While there is some research that says electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque from your back teeth, all the dentists we interviewed for this piece, as well as those we interviewed for our electric toothbrush guide, say manual toothbrushes are just as good at cleaning your teeth and preventing gum disease as electric.

It largely comes down to personal preference and habits: If you have a hard time brushing for the full suggested two minutes, or you have limited dexterity or mobility issues, an electric toothbrush can help. That being said, if you tend to brush too hard, you should definitely opt for a manual. Brushing aggressively on top of the power of an electric toothbrush can damage your gums and teeth.

Meanwhile, manual toothbrushes are more ideal if you tend to brush really hard, have sensitive teeth, or you want to feel “like you are scrubbing your teeth and cleaning thoroughly,” according to Michaela Tozzi, DMD, cosmetic dentist in Henderson, NV. They’re also more ideal if you travel a lot and want to keep your toiletry bag light.

Expert sources

Our experts include practicing dentists from around the country, including:

• Dr. Phil Devore, DDS, restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentist at Image Dental in Las Vegas
• Dr. Lana Rozenberg, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City
• Dr. Michaela Tozzi, DMD, cosmetic dentist in Henderson, CA
• Dr. Brian Luong, DMD, MBA, MS, a dentist in Santa Ana, CA
• Dr. Joseph Field, DDS, DABOI, FAAID, FICOI, FAGD, a dentist in Los Altos, CA

Check out our other oral care guides

• The best electric toothbrushes
• The best toothpaste
• The best whitening toothpaste
• The best teeth whitening kits
• The best mouthwash
• The best flossing alternatives, according to dentists