A clean, white, and healthy smile can be considered a status symbol: a sign of someone who has excellent habits, an excellent dentist, or both. But what about the tool that gets you there? Would you invest in a luxury toothbrush?
In case you’re tempted, we’ve scoured the web for the most exceptional non-electric toothbrushes that you can buy for $12 or a lot more!
Eco-Friendly Toothbrushes – $12
If you replace your toothbrush as often as your dentist recommends, you should be going through at least four toothbrushes a year. Some people saw the environmental impact of this and decided to make a change. The Boie toothbrush uses a BPA-free reusable handle with replaceable rubber bristle heads. They claim the brush lasts twice as long as a standard toothbrush and it’s recyclable, which cuts down on waste and environmental impact.
Chrome Toothbrushes – $15
Chrome isn’t just for your car anymore! If you’re looking for a more glamorous oral hygiene experience, the German home accessories company Decor Walther makes a chrome-plated toothbrush. This brush is actually a regular plastic brush with a metallic finish and doesn’t seem to have any health-related claims to fame. But if a blingy brush makes you brush more often, we’re all for it!
All-Natural Toothbrushes – $25-$45
The earliest toothbrushes were made from bone and animal bristles as far back as the 1700s, and some manufacturers are trying to bring naturally sourced materials back to dental hygiene. French company Buly makes toothbrushes with silk or badger bristles embedding in tortoiseshell-look acetate handles. Italian company Koh-i-Noor also makes badger bristle toothbrushes, but we’re not sure we can approve of their “very hard” boar bristle toothbrushes. Always opt for soft bristles to protect your enamel, whether natural or nylon!
Designer Toothbrushes – $390-$6,500
If you’re looking to make a fashion statement while banishing tooth decay it won’t come cheap. Lifestyle designer Charles Darius offers toothbrushes in silver, black rhodium, gold plate, and 18kt solid gold. These brushes start at $390, but thankfully that’s just for the handle. To trim down waste (and cost!), the toothbrushes use disposable heads crafted from sustainable bamboo.
Note: We’re not endorsing any of the toothbrushes mentioned in this post, as not all of them have been tested by the ADA. We just wanted to share some interesting and surprising products with our patients.
No matter how much you spend on your toothbrush, the best toothbrush according to any dentist, is the one you use properly and frequently. A $4 toothbrush can be just as good as a $4,000 one, as long as you brush for a full 2 minutes twice a day. Brushing with good technique and attention to detail is the key to preventing tooth decay and gum disease and keeping your teeth white. Used correctly, any toothbrush is worth its weight in gold!