2025 Volume 46 Issue 2 Pages 91-97
It is important to select appropriate toothbrushes for efficient brushing for person with special needs. However, there is no objective functional index for toothbrush selection.
In this study, we investigated the effects of bristle stiffness on cleaning efficiency and critical stroke using a flat model among four kinds of wide flocking toothbrush：bristle stiffness was “hard,” “regular,” “soft,” or “extra soft.”
Cleaning efficiency increased in the order of bristle hardness, with significant differences among toothbrushes （p＜0.05）.
Critical strokes were shorter in the order of bristle hardness. Significant differences were found between “hard” and other toothbrushes and between “regular” and “extra soft” toothbrushes （p＜0.05）. It is suggested that hard toothbrushes are more efficient in cleaning, while soft toothbrushes require longer brushing strokes.
Person with special needs often cannot continue to move their toothbrushes widely, suggesting that bristle stiffness should be considered when selecting a toothbrush.
