Which Toothbrush Should I Buy?

What is the difference between medium and soft toothbrushes for plaque removal and soft-tissue abrasion? A study at Franciscan University in Santa Maria, Brazil was conducted to study just this.  Students were randomly assigned to brush two contra-lateral quadrants with the medium toothbrush and the other two quadrants with the soft toothbrush, so that both types of toothbrushes could be used on each side.  Each quadrant was brushed for 30 seconds. They found there was no significant difference in the removal of plaque between the toothbrushes; however, the medium toothbrush caused more cerivcal abrasion than the soft toothbrush. In addition, even more abrasion resulted from using the medium toothbrush with toothpaste. Therefore, it is best to use a soft toothbrush with minimally abrasive toothpaste.