Hey Gleamers, we want to let you in on a potentially life changing secret.

Did you know that plaque is soft, and it can be removed with a soft bristled toothbrush in gentle circular motions? That makes brushing harder kinda pointless! If anything, over-aggressive brushing and its stiff toothbrush sidekick can cause unwanted ruckus in your mouth - like gum recession, teeth sensitivity, and abrasion. No thanks, Popeye!

When plaque hardens and becomes tartar, you’ll need a professional to remove it anyway. Getting a preventative dental cleaning at The Gleamery is one of the surest ways to rid yourself of this hard-to-handle burden. But at home, using a soft bristled toothbrush is universally better for everyone and causes less harm.

Here are introductions to the softest, friendliest manual toothbrushes to know.

 Nimbus Microfine Toothbrush

Nimbus® Regular Microfine Xtra Soft ($12)

Soft like a cloud is what they’re trying to say. The Nimbus toothbrush is designed by a periodontist and is a favorite amongst dental hygienists for good reason. The bristles are so thin, they’re not even called bristles. They’re called Microfine filaments and are great at getting underneath the gums. While the Nimbus® Regular is our favorite, they come in two other sizes and five different pastel-y colors. We stan!

 Keeko Charcoal Toothbrush

Keeko One Good Brush ($7)

Give it up to Keeko for making something good for you and the environment, ultra cute. The silky tapered bristles are made from detoxifying charcoal and patterned like an optical illusion. Hypnotizing! We can’t not mention that One Good Brush has a biodegradable handle that’s made from Non-GMO corn. Just snap off the top to recycle (minimal arm strength required) and compost the handle. We call this brains and beauty.

 Curaprox 5460 Toothbrush

Curaprox 5460 ($15 for a 3-pack)

The cheerful Swiss Curaprox toothbrush calls its super soft bristles CUREN® filaments and there’s 5,460 of them packed into every brush. This is big math considering standard brushes have roughly 500-1,000 bristles. That seems like enough for a hairbrush, but real estate is tight therefore each filament is just 0.1mm in diameter. The octagon brush shape makes it a geometry whiz, and easier to be half on your gums and half on your teeth for dual cleaning action.

 Radius Source Toothbrush

Source™ Brush by Radius ($10)

From the folks that gave us that really grippy big brush - the Source™ has a smaller head, longer neck (for better reach), and curved dye-free bristles that give your gums a nice stimulating massage. The wider brush gets in and cleans with less effort. The out-there handle— although quite the looker, serves tons of function too. First, it’s designed to help reduce unwanted pressure on your teeth and gums for a softer brush. It’s also made from upcycled materials (supposedly even from recycled dollar bills) and the brush heads are replaceable (2 for $8) which cuts down on plastic and waste materials by 93%. This is one of the most intriguing brushes we’ve come across!


Golden rule: Brush twice and be nice!