What is the perpose of a toothbrush?

Answer 1

A toothbrush is designed to remove food material from teeth. The problem with food material on teeth is that bacteria start to live in the food and digest(eat it) it.

As the bacteria digest the food, they produce chemicals that attack teeth. Eventually, holes appear in the hard enamel on the outside of the tooth. The soft inside of the tooth (the dentin) can then be infected by other bacteria.

If you don't get a filling in any holes that appear, you might get a serious infection in the root of the tooth that leads to an absess. An absess is very painfull and needs treating with antibiotics, followed by root canal treatment. Sometimes, you might even lose the tooth.

It is important to brush regularly so that a mixture of food residue and bacteria called plaque, does not build up on your teeth. Flossing is also important because toothbrushes cannot reach every part of the teeth- like below the gum line and between close fitting teeth.

The types of tooth brush used most often are ordinary manual toothbrushes, electric tooth brushes and sonic electric toothbrushes. Sonic electric toothbrushes are very valuable because you don't need to floss- they reach every part of the teeth and clean thoroughly.