A new scoping review published in PLOS Global Public Health suggests that silicone toothbrushes may be more than a fad -- they could offer a promising alternative to conventional plastic and nylon brushes, particularly for underserved populations and environmentally conscious consumers.
The results suggest that silicone toothbrushes are effective at removing plaque, reducing the risk of gingival trauma, and they score better on environmental impact assessments.
“These attributes may make silicone toothbrushes particularly well-suited for underserved populations, individuals with specific oral health needs, and environmentally conscious consumers. This demonstrates that silicone toothbrushes remain under-researched and underutilized,” wrote the study’s co-authors, Aoife Cummins, a doctoral candidate at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and Alexa Bennett, MS, a doctoral candidate at Waterloo University in Ontario (PLOS Glob Public Health, April 22, 2026, Vol. 6:4, e0005202).
The review analyzed 10 peer-reviewed studies examining silicone toothbrushes across four dimensions: plaque removal, gingival health, population-specific suitability, and environmental sustainability.
Plaque removal holds up, mostly
Of the included studies, two found that silicone toothbrushes performed comparably to conventional brushes at removing plaque. Among post-secondary students and children, outcomes were roughly equivalent to plastic and nylon alternatives. One study found that silicone finger brushes outperformed bare-finger cleaning among adults in India who routinely use their fingers for oral hygiene, which the authors describe as "context-specific effectiveness."
The exception was U-shaped automatic electric silicone toothbrushes, which underperformed compared to conventional brushing, likely due to short bristle length rather than the silicone material itself.
A summary of the study's findings.Image courtesy of Cummins, Bennett, et al. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Gentler on gums
Across multiple studies, silicone's soft, flexible bristles were associated with reduced gingival trauma and tooth abrasion, an advantage for patients with sensitive oral tissues, older adults, children, and those with reduced dexterity. One animal study found that sonic toothbrushes with warmed silicone rubber bristles even stimulated gingival cell proliferation, hinting at possible regenerative benefits.
A sustainability edge
On the environmental side, a life cycle assessment found that toothbrushes with silicone bristles outperformed nylon-bristle counterparts across all 18 environmental impact categories analyzed. The authors note that silicone's durability, reusability, and recyclability position it as a more sustainable long-term option, similar to the environmental advantages documented with silicone menstrual cups.
Who could benefit the most?
The review points to several populations where silicone toothbrushes may offer practical utility, including children, older adults, people with limited mobility or sensory sensitivities, and communities with limited access to clean water. (One study found no significant difference in plaque removal between wet and dry brushing.) The authors also highlight silicone's antimicrobial properties as a potential advantage for highly mobile populations or those living in poor sanitary conditions.
Still early
The review's authors acknowledged that the study was limited by the existing evidence. Only 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, none assessed user acceptance or cultural perception, and few examined the real-world practicality of silicone toothbrushes in low- and middle-income countries, where the need for affordable, durable oral hygiene tools is the greatest.
The authors call for targeted investment in clinical trials, design research, and implementation studies across diverse settings, arguing that silicone toothbrushes represent a promising but underused tool to achieve more equitable and sustainable global oral health.
“As oral health gains greater recognition within the global health agenda, innovations like silicone toothbrushes offer a pathway to more equitable, sustainable, and user-centered approaches to hygiene and disease prevention,” Cummins, Bennett, and colleagues wrote.
