You are misinformed.
Medium and hard brushes do not remove more plaque, they remove LESS plaque.
The sulcus, or crevice between the tooth and gum is a prime "hiding" spot for plaque. In order to remove it efficiently, it is necessary for the bristles to get into this area. (I'm talking about the facial and lingual sides of the teeth here – floss is for the interproximal area).
Medium and hard bristles do not readily adapt to this critical area. Soft bristles, being much more pliable, are better able to get down into the crevice and sweep the plaque out. Medium and hard bristles skirt over the sulcus, and thus you are leaving more plaque behind.
You are correct that the harder brushes are more abrasive. In time, they will cause recession of the gums and can also cause severe toothbrush abrasion, eventually wearing "notches" into the teeth at the gum line. This is especially noted in the canine and bicuspid area, because of their prominence in the dental arch.
Better to stick to a soft brush – it works better in every respect.
***Hope this helps!
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You're wrong…soft brushes remove MORE plaque because they have better access than medium or hard brushes. It's not the stiffness of the brush that affects cleaning but how flexible the tips of the brush are. All teeth have a height of contour near the gumline on the facial surface and if the brush is not soft, the tips of the brush (what actually does the cleaning) cannot reach the tooth surface because of the depression created by the tooth's high point on one side and the gums on the other.
Only if you decrease the amount of time spent. 2 minutes with a soft toothbrush is sufficient to remove all plaque.
Honestly I have no idea why they make medium and hard toothbrushes. Nobody needs them.
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