“Is an electric toothbrush THAT much better than a manual toothbrush?” My patients ask me this question all the time, which is why I want to take a minute to share my professional opinion on the subject.
Do I recommend an electric toothbrush to most of my patients? Absolutely.
Are you going to get significantly more cavities if you use a manual toothbrush? Probably not.
Do you need to buy the most expensive electric toothbrush to get the best result? Def not.
Most people will benefit from using an electric toothbrush because it makes oral hygiene that much easier and effective. However, I have many patients who have excellent oral hygiene that still use a manual toothbrush. It all depends on how good you are at brushing!
I recommend an electric toothbrush to my patients because it makes oral hygiene FOOL PROOF. Here are a few pros that make an electric toothbrush superior to a manual toothbrush.
- The brush heads spin in an oscillating motion at an RPM 300x faster than when you manually move your hand. Thus, it removes plaque and build up more efficiently and effectively.
- They have a sensor that let you know if you’re pushing too hard on your teeth and gums. Aggressive brushing can cause gum abrasion, which cause thinning of the gums, which then cause teeth sensitivity because of the root exposure around the area.
- They have built-in timers that make sure you brush the whole 2 minutes! Most people brush their teeth for only 45 seconds because they lose track of time. This built-in timer holds you accountable to brush the entire 2 minutes.
- It’s helpful for people who have limited mobility (i.e., Arthritis, Parkinson’s, Carpal Tunnel) because it does the work for them!
- Some electric toothbrushes even tell you where you missed a spot! Bluetooth technology allows you to connect your electric toothbrush to your mobile device, and it will tell you exactly where you spent too little time brushing.
Lastly, you don’t have to spend $200+ on a fancy electric toothbrush. Amazon has many affordable electric toothbrushes that work just as well!
For more questions about oral hygiene care, please visit my practice site at www.bmedental.com!