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Should I Be Using an Electric Toothbrush?
Cherrywood Dental • Dec 09, 2018
From a young age, you have been taught the importance of properly brushing your teeth. Despite your best efforts, though, you may not be brushing as well as you would like to. Electric and manual toothbrushes each have their own benefits. However, bristles on manual toothbrushes cannot reach to remove all of the plaque and tartar buildup that resides between your teeth.
Do you use an electric toothbrush? If not, what are you waiting for?
Benefits of An Electric Toothbrush
Electric toothbrush bristles vibrate or rotate to help you remove plaque buildup from your teeth and gums. The vibration allows for more micro-movements each time you move your toothbrush across your teeth. An electric toothbrush will enable you to reach further thanks to the combination of motion and equal pressure from the brush itself.
Equal pressure is vital – far too many manual brushers do a good job on one side of their mouth, while the other side suffers. A right-handed person often brushes the left side of their mouth more thoroughly with a manual toothbrush and vice versa.
Superior Plaque Removal
A review of studies showed that, in general, electric toothbrushes do decrease more plaque and gingivitis than manual toothbrushes. After three months of continuous use, plaque was reduced by 21 percent and gingivitis by 11 percent. Oscillating (rotating) toothbrushes also seem to work better than just vibrating toothbrushes.
Ease of Use
Regular manual toothbrushes require you to move them back and forth along your teeth, whereas electric toothbrushes do most of the work for you. That means you need only to guide it along the surfaces of your teeth, making them easier to use for people with limited mobility. Many people find this method of brushing easier. Likewise, they may be helpful for anyone with mobility limits including those suffering from:
- Carpal tunnel
- Arthritis
- Developmental disabilities
Technology Features
Generally rich in technology and advanced features, some electric toothbrushes can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. Most come with convenient features like a brush head or toothbrush holder, bathroom counter storage units and travel chargers.
Some high-tech features may include:
- Numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth
- Whitening benefits
- Gum-massaging action
- Pressure sensors to signal when you are brushing too hard
- Timers to help you track of how long you are brushing each quadrant of your mouth
- Digital reminders to replace your brush head
- Oscillating or rotating sonic technology
- Multiple brush head compatibility so you can choose which type of bristle design you prefer
Fun For Kids
It can be challenging to get your kids excited about brushing their teeth. For those children who are less-than-interested in their dental hygiene, an electric toothbrush may be the answer you have been in search of. If an electric toothbrush is more engaging to your child, it can help accomplish good oral cleaning and establish healthy habits for children. The more you are able to instill healthy brushing habits at a young age, the more those habits will benefit your child as they mature.
Ideal For Orthodontic Patients
Electric toothbrushes are known to be particularly helpful for patients going through orthodontic treatment. Appliances such as braces make brushing difficult, so an electric toothbrush allows a more thorough clean of those hard-to-reach places. If you or your child find it difficult to clean their mouth while having orthodontics, an electric toothbrush may be able to improve their oral health during treatment.
Are you interested in switching to an electric toothbrush, but are overwhelmed at the options? Cherrywood Dental Associates is here to help! Ask us for a personalized recommendation at your next checkup to ensure you find the best toothbrush for your teeth.