It seems everything is going electric — cars, fireplaces, scooters and even your toothbrush! Similar to an electric car’s efficiency on the road, electric toothbrushes help make our oral health routine a little easier. There are many reasons why we love electric toothbrushes that we had to share their benefits and some tips to master your electric brushing technique.
Why Go Electric?
They’re Easy to Use
We love electric toothbrushes because they assist with the physical work that comes with brushing your teeth. By using bristle vibration and rotation technology, electric toothbrushes do the work for you! Having the option to set your toothbrush on “auto-drive” also helps expand access to good oral health. For example, electric toothbrushes may be helpful for individuals with mobility disabilities like carpal tunnel or arthritis who may struggle with manual brushing.
They Provide a Deeper Clean
A study conducted by Cochrane Oral Health Group revealed that one benefit of using an electric toothbrush is they are more effective at cleaning teeth when compared to the manual option. After three months of brushing with an electric toothbrush, participants reduced plaque by 21 percent and gingivitis by 11 percent. In addition, many electric toothbrushes are equipped with built-in timers that can help people brush for the dentist-recommended time of two minutes.
They Can Be Fun for Kids
Brushing with an electric toothbrush helps kids learn a consistent oral health routine. Kids have fun picking various brushing modes, waiting for the timer to reach zero and in some models, connecting their toothbrush with various gaming apps. Regardless of the reason, electric toothbrushes may help make kids more enthusiastic about their daily brushing routine — which is an all-around win!
How to Brush with an Electric Toothbrush
One of the most important things to remember when using an electric toothbrush is that it’s doing a lot of the work for you, so there’s no need to push down or scrub back and forth. Whether it’s your first time using an electric toothbrush or you need a refresher, we recommend following these five steps:
- Properly floss your teeth
- Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle
- Place the brush over each tooth for three to five seconds, starting in the front and slowly moving to the back
- Gently run the brush over your gums. If your brush has a ‘gentle’ or ‘gum’ setting, be sure to switch to it
- Replace the brush head every three to four months
If you notice tooth sensitivity, swelling or bleeding, ask your dentist if you may be brushing too hard, or if you may have underlying symptoms of gum disease.
Does This Mean Manual Toothbrushes are Bad?
Electric toothbrushes have many benefits, but that doesn’t mean you should throw away your manual toothbrush. If you’re able to achieve good oral health with your manual toothbrush, then keep doing what you’re doing! All brushes, including manual, can be effective at removing plaque if used correctly and for the appropriate length of time. As ADA dentist Dr. Richard Price says, “It’s not the brush. It’s the brusher.”