Brushing your teeth is an essential part of good preventative dental care in Newcastle. Tooth brushing removes oral plaque and food debris that can otherwise cause decay and disease, and this task can be accomplished using a manual or electric toothbrush.

Benefits of Using an Electric Toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes have the bristles that rotate or vibrate, helping to remove plaque buildup from teeth and gums.

Removing Plaque Effectively

Because the bristles move, they create more micro-movements every time the toothbrush is moved across your teeth. Some studies have shown that generally, electric toothbrushes can decrease plaque buildup and gingivitis more compared with manual toothbrushes. Overall, oscillating or rotating toothbrushes seemed to work better than toothbrushes that vibrate.

Easy to Use

An electric toothbrush does most of the work for you, and they can be useful for anyone with arthritis or with other problems that limit their mobility. All you need do is hold the toothbrush to your teeth, and they have nice broad handles that are easy to manipulate.

Built-In Timers

Electric toothbrushes have built-in timers, so you know when you have brushed your teeth for the full two minutes. Some have other programs to massage gums or which claim to help whiten teeth slightly.

Other benefits of using an electric toothbrush include improving your focus while brushing. One study discovered that people tend to be more focused when using an electric toothbrush to clean their teeth. Another study found that electric toothbrushes could be useful for people wearing braces because it was easier to brush teeth thoroughly. That said, people with oral appliances and with good oral health didn’t see any significant improvement, whether they used an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush. If you have kids, an electric toothbrush can be more fun to use, helping children to establish good oral hygiene routines. Also, electric toothbrushes are safe to use and some even have built-in sensors to prevent you from brushing teeth too hard.

However, a decent electric toothbrush can be a considerable investment. New electric toothbrush heads tend to be more expensive than manual toothbrushes, and especially as they often come in packs of multiple heads.

Benefits of Using a Manual Toothbrush

A manual toothbrush may lack the bells and whistles of a fancy electric brush, but many people find it an effective tool for cleaning their teeth properly and preventing gum disease. The main advantage of using a manual toothbrush is its accessibility, as you can pick up a new toothbrush at almost any store. Also, they don’t need charging, so you can use a manual toothbrush anywhere and at any time. Manual toothbrushes are cheap to purchase too. However, using a manual brush makes it tricky to know if you are brushing for long enough. There’s also a possibility that you could scrub your teeth and gums too hard.

If you prefer a manual toothbrush, you can easily get around this problem by making sure you choose a soft-bristled brush and use small circular motions to clean your teeth gently. Use the timer on your phone to ensure you brush your teeth for the full two minutes or purchase a small timer to keep in the bathroom.

Which to Choose?

If you are happy using a manual toothbrush and have good oral health, there may be no reason to change. However, if you like the feel of using an electric toothbrush and think it helps you to clean your teeth more effectively, it’s a worthwhile purchase. The main thing is to ensure you use the proper tooth brushing techniques, and that is where our Clarington dentist can help you. Next time you have a dental checkup at West Bowmanville Family Dental, ask us to review your toothbrushing techniques.