With so many different options on the market, you might be looking for reasons to use an electric toothbrush. Like most people, you probably grew up using a manual toothbrush and it’s worked out fine. If something works, why fix it, right? What does it matter what type of toothbrush you use? But while the traditional method has served you well, that doesn’t mean you should stop considering better dental care solutions.
Electric toothbrushes may be slightly more expensive on average than standard toothbrushes, but there are several benefits that might make them worth the extra cost.
Great reasons to use an electric toothbrush
1. Electric toothbrushes can reach places your manual toothbrush can’t. Even the most meticulous brushers miss a spot or two. You can’t remove all the plaque from your teeth using a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are specifically designed to clean difficult-to-reach areas, like the crevices in your molars. According to WebMD, an electric toothbrush can make 6,000 to 30,000 strokes per minute. This constant motion helps you get a more thorough clean with less effort.
2. Kids in particular can benefit from electric toothbrushes. Many kids brush every day but still don’t get rid of all the food buildup between their teeth, which is how plaque, tartar, and cavities form. This is especially common amongst kids with braces. Electric toothbrushes are a perfect solution, thoroughly cleaning all the places kids miss with manual brushing while making the chore more fun.
3. Built-in timers. You’re supposed to brush your teeth for two minutes, but studies have shown that most Americans only brush for about 30 seconds. That’s just a quarter of the time you should be spending on cleaning your teeth, tongue, and gums! Many electric toothbrushes have built-in timers to make sure that you really are brushing for at least two minutes each session. The result is cleaner, often whiter and brighter, teeth.
4. Electric toothbrushes fight gingivitis and other forms of gum disease. Using a deep-cleaning electric toothbrush to clear out all the food buildup, plaque, and tartar from those hard-to-reach places helps to protect your gums from infection and disease. The less plaque, the better. Electric toothbrushes are incredibly effective at minimizing this risk.
On that note:
5. Electric toothbrushes are your best weapon against bad breath. Bad breath (also called halitosis) is a symptom of—you guessed it—food and plaque which have become lodged between your teeth and along your gum line. An electric toothbrush and regular flossing can work together to get rid of bad breath by finding and eradicating the food between your teeth, so your breath stays clean and fresh.
6. It’s easier. Of all the reasons to use an electric toothbrush, this is one of the most compelling for buyers. Electric toothbrushes simply do more of the work than manual brushing. Your dental hygiene routine takes far less effort. All you have to do is move the toothbrush over the surfaces of your teeth, no back-and-forth or pressure needed.
Okay, I’m making the switch. Where do I start?
Dr. Wes typically recommends a couple types of electric toothbrushes for beginners:
Vibrating manual toothbrushes like the Oral-B Pulsar, for example, are a great option if you are nervous about switching your type of toothbrush to electric. These types of electric toothbrushes feel like a standard toothbrush, but it have a button to activate the vibrating bristles. You’d still use it similarly to a standard toothbrush, but get a deeper and more efficient clean.
Another excellent option is one like the Sonicare Power Up. This toothbrush uses 15,000 strokes a minute to clean your teeth, spinning fast enough to make actual sound waves that help break up the bad bacteria in your mouth. Though it’s as easy to use as a manual toothbrush, the Power Up fits in exponentially more brush strokes than you get with your manual toothbrush each time you use it. The benefits of all those extra brushstrokes include removing more plaque, improving the health of your gums, and preventing more cavities. The Power Up is safe for dental work and includes a 2-minute timer to help you brush for the recommended period of time.
If you’ve been looking for reasons to use an electric toothbrush, hopefully we’ve given you a lot to consider. And if you have any questions or would like more information on our other services, contact our office today.