Which Do We Recommend when it comes to an Electric Toothbrush?
This is a question that we receive quite often. Many people ask us if we would recommend that they switch from their normal, manual brush to something electric. The next words that come out of their mouth are almost always "which one"?
The answer to the first question is easy... I almost always recommend that a patient looks for an electric toothbrush. Here are a few of the reasons:
- A good toothbrush will do the work for you! Can you move your hand as fast as the vibrations or rotations of an electric brush? Of course not. This action helps to remove plaque more efficiently and effectively while forcing fluid in between teeth to help flush out gunk. The ultimate result is a cleaner surface, which, along with good flossing, can lead to a reduction in gum disease.
- While that may sound damaging, your movements while using an electric brush should be slow and methodical when compared to the sawing action many people (wrongly!) use to brush their teeth with a manual brush. That sawing leads to gum recession and eventually can lead to tooth damage.
What do we recommend?
For me, that's a pretty easy question to answer. There are 2 leading brands that most professionals recommend: Oral-B and Sonicare. In my opinion, you cannot go wrong with either brush. In fact, the doctors and hygienists in our office each use one or the other, and we're all in love! If there is one easy-to-remember piece of advice I can give - make sure you find one with a rechargeable battery. The obvious benefit is that there is no need to spend money replacing batteries... However, there is one indirect aspect that I think goes along with a rechargeable unit: they tend to be a better quality brush. Here are a few key aspects of a good brush:
- Long lasting battery.
- They often feature a timer that reminds you to switch quadrants every 30 seconds. This ensures that you are brushing for 2 minutes (important!) and you're giving each of your teeth their due cleaning.
- Replaceable, good quality heads. Remember to change every 3 months!
- Because you can change heads, you can share! This cuts the cost of the toothbrush in half or more!
- Many of these high-end brushes come with a lot of bells and whistles. Some may offer different brushing modes (like massaging or whitening), and some have Bluetooth technology that will connect to apps to monitor brushing.
- My toddlers both use battery powered brushes aimed at children. These make brushing more fun and do a wonderful job cleaning. An adult brush is too big, and let's face it, my kids' main focus is destroying things of value!
Do I think you need Bluetooth in the bathroom? Nope. That's why I leave that up to you. The entry-level Oral-B Pro 1000 offers a rechargeable battery and all of the cleaning power of it's more expensive, tech-laden siblings. This brush, and it's Phillips Sonicare counterpart can often be found for under $50.00.
If you have more questions, please ask the dentists and hygienists at CrossKeys Dental. We're always willing to talk teeth!
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CrossKeys Dental is located at 110 CrossKeys Office Park in Fairport. Dr. DuPre՛ and Dr. Badali provide comprehensive family dentistry and are always welcoming new patients. Visit us at www.CrossKeysDentalFairport.com for more information.
© 2018 CrossKeys Dental in Fairport, NY by Vince Badali, DDS