Electric Toothbrushes vs. Manual Toothbrushes

It is not necessary to own an electric toothbrush, but one can certainly clean your teeth more thoroughly than a manual toothbrush. Many dentists will recommend brushing twice a day with an electric toothbrush instead of a traditional brush.

Electric Toothbrush vs. Manual Toothbrush

Before sorting through toothbrushes and making a final decision, you might be wondering if there is really any difference. Also, if an electric toothbrush is best, which one should you choose?

Manual Toothbrushes

Keep in mind that you can still clean your teeth effectively using a manual toothbrush. If you don’t have access to an electric toothbrush, the most important thing is to at least brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes. It’s also important to make sure your manual toothbrush has soft bristles and that you brush gently.

Electric Toothbrushes

Two types of dental technologies are involved in the design of electric toothbrushes: sonic and oscillating.

•  Oscillating – Oscillating toothbrushes have round, smaller heads that spin quickly in one direction and shift in the opposite direction to brush away plaque and debris. Research suggests that this type of rotating brush is more successful at removing dental plaque and preventing gum disease, than a manual toothbrush. Oral B is the most popular producer of oscillating electric toothbrushes.
•  Sonic – Electric toothbrushes that use sonic technology vibrate at 30,000-40,000 strokes per minute.  The heads are like the shape and size of manual toothbrush heads. A sonic brush will clean teeth by vibrating vigorously from side to side. Some toothbrush manufacturers believe that the vibrations move toothpaste, saliva, and water away from the bristles, into hard-to-reach places. The result is a cleaner mouth. Some evidence does suggest that sonic brushes clean areas in the mouth that other brushes cannot. Sonicare is a major manufacturer of this type of dental technology.

There is not enough evidence to suggest that one type of toothbrush is better than the other, so for right now, it all comes down to personal choice.