With everything you do, is there really time to research how to buy the right electric toothbrush for you? No and you shouldn’t have to. Toothbrush Confidential has packaged for you an easy list of the how’s and why’s of which electric toothbrush will be perfect for you.First of all when we mention electric toothbrushes we mean the plug-in kind. Not the disposable battery operated version. These can be an ok option but usually do not offer the quality cleaning an electric toothbrush does. Honestly a battery operated toothbrush is simply more expensive than a manual toothbrush without actually offering a better clean.Why do you want an electric toothbrush? Ideally for the best plaque removal you should brush for a full two minutes. Have you ever timed yourself? Two minutes are a very long time when you are using a manual brush. The truth is the amount of plaque you remove with an electric toothbrush in less time is far superior than the a good 2 minute clean with a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes often come with timers and they are just easier to use. The time just passes.Why do electric toothbrushes do such a great clean? No matter what area of your mouth you are brushing, the electric heads keep up consistent perfect gentle rotation. There is less damage on the gums. Majority of receding gum lines are a result of aggressive brushing. Manually there are areas in your mouth that you just cannot reach well. Those hard to reach areas will gather more plaque and therefore more cavities or gum inflammation. How do you pick which on is right for you?You might want to touch base on Sonic tooth brushes vs rotary.Sonic use a sweeping motion with tons of vibration…some find it too much with lots of splatter. Others love the feeling. Less dexterity is needed with this one..just a 45 degree angle at the gum line.The alternate model is the rotary head which has a circular head that counter rotates…it is nice and small. This one requires a little more dexterity though; it has to be pivoted and placed along the gum line.The one I always tell people to go with is an Oral B mid priced electric ($30-40). This way they are able to test drive before the bigger price tag of the full size Oral B. There are both types (sonic and rotary) by Oral B in this $ range. The full size Oral B has an excellent battery life. I find it runs many months before I realize it is running down. Travelling for a couple months on one charge is simple. I suggest that you disconnect the lower charger from the brush head for travel. I did open my suitcase once to find my electric toothbrush was completely discharged because the jostling in the luggage left it on for the entire trip.TipsIt is very important to let the electric toothbrush do the work..no additional scrubbing or movement by the operator-this can be abrasive on the gums. For this reason the cheaper “spin brushes”are not a good choice. Also check your info as the brush head at 1 inch is an ideal size.Look for:
- 2 minute timer
- Head size. For most adults 1 inch tall and 1/2 inch wide will work perfectly.
- Soft bristles – with rounded tips
- Look for the ADA American Dental Association Seal of Approval
- Do you like it? If you don’t like it you won’t use it. Make certain the brush isn’t too loud or uncomfortable to hold if you have arthritis.
from Heidi
Hygienist for Willow Dental Care Vancouver
