Have you thought of upgrading to an electric toothbrush but are not sure what is best for you? Are you a stickler for the traditional manual toothbrush? Have you tried both and aren’t sure what way to go? Here are the most important factors to consider:
Manual Toothbrush
Manual toothbrushes are inexpensive. You can get them for free at your dentist office or a finer hotel, and every supermarket and drugstore has rows and rows of them available. They are easy to find and buying one doesn’t commit you to using it any longer than you want to.
Manual toothbrushes are also compact and are great for traveling. They take up little space and there is no battery to keep charged.
However, manual toothbrushes take longer to brush, as they only use the slow motion of the operator to move the bristles. They may not clean the teeth as well as some of the more advanced types of electric toothbrushes.
What’s more, it’s easy for people to lose track of how long they’ve brushed for and may stop before the recommended two minutes of brushing is complete. Of course, timers are easy to find today. While manual toothbrushes don’t have built-in ones like the electric variety, smartphones do and even people who don’t own smartphones can bring an egg timer to the sink.
Electric Toothbrush
One of the greatest selling points of electric toothbrushes is that they work faster than manual ones. You can save time in your morning and evening routines, where every minute usually counts as you get ready for school, work, or bed.
Some models, like the rotation oscillation model where a circular bristle section rotates as it moves back and forth, are shown to clean more thoroughly than manual toothbrushes
Most electric models also have timers built in so people know exactly when to stop. This makes it easier to get a complete cleaning twice a day.
People with physical limitations may find electric toothbrushes easier to work with, as their arm gets tired or they have trouble brushing.
However, electric toothbrushes always cost more, and the disposable head needs to be replaced just as often as a manual toothbrush. What’s more, the heads are not interchangeable between brands so you may need to stock up on them or else run into trouble finding a proprietary toothbrush head.
Electric toothbrushes take up more space on your counter and in your travel bag. What happens if you take a trip to Europe and your plugs don’t fit? What if you lose power and your toothbrush dies
Whatever toothbrush you choose, make sure the package includes the seal of approval of the American Dental Association. That’s how you know you’re getting a safe, effective and dependable toothbrush.
Want to Learn More?
If you want to know more about toothbrush technology, you can reach our Friendly Dental of Worcester office at (508) 340-4611, our Unique Dental of Worcester office at (508) 556-6241, our Taunton Dental Center office at (508) 386-9018-, and our Uxbridge Family Dental office at (508) 714-7046
