Are Electrical Toothbrushes Really Better?

In Peoria, more people than ever before are recognizing the importance of good dental hygiene. Meticulous dental hygiene, along with regular dental exams, preserves not only the health of your teeth and gums, but has a significant effect on your overall health.

The electric toothbrush has become very popular in recent years — some even say it provides superior dental care. But how does it actually compare to manual brushing? Manual toothbrushes of one variety or another have been around for thousands of years. During the 1400s the first bristle toothbrushes were engineered. Today in the 21st century, manual toothbrushes still bears much resemblance to those first toothbrushes, except that the bristles are now artificial rather than made from that of a wild boar.

Manual Toothbrush

The requirements of a toothbrush are to clean the teeth, remove plaque, and clean and stimulate the gums. But there are two parts to this equation, the toothbrush and the user. If you have mastered a correct brushing technique, a manual toothbrush can do an adequate job. In addition, they can be purchased almost anywhere, are inexpensive and can easily be taken with you anywhere.

The downside to using a manual toothbrush is that many people have not mastered the best brushing techniques, and even with proper technique the best brushing you can hope to achieve is about 300 strokes a minute. Furthermore, research has shown that over 85% of users haven’t mastered the correct brushing techniques and don’t spend enough time brushing, as instructed by their Peoria dentist.

Electric Toothbrush

In Peoria today, the popularity of electric toothbrushes is threatening to surpass that of manual toothbrushes. As with most electronics, they have become more affordable the longer they have been on the market.

Electric toothbrushes provide many benefits. Studies have shown that they remove substantially more plaque than manual toothbrushes. Depending on the brand and model an electric toothbrush can provide up to 30,000 strokes a minute. An electric toothbrush requires very little technique, you simply move the brush around and over each tooth similar to the professional cleaning you receive at your Peoria dentist. While an electric toothbrush eliminates the need for perfect brushing technique, it’s still important to spend enough time cleaning your teeth. Electric toothbrushes may encourage this since many are equipped with timers.

Types of Electric Toothbrush

There are many different brands of electric toothbrush on the market today and each brand produces several models with a wide array of features including:

• A timer to ensure that you brush long enough
• A pressure sensor to ensure that your teeth and gums are cleaned gently
• Sonic wave technology to break up plaque gently
• A variety of shapes and motion in toothbrush heads
• A simple battery powered toothbrush can be found for about $15
• Rechargeable electric toothbrushes start at about $65
• Replaceable brush heads, since the rechargeable mechanical component should last a long time

Although manual toothbrushes can clean your teeth adequately if you have excellent brushing techniques, and manual toothbrushes have been around for thousands of years, keep in mind that over 85% of people don’t have adequate brushing techniques, and until about 50 years ago it was unusual for people to keep their teeth for their entire lifetime.

If you want the cleanest, healthiest, whitest teeth possible, consider investing in an electric toothbrush. After using an electric toothbrush for six weeks, nine out of ten people stated that they would not go back to using a manual toothbrush.

Whatever type of toothbrush you choose your Peoria dentist will probably recommend one with soft bristles. He will also recommend that you purchase a new toothbrush every three months. Worn and bent bristles cannot properly clean teeth.

For good dental hygiene, scheduling regular dental exams with a Peoria dentist is just as important as brushing. Aesthetic Dentistry of Arrowhead offers convenient appointment times and the staff will be happy to discuss proper flossing, brushing, the benefits of various types of toothbrush, and other dental hygiene issues.

Dr. Greg Ceyhan – Dentist