Brushing your teeth is a crucial part of caring for your oral health. Since you were a child, you’ve been brushing twice a day — and you might even use specific brushing methods to target tough-to-reach places for your tooth type. But have you thought about what you’re using to clean your pearly whites?
When it comes to maintaining good oral health, both manual and electric toothbrushes are effective at removing plaque — but each has its own unique benefits and features. Thinking about whether you should switch up your brushing tool to fight tooth decay? To help you make the decision that’s right for your mouth, here are the pros of electric vs. manual toothbrushes.
The Benefits of Using an Electric Toothbrush
Operating with a battery or mechanism, electric toothbrushes have bristles that rotate when you brush. This vibrating motion helps remove plaque from both your gums and your teeth — and its micro-movements give you more cleaning effectiveness for every stroke. While they are more expensive than manual brushes and require regular head replacement, electric brushes also have a variety of positive aspects. Using an electric toothbrush gives you the following benefits:
- Better plaque removal: In general, electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing and decreasing plaque — because their tiny, quick movements clean more thoroughly while you move your brush back and forth. This can help reduce your overall chances of developing gingivitis. Electric toothbrushes can also ensure a better clean for people with orthodontic appliances. For the best plaque removal, pick an electric brush that oscillates as well as vibrates.
- More ease of movement: Electric toothbrushes do most of the cleaning work for you — meaning you can focus less on stroking and focus more on moving your brush to the right areas. They also make brushing easier for people with limited mobility due to carpal tunnel, arthritis, age or other health issues.
- Built-in timers: Many electric toothbrushes feature built-in timing features that tell you how long to keep brushing. This helps ensure you pay enough attention to your teeth and give them the cleaning they need.
- Gum safety: Electric toothbrushes are safe for both enamel and gums, cleaning your teeth gently but thoroughly without wearing anything down.
- Kid-friendliness: Kids don’t always have the motivation to brush their teeth properly, but electric toothbrushes can be more fun and engaging more children — getting them excited about their oral health.
The Benefits of Using a Manual Toothbrush
As the classic brushing option, manual toothbrushes also offer an easy way to keep your teeth clean. Using a manual option offers you benefits like:
- Affordability: While they need to be replaced every few months, manual toothbrushes are cost-effective. They also don’t require a charge, so you’ll save money on features like chargers and batteries.
- Accessibility: You can purchase a manual toothbrush at almost any gas station, grocery store, pharmacy or dollar store. They’re easy to find and come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors and qualities.
Manual toothbrushes allow ease and affordability — and they’re still a good tool for teeth cleaning. However, people often tend to brush too hard with their manual brushes, which can lead to enamel decay. Make sure to brush firmly but gently and continue to brush twice daily.
Check Your Tooth Health at Dental Choice
Whatever brush you choose, having your teeth cleaned regularly is also important to maintaining a healthy mouth. Contact Dental Choice to learn more about electric vs. manual toothbrushes or request your appointment today.