Skip to main content

We have all been told since our first oral health lesson, to brush our teeth twice a day to keep them healthy. But lately with the current developments in the field of oral health the latest dilemma people are facing is “which brush is better- manual or electric? And what do dentists recommend?”

To be honest your dentist isn’t really concerned by what toothbrush you use, it’s more the technique of brushing, rather than what powers the brush itself. As both manual or powered toothbrushes can be used effectively.

It is more a question of personal preference than dentist recommendation between the two.

The main purpose of using a toothbrush is to allow the cleaning agent and cleansing action of the toothpaste to work. Specifically targeted at breaking down the biofilm(plaque) accumulation on teeth or denture surfaces which is not easily removable by rinsing with water alone. This biofilm is what acts as breeding grounds for cavity and gum disease causing bacteria.

Both manual and electric toothbrushes are effective at removing plaque. While the electric toothbrushes can be more expensive than most manual toothbrushes. Some people prefer the powered version as it is slightly more advanced than manual tooth brushing.

People who have dexterity problems and find it difficult to use a manual toothbrush, such as elderly, people with disabilities, and children—or those who have dental appliances, like braces, may find an electric toothbrush easier to use. Electric Toothbrushes feature pre-set timers which aid in timing our brushing in accordance with the recommended duration of between 2- 4 minutes.

Another benefit of using an electric toothbrush is since it works as per its pre-set guidelines, the factor of human error is significantly reduced. Due to some electric toothbrushes featuring pressure sensors, you are unable brush too hard, or only in a single direction. Which is a contributing factor to the development tooth sensitivity. In our experience we found that brushing away enamel is easily avoided due to the electric toothbrushes’ variety of features. It takes the guess work out of brushing your teeth. Improving your overall confidence in your healthy oral condition.

As long as the main objective of brushing teeth i.e. minimising the plaque accumulation is achieved choosing the right toothbrush is a personal choice.

Talk to your dentist or hygienist today, they can assist in helping you choose the right fit for you as not all toothbrushes are created equal!

Leave a Reply