Electric Toothbrushes Versus Manual Toothbrushes

The dental aisle is looking more and more like the cereal aisle of your grocery store. From toothpastes to dental flosses and from toothbrushes to mouth rinses, you may need a bit of help in order to find the best products for you and your family’s dental health.

When it comes to toothbrushes, there are two kinds: Manual or electric.
But whether one is better or worse at keeping your teeth clean and removing plaque depends largely on your dental history and your dental hygiene habits.
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a regular toothbrush:

• Advantages: They are inexpensive; they are easy to use and easy to transport; can be used to brush teeth and the tongue, which contains halitosis-causing bacteria; they feature colorful designs, which is a motivating factor in getting kids to brush their teeth.

• Disadvantages: They require you do the work; they need to be replaced every few months or when the bristles start to become weak; those with arthritis may have difficulty holding on to them.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of an electric toothbrush:
• Advantages: They do the work for you; handle is easy to grip, particularly the ergonomically-designed ones; they feel like they are working; they may have a built-in timer that alerts you when you have brushed long enough.
• Disadvantages: They are expensive; they need to be recharged often; they don’t clean tongues very well.

Everyone is different so choosing the right kind of toothbrush is largely a matter of personal preference.

Keep in mind also that according to the Academy of General Dentistry, the best toothbrush that you can buy is the one that you will actually use.
If you have a specific question about what kind of toothbrush you should be using, please contact me at Livonia Dental Care. I would be happy to answer any of your brushing questions or concerns.

For more information on this topic or any dental related procedure check out our website. If you have any questions, or a dental emergency, you can reach Dr. Jay at Livonia Dental Care at 734-427-7555. “Like” us on Facebook and check out our YouTube.