People are always confronted with a lot of “Either/Or” scenarios. Do they like a certain brand of soda over another? One type of gaming console over another? Are they a Windows or Mac user? They have their own personal preferences. The same could be said about the type of instrument that they use for their oral care. Do they use the longtime stalwart manual toothbrush or do they embrace technology and brush with an electric one?
Here are a few things to help you answer the question, “Should I use a manual or an electric toothbrush?”
Manual
The first thing that grabs people’s attention when it comes to the manual toothbrush is the price point. They are very inexpensive. You can get packs of name-brand toothbrushes for less than a latte at a coffee shop. If you have a large family, you’ve covered that expense for between three to six months. Once the bristles start to wear down, you throw the brush out and use a new one. It’s that simple.
What about the negatives? First of all, you need to make sure you get a soft, nylon-bristled brush. Harder bristles do not equate a better ability to get things like plaque and tartar off. Instead, it means you can scratch the enamel of your tooth and that is not good. Also, even with the soft bristled brush, it can be very easy to use too hard a motion, which will irritate both your teeth and gums. If used correctly, they can be quite effective.
Electric
The electric brushes have spinning bristles that can remove a lot more food particles than a manual one. You just gently move it around your mouth. Some, but not al,l of the electric toothbrushes have built- in timers. In the event it doesn’t, you can just count to 30 in your head each time while moving the brush from row to row. Focus on each part of your mouth and don’t just skim over each tooth. The electric brush does the work, but you need to be mindful.
There are a couple drawbacks to the electric toothbrush. Depending on what kind you get – like a rechargeable one – the price can be $100 or more. Also, many of these also have a replaceable head to be changed every several months, and sometimes stores don’t carry those. So you may have to budget in some extra time to order the replacement online. The cheaper ones are just disposed of and replaced during that same time frame.
A Third Contender?
If you scroll through social media, you will sometimes find ads for something called a mouthpiece toothbrush. They claim to be able to brush your teeth just as efficiently as either a manual or an electric toothbrush in a fraction of the time. It looks like a sports mouthguard with a giant box at the end. When you press a button, the mouthpiece is supposed to vibrate at a high rate of speed which is supposed to knock any plaque off.
While this does sound promising, it’s best to make sure that it goes through several different incarnations and has become more widespread in its use. Tests have shown that it does remove plaque, but not at a sufficient level.So, for now, stick with either the manual or electric ones to get the best results, but keep an eye on the market over the course of the next year or two.
Shopping for a toothbrush doesn’t have to be an incredibly time-consuming thing. Just take these comparisons, bat them around in your mind for a little bit and then go get what you need. There are plenty of dental experts out there who have done the research. It takes just a little bit of digging to find what may be best for you.
It’s how you use these instruments that really matters. You need to be diligent day in and day out with your brushing routine. Carefully hit each part of your mouth and examine the results afterwards to make sure that you have not missed any spots. Unlike artists, you can blame your tools if you get the wrong bristle hardness. So make sure you have something that the ADA approves.
You can always consult the experts at Esthetix Dental Spa if you have any questions about your brush or your brushing technique. They want you to have the best oral health possible and will be glad to talk things through with you at your next appointment. Give them a call today – 212-795-9675.
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Esthetix Dental Spa
285 Fort Washington Ave,
New York, NY 10032
Phone: (212) 795-9675
Website: http://esthetixdentalspa.com/