Electric toothbrush differences? | Tooth Brushing | Halitosis Forums

Post edited 11:57 am – September 28, 2011 by Dolors

Hello there,

Having used manual toothbrushes for many years, I switched to electric toothbrushes about a year ago and I find that they are a lot more effective and easy to use. My teeth are crowded, and it is very difficult to reach many areas with a manual toothbrush because they have such big heads.

The choice is entirely yours (manual or electric), however there are several studies which show that most people who use a manual toothbrush do not use it properly (for long enough, using the correct techiques, etc) and so electric toothbrushes normally give better results than manual toothbrushes.

The most important thing, if you want my advice, is that you switch to a soft-head toothbrush (either manual or electric). Soft means soft, not medium! Contrary to popular belief, it has been shown that soft headed brushes actually clean a lot better (that is, are more effective at removing plaque) around difficult to reach areas: between gum and teeth, crevices, back molars, wisdom teeth, etc.

The reason is that, the softer the bristles, the easier they will bend and be able to reach difficult to reach areas, including your gingival sulcus (area between your teeth and gum where plaque tends to build up) and the gaps between your teeth. Hard or medium bristles not only don’t bend easily but they will eventually damage your gums. 

I am personally a big fan of rotating electric toothbrushes with extra-soft brush heads (and personally I prefer the ones with small round heads such as Oral-b ones) – for many reasons. The main factor that helped me decide was that rotating electric toothbrushes have been scientifically shown to be more effective at removing plaque and reducing gingivitis, and were also very good at minimising damage to gum tissue (see “Manual versus powered toothbrushing for oral health”, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. )

I recommend Oral-b electric toothbrushes, and you DO NOT have to go for the most expensive ones, there are plenty of models to choose from! Your dentist obviously will recommend you the latest models, which are usually the most expensive, around $150 – $200. These have got extras such as timers with wireless connection and smart display. However, only thing that is really worth considering in the "most expensive models", is the Sensitive Mode for more gentle cleaning, which is really good to help minimise gum recession.

This sensitive mode is available from Oral-b Professional care 3000 Series and upwards (4000 and 5000, and Pulsonic) currently. You can get these from around $60 usually, which is a lot more affordable than the latest models! Having said that, I have seen that the latest models are currently reduced in price in most places, so it is worth taking a look.

I hope this helps!

Dolors