Are Electric Toothbrushes Better Than Manual Brushes?

The goals of brushing your teeth are to prevent soft plaque from forming hard plaque on your teeth and to promote soft tissue circulation. To accomplish these goals, most dentists recommend that you brush your teeth several times a day and floss.
The problem comes in when considering whether electric toothbrushes or manual toothbrushes are better at keeping your teeth pristine.

 

What is Plaque?

To really understand which type of toothbrush is best, you need to understand what plaque is. It’s a sticky film that attaches to the surface of your teeth.
Plaque forms inside of your mouth as a byproduct of the Streptococcus mutans bacteria. It starts out as a sticky film that is soft and can be removed by something as soft as the bristles of a brush. It then forms a hard type of tissue that glues itself to the surface of your teeth.
In case you’re wondering why that name looks vaguely familiar, it’s because the strand of bacteria that is responsible for causing plaque in your mouth is a relative of the same bacteria that causes strep throat.

 

Which are Better: Electric or Manual Toothbrushes?

Most dentists will agree that both manual and electric toothbrushes perform their jobs equally, however one may have different benefits over the other.
Most electric toothbrushes can remove soft plaque just as well as a manual toothbrush can when used properly. This means that the bristles are able to dislodge it from the surface of your teeth just fine.
However, there is some debate when it comes to electric toothbrushes. The type of toothbrush that has an oscillating head that moves one way and then turns the opposite way is preferred by some dentists. These dentists state that it removes plaque and reduces gum inflammation better than manual toothbrushes.
The real, indisputable differences between the two types of toothbrushes comes in at the different things that they can do. For some patients, there are parts of their part that they just can’t reach with a manual toothbrush. The molars in the very back of your mouth can be an example of this, especially if you still have your wisdom teeth.
Manual toothbrushes are cheaper. There’s no replacement heads, there’s no batteries to replace and there’s no need to worry about keeping them supplied with electricity. A manual toothbrush is always ready to use.
Electric toothbrushes have two qualities that give them a situational advantage. The handle is usually thick and they don’t require you to move your hand to brush. Both of these things make them easier to use for people lacking the physical or mental dexterity required to brush with manual brushes such as young children or people with arthritis.

 

The Bottom Line About Manual and Electric Toothbrushes

With regard to which toothbrush works the best, only you can answer that. The goal of brushing your teeth is to ultimately keep them clean and to help make sure your gums are healthy and free of any disease. If you’re fine with a manual brush and your teeth don’t have a problem with plaque, then stay with it. If you have certain areas that are hard for you to reach with a manual toothbrush, then consider using an electrical toothbrush.

A Family Dental Care Center: Dr. Seth Rosen

2030 West Main St.

Jeffersonville, PA 19403

drsethrosen.com