Daily and effective brushing of your teeth is essential to good oral care and will help protect you from some of the most harmful dental and gum diseases and conditions. But it is not enough to brush your teeth; using the right toothbrush is as important to your oral care as your brushing routine and technique.
For those that love a little automation, gadgets and are obsessed with their oral health, electric toothbrushes have been the in-thing. They are an essential accessory in every bathroom and have been found to provide better dental care than manual toothbrushing. Statistically, people that use electric toothbrushes have lower rates of gingivitis and plaque.
Given the positives, you should definitely try them out but they also have some negatives about them. Here is a look at the pros and cons of using an electric toothbrush:
The Pros of Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes are highly appealing beyond the functionality and many dentists in fact recommend them to their patients. Some of these advantages include the following:
- They do the work for you: Brushing is a simple 2 minute activity but you will be surprised by the proportion of people who get it wrong. While dentists generally recommend that people brush their teeth in a certain way to optimise the cleaning action, many people prefer to go “freestyle” only to find themselves in the dentist’s chair after a few months or years. Electric toothbrushes can be programmed to press gently and apply the right pressure on your teeth during the brushing action. They can also be set to brush for the recommended amount of time. If you are having a hard time following your dentist’s instructions on how to brush your teeth, it is prudent to purchase an electric toothbrush.
- They are a great choice for kids: Parents spend a lot of money on dental care for their kids but a lot of these expenses could be avoided if they could buy them electric toothbrushes.
- Electric toothbrushes are great for people with dexterity problems: People who are unable to move their hands smoothly can benefit a great deal from electric toothbrushes. All they will need to do is move the toothbrush from one tooth to the next and the electric toothbrush will do the rest.
- They are more effective: Electrical toothbrushes are able to penetrate even the hard to reach areas of your teeth and disrupt the bacterial colonies in those places. The oscillating motion of the electric toothbrushes will more effectively get rid of the bio-film on your enamel.
The Cons of Electric Toothbrushes
- They are costly: Due to the sophistication of the build, electric toothbrushes are invariably more expensive than manual toothbrushes. Besides, you have to periodically replace the heads that add to the cost.
- They can easily get damaged: Due to the electronic build, electric toothbrushes are in the end going to get damaged and you will need to make a replacement. The constant recharging will eventually contribute to the damage, especially if they are overcharged.
The Bottom Line
In the end, it all boils down to personal preferences. Either a manual or electric toothbrush will not help you if you use the wrong brushing technique. The choice of the electric toothbrush also matters. Pick models that have proven to be reliable.
