Electric toothbrushes are a wonderful tool to help optimize your oral health. One quick walk down the oral care aisle at your local store can leave some people overwhelmed with options.
How can an electric toothbrush help improve my oral health?
Electric toothbrushes are awesome at plaque (bacteria) removal. When used with regular flossing, electric brushes are more effective in disturbing plaque build-up than manual toothbrushes. Depending on the brand and mode of action the brushes featured in this article rate anywhere between 30,000-48,800 brush strokes per minute vs 300 with a manual toothbrush. Most electric toothbrushes come with a two-minute timer to ensure you are getting the maximum benefit from your brush.
How can an electric toothbrush help slow the progression of gum recession?
Our goal as dental hygienists is always prevention. We want to help prevent gum recession or slow the progression of existing attachment loss. The exposed root surface is not covered in the protective layer of enamel like the crown of your tooth is. This means the root surface is more porous and susceptible to bacterial breakdown. There are many contributing factors to gingival recession or gum recession.
1) One contributing factor is a history of clenching or grinding your teeth.
Warning signs of this would be waking up in the morning with soreness in the jaws or a radiating headache into your temples.
2) Aggressive brushing is another common contributing factor.
We want to ensure we are recommending soft bristle brushes only. Not medium or hard bristles. Be gentle!
3) A history of orthodontic movement.
When teeth are moved during orthodontic treatment the position changes within the plates of bone. Meaning the tooth may be positioned in an area of thinner bone which over time can contribute to underlying bone support thinning and/or tissue attachment loss.
4) Tissue pulls.
We have little pieces of tissue that attach the lips and tongue to the gum. Just pull your lip up and you will find your frenum right between your two front teeth. When this piece of tissue is too tightly attached it can cause gum recession and issues with speech and function.
By using an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor we are able to eliminate some of the contributing factors of gum recession. Regular professional dental checkups can help to monitor and manage other contributing factors.
How can using an electric brush help my dental hygiene visits smoother?
With more effective home care and plaque removal, oral tissues will be healthier. A healthy mouth doesn't bleed during brushing or flossing. When there is less inflammation there is better comfort. A healthy mouth will cost you less money and time in the dental chair.
Today we will be breaking down the features of common electric toothbrushes to fit your individual needs.
If you have dexterity issues, a small mouth, dental crowding, or any orthodontic attachment I would recommend going with an ultrasonic electric brush such as the Sonicare or the Burst brushes.
If your teeth are pretty straight and the cost is not a concern the Oral-B electric brushes have fabulous technology for tracking your progress on an app that connects via Bluetooth, there is also an interactive screen with the IO model.
If you are purchasing an electric toothbrush for healthy adults, young adults, or children I would recommend a burst electric toothbrush. They offer many fun color choices, a quality ultrasonic toothbrush, super soft bristles, as well a brush head subscription. bristles. Every toothbrush comes with a lifetime warranty.
These are my top 3 Electric toothbrush brand picks:
Sonicare:
Oral-B:
Burst: Use promo code: P18E2Z
*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Happy Brushing,
J