Electric VS. Manual Toothbrush Showdown

Wonder if those popular, hi-tech electric toothbrushes are really better than regular ones? The truth is, since both types of toothbrushes are designed to be used to promote good oral health, the one you choose to keep your teeth clean will depend on your personal preference.

A toothbrush is meant to remove plaque and to stimulate the gums to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. When the power toothbrush was first introduced to the market, there wasn’t really much of a difference between them and your regular, manual toothbrush when it came to their ability to remove plaque. These days, now that the design and technology of the power toothbrush has evolved, specific models have been clinically proven to remove a significantly larger amount of plaque compared to traditional toothbrushes, especially in those hard-to-reach areas.

Need more information to help you decide between sticking with your trusty manual toothbrush or going out to purchase a new powered model? Lets take a look at some of the pros and cons of each:

Manual Toothbrush

• With proper brushing techniques it is certainly possible to keep your teeth clean and in great shape with a manual toothbrush. You do need to be conscious about how long you brush your teeth.
• There are many styles of the manual toothbrush to choose from. From soft to hard bristles or smaller heads to larger ones, there is a style for everyone. There are even different themes of toothbrushes for the kids, which can be fun and help promote good oral health habits in younger children.
• The manual toothbrush is easy to travel with. All you need is a little toothbrush case and you are good to go! They even sell travel sized brushes in case your bag is extra small.
• No batteries or charging is required for a manual toothbrush which not only saves you money, but also the hassle of having to replace the batteries or find an outlet for charging.
• The manual toothbrush is inexpensive compared to an electric toothbrush.

The cons of a manual toothbrush are the extra work that you have to put in to ensure that your teeth get clean like they need to be and that you are required to time yourself on how long you brush as opposed to the electric toothbrush (many newer electric toothbrush models have a built-in timer).

Electric Toothbrush

• The electric toothbrush is easy to use. All you need to do is place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and let the toothbrush do all the work.
• Your teeth are likely to get cleaned more quickly with a power toothbrush than with a manual toothbrush.
• As was previously mentioned, there are usually built-in timers on electric toothbrushes, which takes the guesswork out of how long you need to brush.

The cons of the electric toothbrush are batteries or charging, cost, and the fact that they are harder to pack and travel with. They are also easier to break.

Despite the studies, your oral health can stay in tip-top shape, no matter what kind of toothbrush you use, as long as you are consistent with brushing and staying up-to-date on your dental appointments. Feel free to ask Dr. Linkous what kind of toothbrush would be best for you and your teeth!

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