Electric or classic? Dentist tells which toothbrush is better

dentist, head of the ICEBERG children’s department

“The electric toothbrush was originally invented for children with cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy), but later became widespread. It is suitable for patients who have difficulty holding a manual (conventional) toothbrush properly. It’s easier for them to grip it in their fist, which is why it has a round handle structure.”

Electric toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes are categorized into two types: sonic and mechanical electric toothbrushes.

Mechanical toothbrushes

If we talk about mechanical, as a rule, it has a rotating round head. What are its advantages?

• It is small in size and cleans even the distant teeth easily.
• It can be given to children to help them get used to the sound and adapt to their first dental appointment. So they then more comfortably tolerate manipulation in the oral cavity in the doctor’s office.

Many people mistakenly think that such a brush reduces the time of the procedure. In fact, it doesn’t. Brushing takes the same amount of time, and sometimes even more time to clean the oral cavity.

The main disadvantage of this tool is that many models do not have a pressure indicator. Accordingly, when a person (it does not matter whether it is an adult or a child) begins to press hard on the brush, the gum can be traumatized in the neck area. Over time, tooth sensitivity and a wedge-shaped defect (bare tooth necks) can occur.

Patients who already have bare necks, recession (gum recession), and wedge-shaped defect (damage to the hard tissues of the teeth) are not suitable for this model. Because by making circular movements, the brush additionally traumatizes these areas.

Electric sonic brush

It is more delicate and suitable for patients with sensitive teeth. Thus, it can be used by patients with recessions and even patients with orthopedic structures. This brush is suitable in all situations, even with veneers and crowns.

On the downside, it takes longer to clean the cavity than a manual brush. Why? You need to stay on each area for about 80 seconds. If you have to make small circular motions with a manual toothbrush, a sonic toothbrush will do it for you.

Manual toothbrush

There are several types of toothbrushes: soft, medium and hard.

• Hard is not suitable for anyone, it harms the enamel and traumatizes the gum, so it is not recommended to use it.
• Medium hard is used according to the situation, for example, by people with increased plaque formation or as a transitional option from hard to soft brushes.
• A soft toothbrush is suitable for most patients. It does not cause irritation or damage to gum tissue and tooth enamel.

Among the pros of using a manual toothbrush is that it develops fine motor skills in both children and adults. In addition, it gives the necessary cleansing if the correct technique is followed: soft smooth movements, at an angle and with gentle pressure.

Which brush is best?

Dental surgeon, periodontist, orthopedist

“The toothbrush is the ultimate home oral care tool, so it’s important that this tool is effective and safe.”

There is no perfect toothbrush for everyone. It is individually selected, just like a face cream. Many factors must be taken into account when choosing one. For example, age, dietary habits, oral health, enamel structure, age, and the presence of orthotics or orthodontics all have an impact.

Whichever toothbrush the patient chooses, it should always work in tandem with a small-sized, mono-fluff toothbrush. This is usually suitable and necessary for everyone – adults and children alike. Because everyone has hard-to-reach areas in the mouth that are usually not cleaned. That’s where tooth decay subsequently appears. These are usually distant or misaligned teeth that are difficult to access.

The number of bristles should be large. Like a broom, they penetrate the interdental spaces and remove plaque from hard-to-reach places. However, do not forget about floss (dental floss).

Remember that the effectiveness of manual and electric is the same. Just the first patient needs to work more carefully, and the danger of the second lies in the wrong shape and excessive impact on soft tissues. When choosing an instrument for the oral cavity, an individual approach is important, which the doctor will help to determine.