We can all agree that brushing our teeth is critical for achieving/maintaining good oral health. Understanding the correct way to brush your teeth, and choosing the right toothbrush is just as important.
Practices and products developed to keep our mouths healthy have come a long way. Interestingly enough, Pierre Fauchard a french doctor from the 1700s who is also considered the father of modern dentistry encouraged people not to brush their teeth! Excuse me? Fauchard instead, recommended patients clean their teeth with a toothpick or sponge soaked in water or brandy.
How the times have changed.
Today we will be comparing the Sonicare electric toothbrush with a soft-bristled manual toothbrush to determine which product works best for keeping your teeth and gums in good health.
The ADA (American Dental Association) lists a number of approved manual toothbrushes to choose from. In addition, they have concluded that you can indeed achieve a thorough cleaning using a soft-bristled manual brush. However, as abled-bodied and committed as we can be, all of us are capable of falling short in certain areas of our oral care routine.
This is where an electric toothbrush such as the Sonicare comes out on top.
Let’s unpack some things.
We’ve now established that thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums can be achieved with a manual toothbrush. But, where do we fall short and how can an electric toothbrush do a better job? Let’s have a look.
Technique - electric toothbrushes like the Sonicare are often equipped with pressure sensors that offer an alert when you may be using a heavy hand.
App friendly - electric toothbrushes can be linked to an app on your smartphone to help ensure regularity and proper techniques are being maintained and notify you where you may need some improvement.
Better plaque removal - equipped with a built-in timer, using the Sonicare toothbrush will guarantee that you are brushing for the recommended two minutes. Say farewell to plaque making sure you are brushing for the proper length of time, as well as more efficiently reaching those hard-to-reach areas.
A Cochrane study found that after three months of using an electric toothbrush, participants reduced plaque by 21 percent and gingivitis by 11 percent.
Cost - electric toothbrushes are typically more expensive than manual alternatives. It should be noted, however, that unless diligent, users may benefit from investing some money in their oral care routine.
Power - electric toothbrushes are powered either by a permanent battery charged on a dock or by batteries purchased from the store. We recommend purchasing products with a permanent battery to reduce waste.
A heavy hand - studies have shown that when using a manual toothbrush, it’s more likely that too much pressure on the teeth and gums will be applied, causing damage and irritation.
The two-minute rule - as mentioned above, manual toothbrushes aren’t equipped with the built-in timers that an electric toothbrush may have. As a result, it can become difficult to ensure you’ve spent enough time cleaning.
Human error - while manual toothbrushes can be an effective option for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, there is a caveat, the user. The technology products such as the Sonicare electric toothbrush are built with, allow those using them to achieve/maintain great oral health much more easily.
Cost - manual toothbrushes are generally quite inexpensive, with plenty of options to choose from. However, these products typically need to be replaced more frequently than the heads fitted to an electric toothbrush.
Batteries - given that these products are operated manually, they do not require any power, either by permanent or disposable batteries.
Today we’ve addressed the pros and cons of the Sonicare electric toothbrush vs. a soft-bristled manual toothbrush.
At M Street Dental, our experts recommend electric toothbrushes for optimizing the health of your teeth and gums - specifically, the Sonicare, or, Crests Oral B electric toothbrush(s). We maintain this opinion because almost all of our patients who made the switch from manual to electric experienced dramatic improvements in their oral health.
If for whatever reason you choose to stick with your manual toothbrush, we recommend setting a timer to ensure you are brushing for long enough, and of course, that you are brushing twice a day.
We’d be delighted to hear from you and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Book your appointment today. Your teeth and gums deserve the love.
From all of us at M Street Dental,
Brush, floss, rinse, smile!