Are Electric Toothbrushes Better Than Manual Ones?

People often ask their dentist if a particular kind of toothbrush is more effective against plaque and gingivitis, and also more serious oral diseases. The great variety of toothbrushes available in the markets adds to the confusion of buyers. Besides, the competition between manual and electronic toothbrushes has becomes fiercer not to forget the competition that exists between different types of electric toothbrushes themselves. An important difference between these is the movement of the brush heads. Some are designed to move from side to side, and others have a rotating motion. When the head rotates in different directions within a second, the motion is called rotation oscillation.

According to research, there is hardly any difference between electric and manual toothbrushes. There was some evidence that rotation oscillation brushes removed plaque slightly better and also caused less gum bleeding, yet, these differences were so slight that it couldn’t be said with certainty that electric toothbrushes had won the day.

After all how many people who regularly brush their teeth and have a good oral hygiene regime that involves flossing and regular checkups from their dentist have bleeding gums. However, the claim that electric toothbrushes specially ones with rotation oscillation reduce tooth decay and other gum diseases.
For those people suffering from painful joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis and hence having little mobility, brushing for the recommended two minutes may become an agony if not completely impossible as it involves a lot of arm, wrist and finger action besides the time factor. Electric toothbrushes cut down on this activity as it does most of the action for you. Also, limited mobility means that people suffering from it will not brush their teeth as often or as long as is required, specially if it causes them physical pain.

Having said that, people who have no such mobility issues have little, or no reason, for spending so much more on electric toothbrushes as they are no better than their manual counterparts. In fact a research carried out by a dental university in Manchester, England reached the conclusion that there was only one type of electric toothbrush that was somewhat more effective than manual toothbrushes. This was the toothbrush that used rotation oscillation. This was because the head of the toothbrush did not only rotate in one direction but kept changing between clockwise and anti-clockwise directions many times within the period of a second.

To conclude, the only people who seem to genuinely benefit from electric toothbrushes were the ones with mobility issues due to painful joint conditions. Other than that, a manual toothbrush, if used effectively and in the proper manner, is just as good as an electric one. Any one who has healthy gums and not much buildup of plaque need not be baffled by the choices available. One thing to keep in mind though is to always buy a toothbrush with a soft head as it doesn’t damage the enamel on your teeth. Remember at all times that getting a good toothbrush is no substitute for twice a year check ups with the dentist.

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