Is an electric or a manual toothbrush better?
The eternal battle: manual or electric toothbrush? In this article we tell you which one has more benefits. And you, which one do you use?
Not sure whether to buy an electric toothbrush? Stay with us, because we are going to reveal the outcome of the battle between the manual toothbrush and the electric toothbrush.
To begin with, we can make this clear: both provide excellent oral hygiene, but this depends on using them correctly. If you use a proper brushing technique that removes the build-up of food debris, a manual toothbrush is just as effective as an electric one.
What are the advantages of a manual toothbrush?
The manual toothbrush has two clear advantages that the electric toothbrush cannot compete with:
- It is very inexpensive.
- It is very easy to carry around and convenient to use away from home. What’s more, it does not need recharging.
On the other hand, the big disadvantage of the manual toothbrush is that it requires more attention to make all the movements needed for a proper brushing technique and, usually, with its elongated head it is harder to reach every area of the mouth.
What are the advantages of an electric toothbrush?
- Technique is not as important, because the movement is more automatic. For example, for people with some kind of disability, its mechanical movement can be a great help.
- They remove dental plaque in less time. Six minutes of manual brushing are equivalent to one minute with an electric toothbrush, which means we can achieve an excellent clean with less effort.
- The elongated shape of the toothbrush and its wider handle make it easier to reach nooks and hard-to-reach areas. In addition, the round head wraps around the teeth so that it reaches every surface of the tooth, not just the outer side.
- The mechanical movement of the bristles (oscillating-rotating system) works in both directions, which makes brushing more effective.
- Nowadays, many electric toothbrushes have a pressure control mechanism, so that we do not press harder than recommended and thus avoid wearing away the surface of the teeth. The toothbrush has a motion sensor that stops the brush if too much pressure is applied.
- These toothbrushes also come with a timer that helps us brush our teeth for the right amount of time.
Did you enjoy this article? If you would like to learn more with us, we encourage you to click on the following articles:
- How long does orthodontic treatment (Invisalign) take?
- All the secrets of teeth whitening
