The Electric Toothbrush Benefits
There are many electric toothbrush benefits that come with making the switch from a manual toothbrush. They provide superior cleaning motions to improve your oral health and the look of your smile. Electric toothbrushes are a great way to fight harmful bacteria in the mouth and keep your teeth strong.
In this article, we go over ways to improve your technique while brushing to get the most electric toothbrush benefits possible. We also go over how to pick the right electric toothbrush for your smile and what to look for when purchasing one.
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Electric Toothbrush Use
The electric toothbrush benefits can help improve every single person’s oral health. The electric toothbrush use provides your smile with increased efficiency to boost gum health and teeth strength. The increased proficiency of an electric toothbrush versus manual toothbrush provides is the number one reason to make the switch.
How to Get More Electric Toothbrush Benefits
Switching to an electric toothbrush daily routine is a simple way to improve the health and look of your smile. The electric toothbrush benefits include more plaque removal, increased bacteria control, decrease gum inflammation, more prevention of discolored teeth, and increased stain removal.
In order to get the most out of the electric toothbrush benefits, follow these tips below.
1. Electric Toothbrush Use: Technique Matters
The electric toothbrush use is different from a manual toothbrush and uses different techniques in order to clean your mouth. With a manual toothbrush, your hand does all the work by moving the bristles along the teeth. An electric toothbrush uses its motions along with your hand movements to clean.
Using the proper technique is important for the electric toothbrush benefits. Do not use large strokes. Let the bristles do the work by placing the electric toothbrush on the teeth and guiding it around the teeth.
2. Follow the Internal Timer
Most electric toothbrushes come with timers that help get the most out of the electric toothbrush benefits. It’s important to brush 2 times a day for 2 minutes in order to fully remove the daily food, stains, plaque, and bacteria. Ideally, you should spend 30 seconds in every quadrant of the teeth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well.
Most toothbrushes are designed to shut off automatically after brushing for 2 minutes. Some toothbrushes will pulse every 30 seconds to let you know when to move to the next quadrants of the teeth.
3. Listen to the Pressure Sensors
A big bonus of the electric toothbrush benefits is the pressure sensor most top brands come with. Brushing too hard and using too much pressure can lead to gum recession. Receded gums can lead to gum sensitivity, dental sensitivity, and increase the risk of cavities.
In severe cases of gum recession, gum grafting is the only way to fix it. To learn more about gum grafting, check out our articles What to Expect From Gum Grafting & Cost and The Gum Grafting Healing Stages.
4. Choose the Right Size Toothbrush Head
Choosing the right size and type of toothbrush head is important to the electric toothbrush benefits. If you have a smaller mouth or it’s hard to open, then you should be using a smaller toothbrush head. There are also different types of bristles for sensitive teeth and gums and if your teeth have tight or gapped teeth.
The American Dental Association recommends that you change your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. Once your bristles start to display outward and become frayed, it’s time to change. It’s also very important to always use a soft-bristled toothbrush head. Medium and firm bristles will permanently damage the gums and lead to recession.
5. Electric Toothbrush Routine
6. Pair With the Right Tools For You
Using an electric toothbrush will only mechanically remove food, stain, plaque, and bacteria from two-thirds of the tooth’s surface. In order to get the most out of the electric toothbrush benefits, pair your brushing with other dental tools to boost your oral health. These include:
- Floss: No matter what type of floss you choose to use, flossing is important to clean the remaining one-third of the teeth that the toothbrush can’t reach.
- Check out our articles Floss vs Floss Picks, Floss Dental Care Tips, and 4 Floss Alternatives.
- Water Flosser: A water flosser is a great way to clean in between the teeth and deep into the gum pockets. Check out the article Our Guide to Water Flossing to learn more.
- Toothpaste: Choosing the right toothbrush for your smile is the best partner for your electric toothbrush. You can even you different types of toothpaste for your morning and evening routine.
Are Electric Toothbrush Better than Manual
Electric Toothbrush versus Manual
Powered toothbrushes remove and fight bacteria more efficiently compared to manual brushes. Daily use will prevent staining and keep your teeth white. The Journal of Clinical Periodontology conducted a study over 11 years and found that powered toothbrushes resulted in 22% less gum recession and 18% less tooth decay.
A simple switch in toothbrushes while following these 6 tips above is the best way to get all the electric toothbrush benefits for your smile. Your dentist and dental hygienist can help you find what type of electric toothbrush will work best for you and your smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to use electric toothbrush everyday?
Yes! In order to get the full electric toothbrush benefits, it’s important to use it 2 times a day for 2 minutes. This includes brushing once in the morning and once in the evening. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well.
What are the pros and cons of an electric toothbrush?
The pros of using an electric toothbrush every day include more plaque removal, increased bacteria control, decrease gum inflammation, more prevention of discolored teeth, and increased stain removal. It’s also easier for people who have dexterity issues who have trouble holding a toothbrush. The only cons to having an electric toothbrush are the increased initial cost for one and the need to charge it every once in a while.
Take Home Smile Store
Visit our Take Home Smile store for educational brochures and other fun printables to help with oral hygiene. All products can be customized to fit your dental needs.
