Are Electric Toothbrushes Better Than Regular Toothbrushes?

Medical Video: Electric vs. Manual Toothbrushes: Which to Choose?

Modern toothbrushes like the one we use today were first created in the late 1930s. Some improvements and improvisations have been made on toothbrush designs since then, but the original concept has never changed. Until the 1990s, electric toothbrushes came to shake the world as a popular and pain-free alternative to the manual version.

Is one version of this modern toothbrush really superior to the others?

Excess ordinary toothbrush

1. Effectively cleanse teeth, if done with the right technique.

Brushing your teeth properly is only takes two minutes and you are guaranteed to achieve optimal oral and dental hygiene with just an ordinary toothbrush, and you don't have to worry about wrong actions because everything is controlled manually.

You can adjust how much pressure you use when you hold a toothbrush. This is useful to help you avoid putting too much pressure on your teeth. Excessive pressure on the teeth can erode the tooth enamel, cause pain, increase tooth sensitivity, and increase the risk of tooth decay.

With the electric model, the pressure strength is regulated by the engine and you cannot adjust according to your needs.

2. Cheap and practical

With a manual toothbrush, all you really need is a brush head cover - some manual toothbrush products on the market are equipped with this feature. You don't have to worry about bothering to buy a spare battery or forget about carrying a charger in an emergency.

Manual toothbrushes are relatively cheap and can be obtained anywhere, even in a shop near home or free of charge as a "souvenir" of a dentist's monthly visit. To remember, you must regularly change your toothbrush every three months.

3. Many product variations

Manual toothbrushes are available in several choices of models with various functions, type of bristles, head shape, and colors that you freely choose at will. You can choose a soft toothbrush if your teeth are sensitive, and a small brush head if your mouth is small. Some brands of manual toothbrushes also provide children's versions of the same functions and models.

In short, you will never run out of choices with a manual toothbrush.

Lack of ordinary toothbrushes

1. Need extra energy and time

Manual toothbrush depends on the user to be able to effectively clean the plaque on the teeth. In addition to understanding the effective tooth brushing technique, you also need to move the brush back and forth in your mouth to clean your teeth. The problem is, if you are chased time, you will tend to carelessly brush your teeth - which makes it actually ineffective.

In addition, a manual toothbrush also requires you to estimate how long you brush your teeth (unless you use a timer), and sometimes forget yourself, thus risking tooth decay due to exfoliating the enamel.

The advantages of an electric toothbrush

1. Suitable for children and people who have limited mobility

With an electric toothbrush, all you need to do is position the brush at an angle of 45º and let the brush work on its own.

Electric toothbrushes can be a tool that facilitates daily routines for people who have difficulty using their hands, for example for the elderly and those who have arthritis. If your dentist finds that you are not effective enough to clean your mouth and teeth with a manual toothbrush, he can suggest you move to an electric toothbrush.

What's more, children who are vulnerable to fuss and are lazy to brush their teeth can you "flirt" to use an electric toothbrush. Most children rarely brush their teeth just for reasons of being lazy or unwilling. Electric toothbrush provides easy and fun tooth brushing sessions without having to waste a lot of energy - sshh ... Applies to those of you who are lazy, you know!

2. Effectively reduces plaque and gingivitis

Compared to ordinary toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes have been proven to reduce plaque by 21 percent more and reduce the risk of gingivitis (gum inflammation) by 11 percent - while increasing gum health - after 3 months of routine use especially when using an electric toothbrush that uses the rotation oscillation feature (brush bristles rotate at once back and forth).

3. There is a timer and no need to rub too hard to make it cleaner

If you tend to brush your teeth too hard, the risk is that the teeth will be easily damaged. Therefore, an electric toothbrush will make it easier for you to adjust the softness of the pressure on the gums and teeth, while also cleaning at the same time.

Many of the electric toothbrush products have a built-in timer that will stop the brush rotation automatically once the time runs out. That way, the risk of brushing too long and too hard which can damage teeth will be avoided.

Lack of electric toothbrushes

1. Costs that are enough to drain the bag

To get an electric toothbrush, you are required to dig deeper, compared to a manual toothbrush. The electric toothbrush head also needs to be replaced as often as possible, just like a manual toothbrush. Unfortunately, many of these backup electric toothbrush heads are sold separately. Be prepared to provide additional fees.

Electric toothbrushes can also lull you into fake success. You might feel like you've brushed better because you spent tens to hundreds of thousands for an electric toothbrush - but in fact, not necessarily.

What's more, even though the size of an electric toothbrush can be twice as large as an ordinary toothbrush, they are also fragile. If you drop the brush, or are damaged for some reason (outside the warranty), the cost of replacing the brush is enough to make the wallet thinner.

2. Not practical

Electric toothbrushes tend to have a larger size, making them difficult to store in bags or luggage when traveling. In addition, you also need to provide an emergency backup battery and you should not forget to carry a charger wherever you go with your toothbrush.

At home, you must first charge the brush battery before you can use it, or instead your toothbrush is not a wireless version and requires you to plug it in to the nearest power outlet.

3. Increase the number of bacteria in the blood

Some studies have found that using an electric toothbrush can increase the number of bacteria in the bloodstream, exceeding manual toothbrushes. Of course, this will not pose a risk for people who are healthy and have excellent immunity. But, it can increase the chances of the risk of getting a potentially dangerous infection to the heart for people who have certain heart conditions.

In the end, whether it's an electric toothbrush or a manual, the choice goes back to each preference. What's more important is how you use your toothbrush. Make sure you brush your teeth with soft bristles and fluoridated toothpaste for two minutes, twice a day.