Whether you use an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush, brushing your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day, is essential if you want to maintain good oral health. Research suggests that these two forms of toothbrushes are equally effective when used properly (source), so it’s up to you to decide which one best fits your personal preferences. If you’ve been shopping around, however, debating whether you ought to invest in an electric model or not, take a moment to review the benefits of using an electric toothbrush, and find out why so many people adore this new-fangled dental technology.
Benefits of Using an Electric Toothbrush
They do the work for you.
Let’s start with the most obvious benefit: electric toothbrushes brush your teeth for you. Although you will need to guide the brush around your mouth, you don’t have to worry about moving the brush back and forth. This isn’t one of the most valuable benefits of using an electric toothbrush, but it’s certainly convenient.
They include timers to ensure you brush for two minutes.
Most electric toothbrushes include a timer function, which is automatically set to 30 seconds per quadrant of the mouth. After 30 seconds have passed, the toothbrush will notify you that it’s time to switch to a different quadrant. Not only does this ensure that you brush your teeth for a full two minutes each time, but it also sees to it that you brush each section of your teeth for an equal amount of time.
They prevent you from brushing too hard.
Has your dentist or dental hygienist ever told you that you brush too hard? Vigorous brushing can damage the health of your gums. Helpfully, some electric toothbrushes use pressure sensors to prevent you from being too forceful. If you brush too hard, the toothbrush will simply stop working; when you ease up on the pressure, it will start again.
They help people with arthritis or poor dexterity.
If you suffer from arthritis, poor dexterity, or a similar problem, you might find it difficult to perform the cleaning actions of tooth brushing. Some people even find it painful to manually move a toothbrush around the mouth and brush it back and forth. If this sounds like you, consider investing in an electric toothbrush and relying on the brush’s technology to clean your teeth. It could be especially beneficial if you dread brushing your teeth, and thus don’t brush as often as you should or brush your teeth very quickly. With an electric toothbrush taking care of the chore, you have no reason to avoid or rush through brushing your teeth.
They can excite lazy brushers and children.
If you’re somewhat of a “lazy brusher,” you might find an electric toothbrush more effective. While most people make about 300 brushstrokes per minute when manually brushing, an electric toothbrush can make thousands of strokes per minute! (source) Plus, the small head of an electric toothbrush makes it easy to squeeze into nooks and crannies that are often missed. In addition, if your kids are less than enthusiastic about their oral health, consider purchasing them electric toothbrushes. Many children find them fun and easy to use when compared with manual toothbrushes.
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Although they cost more than manual toothbrushes and they must be charged regularly, electric toothbrushes are adored by many people these days. Have the benefits of using an electric toothbrush convinced you to purchase one? Whatever you decide, be sure to keep brushing regularly (for at least two minutes, twice a day) and visit your dentist every six months for a check-up.
Speaking of which, if you need a new dentist, schedule an appointment with Duff Family Dental if you live in the Springfield, Missouri, area. In addition to general dentistry services, we offer veneers, teeth whitening, dental implants, and much more. Call us at 417-501-8601 or schedule an appointment today!