Two minutes twice a day. That’s the golden toothbrushing standard. And the research is clear. Cleaning your teeth for a solid 120 seconds is proven to remove much more plaque and decay-causing bacteria than a mere 45.
Essentially, the longer you brush, the more food particles you get rid of and the more likely you are to hit those hard-to-reach areas. But could the brush you’re using have an impact on how effective your brushing sessions are?
After all, electric toothbrushes can vibrate, rotate, oscillate, and perform all kinds of complex movements that the human hand can’t hope to mimic. Are manual brushers truly at a disadvantage? Or are all those fancy automatic brushes just for show?
This week, we’re hosting a dental care showdown between electric and manual toothbrushes to see which is best for your smile. Who do you think will win?
Let’s find out!
Compared to all the settings and perks that come with an electric model, a manual toothbrush might seem a bit dull. But according to the ADA, they’ve been around for 5,000 years in one form or another. There’s a reason they’re still around and maintain their popularity status. Not only are they simple to use, they’re also easy to get your hands on. Nearly every grocery store, supermarket, pharmacy, and even gas station keeps manual toothbrushes in stock. But perhaps most importantly, they’re affordable. Whereas an electric toothbrush can run you anywhere from $10 to $300 or more, you can find a manual brush for as little as $0.99. Even if you could find a powered toothbrush for a comparable price, you’d probably have to make a serious sacrifice in quality, which is never a good thing when your smile’s at stake.
As reliable as manual toothbrushes are, they do come with a couple drawbacks. Compared to someone who uses an electric toothbrush, manual brushers are more likely to brush harder, which can lead to enamel abrasion and even erosion.
Also, since many electric models come with built-in timers, manual brushers may be at a disadvantage when it comes to brushing time. It’s harder to tell if you’ve brushed for the full two minutes without a timer, so you may unknowingly be cutting your sessions short. Try using your phone’s timer or a regular kitchen timer to see how long you usually brush, and bump it up to two minutes if you find yourself finishing too soon.
Nowadays, you can take your pick from a wide range of electric toothbrushes, from basic one-setting models to advanced ones with all the trimmings.
Let’s take a look at the benefits that come with these powered brushes:
Now, all these high-tech add-ons are cool, but it’s time to take the gloves off and ask the big question…
Aside from the glaring price difference we talked about earlier, the main issue you’ll likely run into is finding replacement heads for your electric brush. Depending on what kind you get, you may find that only certain stores carry new heads. This scarcity can make replacing them difficult if your store runs out of stock or if you go out of town and of course, battery-powered models mean you’ll need to take batteries with you wherever you go, unless you have a backup manual brush for traveling.
Overall, as the ADA says, the moral of the story is that – no matter what type of brush you use – you should brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
And as always, don’t forget to floss!