How to Choose an Electric Toothbrush

We all know that brushing your teeth is essential for good oral hygiene, but there are so many different kinds of toothbrushes out there, it can be hard to choose one! While manual toothbrushes work just fine, many people are choosing to use electric or powered toothbrushes because they can help maximize the effectiveness of daily brushing. Electric toothbrushes can also be useful for people with arthritis or other conditions that make holding a toothbrush more difficult.

Because electric toothbrushes have certain features that manual toothbrushes don’t, it can still be pretty hard to choose a toothbrush even once you’ve decided you want an electric one. Luckily, we’re here to explain some of the different options you have when looking for your new toothbrush.

Features of Electric Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes have lots of features to help make brushing your teeth easier & more effective. For example, most electric toothbrushes have a built-in timer that lets you know when you’ve been brushing for two minutes, & many also have a system that vibrates or beeps every 30 seconds, so you know it’s time to switch to a different part of your mouth. This feature can help you make sure you’re cleaning all of your teeth equally.

Some electric toothbrushes even have smart systems that can let you know if you’re brushing too hard—others will actually slow down their rotations or vibrations to make sure you don’t damage your teeth!

The Two Main Types of Electric Toothbrushes

One of the first things to decide is whether you want a rotating-oscillating toothbrush or a sonic toothbrush. In rotating-oscillating toothbrushes, as the name suggests, the brush head cleans your teeth by rotating in circles or oscillating back & forth. In sonic toothbrushes, on the other hand, the brush head vibrates rapidly in order to loosen plaque & clean your teeth.

Studies have shown that both rotating-oscillating & sonic toothbrushes are effective in removing plaque, although rotating-oscillating toothbrushes tended to slightly outperform sonic ones. Rotating-oscillating brushes also tended to be favored by people with sensitive teeth & gums, although many people love the clean feel they get from their sonic toothbrushes.

What if I Want to Change My Toothbrush After I’ve Bought It?

The commitment of a more permanent electric toothbrush may seem daunting, but it’s important to remember that just because you buy an electric toothbrush, doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the same brush forever. You still have to replace the toothbrush head every three months, & most electric toothbrushes have a variety of different heads you can pick from, which means you still have options even after you’ve bought your toothbrush. So if you want to focus more on your gum health, whitening your teeth or treating your teeth sensitivity, there’s probably a specific toothbrush head made just for you!