Electric VS Manual Toothbrushes: Winner for Getting Your Teeth Clean
There is a humongous controversy out there on which is better for your oral hygiene when it comes to manual brushing of your teeth vs. using an electric toothbrush. Today we’re going to get somewhat to the bottom of that. Once we do, we’ll let you decide which one you want to go with, because they’re both effective ways of removing plaque and bacteria that can cause dental issues. Therefore, you want to pick which one is right for you.
Removing Plaque
As mentioned above, both manual and electric toothbrushes can remove plaque. Many scientific studies have proven that electric toothbrushes can actually remove more plaque than a manual toothbrush over a period of time. It’s best to get the type of electric toothbrushes with an oscillating head rather than just a vibrating one though, because they work even better at removing plaque according to this Cedar Falls dentist.
Manual toothbrushes do get the job done, and it’s pretty easier for most people to obtain (we’ll mention that later). While they do remove a little less plaque, you should be fine when it comes to brushing your teeth regularly (at least twice a day). Not only that, but manual toothbrushes are safe for toddlers and their teeth. Really, there’s no differences, but you just have to just have to make sure that they don’t brush too long, or swallow the toothpaste.
The Problems with The Two
Of course, we have to give some cons here, because people weight their decisions more on this, but at the same time, you have to see them to understand the conclusion. Electric toothbrushes normally cost a lot more, and some of them are upwards over two hundred dollars. Disposable ones even cost a lot more, whereas you can get a manual toothbrush for less than a dollar at most stores (or no more than a dollar or so if you know how to shop).
Aside from this, finding replacement parts like heads can be pretty expensive and it might be hard to know how to replace your toothbrush heads or where you can buy them from. Electric toothbrushes aren’t necessarily beneficial for everyone though, which is an important thing to consider. For example, a study of seniors on more than one occasion showed that electric toothbrushes versus manual toothbrushes had the same effect. This means that they aren’t always worth the extra cost.
Overbrushing
One thing to consider is that many people don’t brush their teeth long enough, or they brush them for too long. This is exceptionally more common with electric toothbrushes, as the two minutes isn’t actually required. Sure it helps, but anything more than that will actually cause you to strip more enamel from your teeth. When using an electric toothbrush, the fact that they clean more vigorously can make it a problem, and electric toothbrushes are messier along with the fact that not everyone likes the vibrating feeling (some people have sensitive nerve endings).
Conclusion
The truth is that there are benefits and downsides to both electric and manual toothbrushes, but whether you want to spend a couple hundred bucks over a dollar is totally up to you. The main fact is that they can both produce the same results, and what you end up paying for is the price of convenience. This doesn’t mean that electric toothbrushes are useless. If you’re wanting to switch, go for it. If you don’t, simply keep brushing manually.
About Christian Reynolds
Christian is the chief reporter, editor, and webmaster at Cleveland Leader. An aspiring news anchor, his hobbies outside of investigative reporting are golf, martinis, and adventure travel. If you have a scoop on any developing story, please contact him on this page.
