What sort of electric toothbrush should I buy? I get asked this question A LOT. So I’ll try to keep the answer nice and simple and break it up into two parts
1) Adults
a) Circular motion - look for a toothbrush that rotates in circles, as most electric toothbrushes do. However some will simply vibrate, or move from side to side. These should be avoided as they may increase the chance of gum-wear or “toothbrush abrasion”
b) Soft bristles - look for the softest bristles you can. Sometimes these are labelled as “sensitive” bristles, but, as above, this will help limit the effects of wear and abrasion.
c) Pressure sensor - this will often involve a feature which beeps, vibrates, flashes red or stops the toothbrush from rotating if you press too hard. if you were to look for one feature which may add to the price of the toothbrush, this would be it. Often toothbrushes with this feature will be priced at $50 or more, but in the long-run it will also help limit the effects of gum and tooth wear.
A pressure sensor on an electric toothbrush
2) Kids - as long as the bristles are soft, kids rarely press too hard to have tooth and gum wear. So really choosing a toothbrush that is “fun” is super-important to get them into the habit of brushing. Think Frozen, sparkly looking, Star Wars themed etc. Some may even sing a little tune!
As an extra point, electric toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes will do the same job when used correctly. However some kids (and adults) will spend longer with an electric toothbrush if they enjoy brushing with it. Electric toothbrushes can also be great for some elderly patients with decreasing dexterity.
Hope this has been helpful and thanks for reading :)
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