Should I Use an Electric Toothbrush or a Manual Toothbrush?

There are plenty of electric toothbrush styles on the market. Some are very expensive, and others, relying on battery power instead of a rechargeable power station for the toothbrush, are now much less expensive. The electric toothbrush that is solely battery powered may cost between $5-10 US Dollars (USD) or even less if you buy these in bulk from stores like Costco®. Conversely the manual toothbrush is cheaper, tends to be easier to clean, and is a bit more portable for traveling. So which is better?

If you have limited mobility issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis or advanced multiple sclerosis, it may be harder to brush you teeth with a manual toothbrush. Brushing teeth thoroughly requires two minutes of your time, and lots of action from arms, wrists and fingers. With an electric toothbrush, you’re likely to have to do less physical work in order to clean your teeth. Furthermore, limited mobility suggests that most people who use a manual style won’t brush their teeth as thoroughly or as long as needed, particularly if it’s painful to do so.

For the person who is not experiencing limited mobility problems, there’s a slight, and some say negligible difference between a manual and electric toothbrush. In fact a study performed by the University Dental Hospital in Manchester found only one type of electric toothbrush that works better than correct manual brushing. These were toothbrushes with rotation-oscillation, where the head uses short bursts of speeding spins in both clockwise and counterclockwise action.

Even with this type of electric toothbrush, differences in results weren’t huge. Rotation-oscillation brushes appeared to be 17% more effective at preventing gum disease. They also removed about 7% more plaque. Of the other electric toothbrushes tested, all were roughly equal, essentially no better or worse than manual toothbrushes.

If you are at risk for gum disease, or you do tend to accumulate a lot of plaque, using electric toothbrushes with rotation-oscillation heads may be for you. The most common brands to have this feature are Braun&reg:, and Oral-B®. You can go for the more expensive versions of these, or spend about $10 USD to get a battery powered one.

For those who are not suffering from limited mobility, and who have good gum health, and less plaque buildup, a manual toothbrush is a fine choice, or an inexpensive battery powered one. Just remember that choice of toothbrush doesn’t preclude you from getting twice yearly dental checkups and cleanings. These are just as important as regular at-home brushing.