Electric or Manual – Does The Toothbrush Make a Difference?

Ever feel that you’re bombarded with information that focuses on telling you what’s bad about this and why you should buy that?  Is it all marketing or is there a benefit to switching gadgets?  There are many tools, gadgets and paraphernalia that are designed to keep your mouth in tip top condition – from electric toothbrushes to airflossers – it’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest in dental equipment.  Are they all the same or does new technology win over old reliable methods of cleaning teeth?

Do You Love Your Toothbrush?

Calgary Dentists at Centennial Smiles Dental are happy to know that you love your toothbrush – regardless of whether it’s electric or manual.  Regular and effective brushing will always have a positive impact versus infrequent brushing with a fancy gadget.  Dental Plaque can’t win against regular brushing that lasts a full two minutes and cleans every surface of teeth – especially if it’s followed-up with some flossing that removes plaque trapped between teeth.  It’s the frequency of the action rather than the brush that will ultimately keep your mouth healthy.  But are there benefits to throwing out your manual toothbrush and upgrading to the latest electric version?

Can An Electric Toothbrush Make a Difference?

There’s no disputing the fact that for certain patients an electric toothbrush can make a big difference to their level of oral health.  One of the biggest differences is that an electric toothbrush is programmed to remain active for a desired length of time – a time that is needed to adequately clean teeth.  Beeping at certain intervals this style of toothbrush lets the patient know when to switch sides of the mouth and to keep brushing until the final beep.  Obviously someone can still switch the brush off when they want – but there is less of a tendency to do that once they get in to a brushing groove.  Another advantage is the way the head of an electric toothbrush moves and the frequency of movement – something that the human hand can’t achieve.  Aging patients and young patients learning to brush can benefit from the action of an electric brush, as a lack of dexterity that plagues both age groups often prevents them from effectively cleaning teeth.

Nothing Beats a Teeth Cleaning With a Hygienist

Dentists at Centennial Smiles Dental encourage patients to use a toothbrush they’re most comfortable with and that enables them to do a good job of keeping teeth clean.  Don’t’ get hung-up on manual versus electric as ultimately the best defense in removing plaque and calculus is a cleaning with a hygienist.  When it comes to dental tools and equipment your hygienist has everything that is required to remove plaque deposits from hard to reach places – like under gums and stuck between teeth.  Use a toothbrush that helps keep teeth clean – but don’t forget to see your hygienist regularly.

Need a dentist in Calgary – Centennial Smiles Dental welcome new patients to the practice – call today for an appointment (587) 317-7959