Electric Toothbrush Recommendations
Several types of electric toothbrushes are on the market today, and the invention has come a long way from the 1960s when the brush basically was a regular toothbrush that rapidly moved up and down. Despite all the innovations, almost all electric toothbrushes still do not work any better than a manual one does.
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Identification
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Today we have electric toothbrushes that vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies, have sets of bristles that move one way and then another, have heads that move from side to side, or have heads that rotate. With all these electric toothbrushes available, it turns out only one type provides any benefit over a manual brush--the rotation oscillation brush, the type that dentists use.
Features
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The rotation oscillation type is a round brush with bristles that rotate in one direction and then change to the other. When used correctly, this movement provides a better cleaning than any other toothbrush. It is more effective at removing plaque from hard-to-reach areas, which is important because this sticky material turns into tartar if not removed quickly enough. Tartar causes tooth decay and gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis. Gingivitis can eventually turn into periodontal disease.
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Benefits
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A Great Britain research project published in 2005 found that a rotation oscillation brush removed about 11 percent more plaque over three months than a manual brush did, and also was about 6 percent more effective at reducing gingivitis. After more than three months, gingivitis was reduced 17 percent. The brush proved to be more effective at removing plaque on back molars and between teeth, as well as under the gum line. The project reviewed 42 studies since 1964 with more than 3,800 total participants, and it was published in The Cochrane Library.
Researchers called the benefits "modest" and said longer-term studies must be conducted to learn if benefits increase over time.
Considerations
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The rotation oscillation brush provides a distinct benefit for people with conditions such as arthritis that cause pain in hands and wrists. People who find toothbrushing to be a painful activity likely will not do it often enough or effectively enough, and this goes for flossing, as well. People with limited mobility due to multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders also may have better success with an electric brush.
Warning
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Some research shows that electric toothbrush users do not brush as carefully and thus do not get any extra benefits. It appears that sometimes the novelty of the brush wears off, and users get lazy, expecting the powered brush to do all the work for them. These people probably will have worse results than those effectively using a manual brush.
No matter what brush is used, people still must floss at least once a day to remove food residue and plaque, because no brush can reach between teeth as effectively as floss.
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