How to Use an Electric Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush is an effective oral hygiene tool, reducing staining and gum disease, and motivating you to brush your teeth thoroughly. Using an electric toothbrush takes some getting used to because the action isn't all controlled by your hand. Instead, the bristles move on their own to give your teeth a deep cleaning.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Use an electric toothbrush if you have poor manual dexterity, or if you have little motivation to brush your teeth. Even without much manual dexterity, you can clean all of your teeth with an electric toothbrush.

2. Apply toothpaste to the electric toothbrush. The head of an electric toothbrush is usually a little smaller than a manual toothbrush, but you should still use the same amount of toothpaste.

3. Insert the toothbrush into your mouth and turn it on. If you turn it on outside your mouth, the toothpaste may fall off.

4. Cover all of the surfaces of your teeth with the toothbrush and brush slowly. You don't need to use the typical scrubbing action, since the movement of the brush does that for you. Apply only light pressure and let the brush do the work while you guide it. Pushing the bristles against your teeth has the potential to damage enamel and the toothbrush.

5. Control the toothbrush around your gum line. If the bristles rub too much against your gums, they'll probably bleed, even if they're perfectly healthy. As you practice with the electric toothbrush, you learn how to control the brush more effectively.

6. Turn the toothbrush off when you're done brushing your teeth. Rinse it thoroughly and return it to its charger.

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[Amin]

on 5/4/2008 Never wet your toohbrush before placing the toohpaste. Also spread the toothpaste evenly on the upper and lower outside surfaces of the front teeth before switching on.
A mirror helps to use the brush better.

[robwilkinson]

on 2/17/2008 Crest recently came out with a disposable battery (2 AA cells) electric toothbrush and can be purchased at Wal-Mart stores for about $6.00 (on sale). The replacement heads (2 to a package) cost about the same. During my last check-up, the hygienist asked me if I used an electric toothbrush; since I usually don't go to a dentist unless I need to (bad practice...use the regular every-three-or-six-month checkups) I told her "No". It had been about 4 years since I had a check-up; my previous check-up was about 6 years. The hygienist checked out my gums and for plaque, the prime plaque-gathering spots being around your molars, since that's where your salivary glands are located...behind the molars. At my age (60 years old) gum problems are more prevalent than decay...an age thing + how well you brush your gums and floss - me, I floss every other day, but daily is best. On both occasions, hygi