3 Key Benefits of an Electric Toothbrush

Properly brushing your teeth is the most important aspect of protecting your oral health. The equipment you choose can affect how effectively you clean your teeth, removing plaque and food debris.

While a manual toothbrush works well with proper technique, an electric toothbrush provides superior cleaning power. However, even an electric toothbrush may not work as well if you misuse it.

Benefit #1: Improve Plaque Removal

Researchers find that electric toothbrushes have more cleaning power than manual ones. The rotating or vibrating brushes effectively break up plaque and food debris, removing them from your teeth.

Benefit #2: Lower Chance of Gum Disease

Better plaque removal leads to less tartar formation along the gumline. Tartar or calculus, a hard substance formed from plaque, food, and bacterial waste, causes gum disease.

Benefit #3: Improve Oral and Overall Health

When you keep your teeth cleaner, your oral health will improve. In addition to a lower chance of gum disease, you will have a reduced chance of tooth decay. Both gum disease and tooth decay significantly contribute to tooth loss later in life.

You will have a brighter smile and fresher breath since electric toothbrushes work better on surface stains.

Manual vs. Electric Toothbrushes

Manual toothbrushes:

• Remove plaque and food from tooth surfaces
• Inexpensive
• Require no power or batteries
• Less effective at removing plaque at the gum line and between teeth

Electric toothbrushes:

• Increased plaque and food removal
• Reach hidden areas to remove embedded plaque and debris
• A small investment in an electric toothbrush pays off with better lifelong oral health and lower dental costs
• Rechargeable toothbrushes are more environmentally friendly and produce less plastic waste

How to Brush Your Teeth With an Electric Toothbrush

Many patients mistakenly believe that an electric toothbrush can shorten the time they need to care for their teeth. Following proper technique is necessary to reap the benefits of an electric toothbrush.

Follow these steps to brush your teeth:

Use Approved Fluoride Toothpaste

Use an ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste. Even babies and toddlers need fluoride toothpaste when they have their first teeth. Your dentist may recommend a different toothpaste based on your oral health.

Replace Your Brush Regularly

Replace your toothbrush head every three months or when the bristles splay out. Using a worn-out toothbrush will ineffectively remove plaque.

Brush for Two Minutes

Even with an electric toothbrush, you need to brush for two minutes. Divide your mouth into upper and lower, left and right, and spend equal time in each section.

Pay Attention to the Gumline

Holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gum where it meets the tooth surfaces will help you remove more plaque before it can form tartar.

Floss Daily

Always follow one daily brushing session with flossing. Flossing removes accumulated plaque and food particles from between the teeth and below the gumline, protecting your oral health.

Home Oral Care Prevents Future Problems

If you take good care of your teeth at home, you will experience fewer cavities and have a lower risk of gum disease. You will spend less on costly restorations like crowns, bridges, and implants, lowering your lifetime dental expenses.

If you have children, guide them to practice excellent oral hygiene. Help them brush and floss when they are younger and ensure they can complete the task independently. Properly teaching your child to use an electric toothbrush can maximize oral health outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Brushing

Does an electric toothbrush make brushing faster?

Even though an electric toothbrush speeds up plaque removal, you must brush for two minutes. Set a timer and go over each surface, angling your brush to catch plaque on the tooth surfaces and at the gumline.

If I use an electric toothbrush, do I still have to floss?

An electric toothbrush does not replace flossing. Even if your toothbrush has "floss action" bristles, you must floss to ward off gum disease and tooth decay. You can choose standard floss, floss picks, or a water flosser.

Call Fallin Family Dentistry

An electric toothbrush can improve oral health only if used as directed. If you have any questions or concerns about home oral care, your dentist and hygienist want to help. Please call our Zachary, LA, office at 225-654-2212 to schedule your appointment today.