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Generally, yes. An electric toothbrush has the right brushing motion built in, so all you do is guide it around each tooth. Research backs this up: in a large review, people using one had about 21 percent less plaque and 11 percent less gum inflammation after three months or more. A manual brush can still do the job with good technique.
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Answered by the team at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Full transcript of the video answer on whether an electric toothbrush is really better than a manual one, given by Amber-Lee, IRDH, at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Question: Is an Electric Toothbrush Really Better Than a Manual One?
“An electric toothbrush generally tends to be better than a manual one. They have the perfect method built into them, so they already know what to do. When you use them, instead of going side to side, you go around the tooth, and you let it do its job, and you move from tooth to tooth to tooth.”
Cochrane, a group that reviews medical evidence, looked at 56 trials comparing powered and manual brushes in 2014. Over three months or more, powered brushes cut plaque by about 21 percent and gingivitis by about 11 percent. It is a helpful difference and not a dramatic one. The authors said how much this matters to your health over time is still unclear.
Most people use an electric brush like a manual one and scrub back and forth. It works better if you hold it on one tooth for a moment, follow the curve around it, then move to the next. Do not press. Spend two minutes in total, and use a soft brush head.
An electric brush is a good fit if you have stiff hands or arthritis, if you press too hard with a manual brush, or if you tend to rush. Built-in timers and pressure sensors help with both of those habits.
If you brush well with a soft manual brush and your gums are healthy, you do not need to replace it. A cheap brush used properly beats an expensive one used badly.
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