There is no doubt that electric toothbrushes are better for your oral health than manual brushes. There have been several studies and clinical trials that have proven so. That doesn’t mean that manual brushes are bad, they are just very difficult to use correctly and surprisingly, many adults don’t know how to use their toothbrushes properly!
Choosing an electric toothbrush can become quite difficult, especially because there are so many options out there for you to choose from.
Well, we are here to help, this guide will go over everything you need to know about electric toothbrushes and help guide you to picking the right one for you.
In Summary
It doesn’t make a big difference which electric brush you choose as long as it is from a reputable brand
Make sure you know exactly how you are supposed to use your electric toothbrush, they are all different
A 2-minute timer and a pressure sensor are key features when considering an electric toothbrush
Pick a brush you like and one that will inspire you to establish brushing into your daily routine most effectively
Our Electric Toothbrushes of Choice
SURI sustainable toothbrush
Our favourite electric toothbrush is the SURI sustainable toothbrush. It’s stylish, feels great, delivers a fantastic clean and most of all it’s practical enough that it makes brushing easy. The only downside is that they don’t have a pressure sensor but we have been told that one is coming in future models.
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000
For the most powerful clean, we would recommend the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000. The Sonic action is more powerful than the SURI brush mentioned above and this brush also has a pressure sensor in it as well.
It just doesn’t look as sleek as the SURI and the charging and storage of this brush isn’t as practical as SURI.
Different types of electric toothbrushes
There are 3 types of electric toothbrushes available to buy that you must know about.
Vibrating brushes - ignore these
These brushes are the ones powered by a AA or AAA battery. They are very cheap and people end up thinking they are using a proper electric brush. They are rubbish. The battery just makes the whole brush vibrate making you feel like you’re using an electric brush but that’s not how a good electric brush is supposed to work.
The real magic of electric brushes is how the individual bristles on the brush head are moving, not the vibrations of the brush itself.
Oscillating brushes - (Oral B)
These brushes come with a small round head and the bristles move in short sharp circular motions. The biggest brand that makes oscillating brushes is Oral-B.
These brushes tend to make more of a rattling noise, are a bit softer on your teeth and easier to navigate around tight corners of your mouth such as around your wisdom teeth.
Sonic brushes - (Philips and most other newer brands)
The bristles on a sonic brush vibrate at an extremely high frequency but don’t move around on the brush head itself. The brush head is usually a bit broader and the brush makes more of a buzzing sound.
The most common brand of sonic brushes is Philips Sonicare. SURI is the new up-and-coming brand that creates sonic brushes.
These brushes are usually sleeker and more powerful in their action leading to more foaming and a fresher feel after brushing your teeth.
Sonic vs Oscillating toothbrushes - which is better?
There is no conclusive evidence to suggest which of these two options is better. Both will do a good job of removing plaque from your teeth which is what brushing your teeth meant to be about.
There are some differences between the two types that may swing you one way or another.
Sonic brushes tend to give you a ‘tickling’ feeling so if people are sensitive they may not like it, although you get used to this quickly
Oscilating brushes make a louder rattling sound so are usually not as quiet, whereas sonic brushing makes a buzzing sound that isn’t as intrusive
Oral B is the major brand in the oscillating brush category and their design isn’t as sleek as new brush brands
The brush heads of oscillating brushes can be a bigger and not as comfortable feeling, particularly with the newer Oral-B models
How to use an electric toothbrush properly
You will only get the benefits of using an electric toothbrush if you use it properly, and most adults in the UK do not know how to use their electric brush correctly.
Using an electric brush is different to using a manual brush and also you need to change your technique depending on what kind of brush you are using.
How to use a Philips Sonicare brush properly
“Slide and glide” The powerful sonic action of a Philips toothbrush means that you have to do very little movement of your brush. The bristles of the toothbrush will vibrate and clean the surfaces of your teeth themselves.
Wet your toothbrush bristles
Apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
Palce the bristles against your gumline at a 45-degree angle (where the tooth and gum meet)
Power on
Slowly slide your brush forwards and backwards along the gumline of 3-4 teeth for a few seconds
Move on to the next 3-4 teeth
Keep repeating until you have covered all of your teeth
Instructions on Philips Sonicare website
How to use a SURI toothbrush properly
“Modified Bass Technique” The sonic action of the SURI toothbrush is not as powerful as the Philips so you need to use a technique known as the modified Bass technique. This is also how you would use a manual toothbrush.
Wet your toothbrush bristles
Apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
Palce the bristles against your gumline at a 45-degree angle (where the tooth and gum meet)
Power on
make small gentle circles with your toothbrush, cleaning 1-2 teeth at a time for a few seconds
Move on to the next 1-2 teeth
Keep repeating until you have covered all of your teeth
Instructions on the SURI website
How to use an oscilating toothbrush (Oral-B) properly
The oscilating action of an Oral-B toothbrush does most of the work for you and these brushes are probably the eaiest of them all to use.
Wet your toothbrush bristles
Apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
Palce the bristles against your gumline at a 45-degree angle (where the tooth and gum meet)
Power on
Make very small up and down strokes cleaning 1 tooth at a time for a few seconds
Move on to the next tooth
Keep repeating until you have covered all of your teeth
How to maintain your electric toothbrush
It’s important to keep your electric toothbrush clean and look after the mechanics to make sure they last a long time. Below are some general tips that apply to all of the brushes mentioned on this page.
Charge your brush fully when you buy it and then ideally only charge it again when the battery is close to empty, this is the healthiest way to look after the battery of the toothbrush
Remove the brush head and rinse the brush and head with water after each use
Give your brush a quick towel dry after rinsing to prevent water and limescale build-up
Replace your brush heads every 3 months
Keep your brush in a travel case when packing it in a bag or taking away from the house
Chat with our dentists about electric toothbrushes
If you have any more questions about electric toothbrushes, it could be more about the products, how to use them or if you need help figuring out which one you should buy, click the button below to speak to one of our dentists.