Brushing your teeth is important and an integral part of your daily routine, and hopefully so! In order to maintain optimal oral hygiene and prevent nasty dental issues, professionals recommend brushing your teeth twice daily. For the majority of us, the first toothbrush that we have ever used would be a manual toothbrush and through our daily usage, we have undoubtedly grown to love and become accustomed to manual toothbrushes. However, as with the many things in our lives – a better house, a better car, the question of upgrading to a better toothbrush would have most definitely come across your mind. But what constitutes a right toothbrush and how should you decide?
Types of Toothbrushes – Which is the best?
In general, there are three types of toothbrushes: Manual, Electric, and Sonic. Amongst the three, there are various factors that determine which would be the best fit for you, and quite literally, make powerful improvements to your brushing habits.
Manual Toothbrush
Your familiar, trusty companion that won’t fail. Manual toothbrushes perform fairly well if you know what you’re doing and you might think that you do. After all, it’s something most of us have done all our lives. However, a global study found that out of its 15,000 respondents, only 53% brush their teeth twice a day, and 35% brush for a full two minutes. Between all the different techniques, timings, and a mundane routine, how can you be sure that you’re doing the best for your teeth?
A manual toothbrush’s greatest advantage is quite obviously, its price. But being fully manual also means that its cleaning power depends on your own power to brush your teeth. Oftentimes, in a bid to generate more power, many tend to brush too vigorously, leading to overbrushing, sensitive teeth and receding gums. Too little power and you risk not cleaning your teeth well. Ultimately, a manual toothbrush’s affordability coupled with the proper brushing techniques and habits might be your best option.
Electric Toothbrush
The next step-up in the competition. Electric toothbrushes offer more cleaning power due to how they function. Typically, electric toothbrushes clean your teeth by rotating and oscillating their bristles. This creates small brush strokes in different directions and produces as many as ten times (2,500 – 7,5000 strokes per minute) more brush strokes compared to manual toothbrushes.
While you do not need to focus on the motion of stroking while brushing, you still have to glide, position, and move the toothbrush along as well as employ the proper techniques in order for it to work best.
Needless to say, electric toothbrushes are pricier than manual toothbrushes. However, there are plenty of entry-level offerings that are priced affordably, making it a sound choice for those looking for a value-for-money option or for first-timers trying out.
Sonic Toothbrush
The behemoth of toothbrushes. Sonic toothbrushes are essentially electric toothbrushes, with even better cleaning power and effectiveness. Sonic toothbrushes vibrate at more than 30,000 brushes per minute and rely on high-velocity speeds and high-frequency sound waves to break up plaque. A six-month study concluded that sonic toothbrushes proved significantly more successful at removing plaque, reducing gingivitis, and improving tooth and gum health.
Additionally, sonic toothbrushes offer a secondary type of cleaning related to an effect called fluid dynamics. The much higher rate of brushes per minute drives the fluids in your mouth between teeth through hard-to-reach places (between your teeth and along your gum line) so all you need to do is gently glide it along all surfaces of your teeth and the brush will do the rest. The ease of usage also makes it an ideal choice for users with limited mobility in their hands and arms.
Contrary to popular belief, sonic toothbrushes do not have to cost an arm and a leg. While it is true that most sonic toothbrushes in the market come with a hefty price tag, they tend to go over the top, overloading the toothbrush with functions that users do not practically need. A good choice to consider would be Mola’s Sonic+ Toothbrush which offers all of the essential functions (including a Custom Mode!) you will need in a sonic toothbrush at an affordable entry-level price point. Learn more about Mola Sonic+ Toothbrush here.
Does the type of toothbrush really matter?
There is really no straightforward answer when it comes to the question of “Which is the best?”. Just as every individual is unique, so are their mouths and teeth. There is no right or wrong in choosing a certain type (even if you decide to continue using a manual toothbrush!) of toothbrush as long as you are brushing and cleaning diligently.
We hope that after reading, you’ll be one step closer to making an informed decision when evaluating the different types of toothbrushes and settle on a toothbrush that caters to your specific needs and preferences.
After all, the best toothbrush is one that you’ll enjoy using every day and help you cultivate the best oral practices to achieve peak dental and oral hygiene.