It may surprise you to know that some people have strong opinions about which type of toothbrush is the best: manual or electric. Is there one better than the other? At Love Your Smile in Kelowna, we think it really comes down to how you brush, not what type of brush you use.
Electric toothbrushes have been around since the 1960s. They first appeared in Switzerland, where they were invented. They caught on quickly, and have come a long way since then. With the modern electric toothbrush, there is a lot of choose from.
Those earliest electric toothbrushes did not have rechargeable batteries; you had to plug them in. That wasn’t really much of an issue, unless you like to walk away from the sink while you brush.
Rechargeable batteries are standard in most modern electric toothbrushes. In fact, they have features that those 1960s inventors probably never dreamed of. Some models have:
- Timers, so you can make sure you brush at least two minutes
- Digital alerts, to remind you it’s time for a new brush head
- Pressure sensors that tell you if you’re brushing too hard
- Multiple brush head capability, so different types fit
- Variable brushing features like pulsing and oscillating capability
Sonic
And then there’s the sonic toothbrush. Sonic toothbrushes take electric brushes to a whole new level. Toothbrush manufacturers consider them a subset of electric brushes, but we think they are in a class by themselves.
Sonic toothbrushes can deliver up to 40,000 strokes per minute. Compare that to an ordinary electric toothbrush, which deliver between 2,500 and 7,000 strokes per minute. That’s quite a difference. For some people, that’s over the top. But people who love them say that sonic toothbrushes out-perform any other type of toothbrush you can find.
But remember this: a manual toothbrush used properly does a fine job cleaning your teeth. You can always take it to the next level, but with a manual toothbrush you’re good to go.
At Love Your Smile in Kelowna, we want each of our patients to brush and floss their teeth twice a day. It’s the best way to ensure good dental health. Our services include restorative dentistry and smile design. Schedule an appointment with us today.
Contact Love Your Smile – Dr. Stephen Malfair:
250-860-8900
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
301-1890 Cooper Rd
Kelowna, British Columbia
V1Y 8B7
