3 Key Benefits of an Electric Toothbrush

Do you brush your teeth with a manual toothbrush? Brushing is important to remove food particles and plaque from your teeth, and a manual toothbrush can do a pretty good job. Unfortunately it leaves a lot of room for error. It’s easy to miss spots and brush too hard or not hard enough. 

These days dentists are recommending brushing with an electric toothbrush for best results. Why? Because there are distinct advantages when it comes to your dental health. Consider these 3 key benefits of an electric toothbrush. 

1. Reach Difficult Areas.

An electric toothbrush can help you reach all of the easy to miss places on your teeth. When you move your manual toothbrush in various motions and directions, you are attempting to access all areas of your teeth to scrub off food particles and plaque. An electric toothbrush does the scrubbing for you. All you have to do is move it around your mouth to reach all of your teeth and it does the work. Some electric toothbrushes move back and forth, some rotate, and others do both. You can more easily reach the back of the farthest molars without limited range of motion.

2. Remove More Plaque.

With moving and rotating bristles, an electric toothbrush can remove more plaque than a manual toothbrush. It moves faster and has more power than a manual toothbrush in all the right ways. It allows you to brush longer without your arm getting tired, which leads to better plaque removal. It can also scrub along the gumline better than a manual toothbrush, removing the plaque that collects along and under the gums that can cause gum disease and tooth decay.

3. Apply Appropriate Pressure.

Did you know that brushing too hard can actually damage your teeth and gums? When you brush too hard for too long you can actually wear the enamel off your teeth, which can never be completely restored. The enamel is the hard, outside layer of your teeth that protects against decay. Your teeth can also become more sensitive as a result of the enamel thinning and exposing pores leading to the nerve inside the tooth. 

Brushing too hard can also damage your gums. The gum tissue is sensitive and can be easily irritated and inflamed, which can lead to gum disease, an infection of the gum tissue. If your gums bleed when you brush, you may be brushing too hard or you may be suffering from gum disease already. An electric toothbrush help you avoid damaging your gums when you brush. 

Best Electric Toothbrush Brands

If you’re considering getting an electric toothbrush, there are certain brands that dentists recommend most. 

• Oral B.

Ask your dentist which electric toothbrush they recommend. 

Oakdale Dental Recommends Using an Electric Toothbrush Between Visits

In between your twice yearly dental cleanings, you can keep your teeth clean and remove more plaque if you use an electric toothbrush. An electric toothbrush resembles the tool your dentist uses to clean and polish your teeth, which is why it is so effective. It’s like getting a professional cleaning every time you brush. 

Are you due for a dental cleaning? Call Oakdale Dental Associates today at 413-536-1782 to schedule or request an appointment.