Why You Should Consider An Electric Toothbrush
Dental hygienist, Holly Gail, explains the benefits of an electric toothbrush.
The electric toothbrush is now widely found in households across the country. Although they feel very different initially, most people that have tried them do not switch back to a manual brush.
It is definitely possible to clean your teeth well with a manual brush, but we do feel that electric toothbrushes offer a better opportunity to have really clean teeth and gums.
As gum health is one of the key things that we look to improve, as dental hygienists, we not only perform routine procedures such as a ‘scale and polish’, but also like to arm our Greenwich patients with information they need to help them improve their own care.
Why an electric toothbrush?
It is true that there is an initial cost to buying an electric toothbrush, but, whilst they are nearly always more expensive than a manual brush, there are some very good ones available at a quite reasonable cost. We believe that the extra money is well worth spending for the benefits they can provide for your teeth and gums.
The shape of the electric toothbrush head means that it can access certain areas more easily than a manual brush. Providing that you change the heads regularly (approximately every three months or so), this alone should help improve the cleanliness of your mouth.
Using an electric toothbrush is arguably more fun. This probably doesn’t affect adults as much, but is a real benefit for children. Especially before bedtime, when tired, children are likely to give their teeth a half-hearted brushing. With an electric toothbrush, much of this work is done for the child, providing a better cleaning experience. We often find that children like brushing their teeth with an electric brush, and enjoy making different sounds as they clean!
It is also harder to damage the enamel of your teeth with an electric brush. Some people that we see at the Confidental Clinic, have a tendency to brush their teeth too vigorously and although done with the best of intentions, this often leads to the wearing down of the enamel. Once this has happened, tooth decay is more likely. Many electric toothbrushes have sensors which will cut out if too much pressure is applied.
One unexpected benefit is that most people are right handed and this often means that one side of the mouth gets more attention than the other. Because an electric toothbrush does much of the brushing, your teeth benefit from this more equally than if a manual brush were used.
Sufferers from arthritis and other conditions will also find that using an electric toothbrush is much easier and more comfortable.
The dental hygienist team at the Confidental Clinic is always happy to discuss ways of helping you have a healthy mouth and you may be surprised by what you can learn about your teeth and gums when you pay us a visit. Why not take the opportunity to improve the health of your mouth by calling either myself or Leanne at our Greenwich practice on 020 8858 1422 - we’ll be pleased to help!
Holly Gale is the dental hygienist at the Confidental Clinic (GDC 265078).