There are so many people out there saying different things that one does not know what the truth is anymore. Are electric toothbrushes better than normal toothbrushes or do people just saying this to sell them?

First of let me say that I have gone to allot of dentist asking this exact question. The answer was indeed surprising. Some of them swore by electronic toothbrushes while other swore by normal toothbrushes. This just confused me, how can people that are supposed to be experts in their fields differ to such a huge extent. This fueled my search for the truth.

The ADA (American Dental Association) does not endorse either a normal toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. In fact, power and normal toothbrushes can have similar effects if used properly. Power toothbrushes do have a better maneuvering power, they can get around the gums and sides of teeth better and with less trouble. Power toothbrushes are also helps allot when it comes to plague removal. However, the decision-making factors for power or normal would be in cost and features that appeal to you the user.

The normal toothbrush is the brushing method most are used to but that does not mean that it is the best. The normal toothbrush has a plastic handle with nylon bristles on the head of the toothbrush. The normal toothbrush comes in many bristle styles and could have some special features that could appeal to its users.

The manual toothbrush can come in the following formats: crisscrossed, extra-long, multi-level bristles; polished, rounded bristle tips; textured bristles; cupped-bristle to enhance whitening; ergonomic handles with special grips; tapered or angled brush head; gum stimulators; and tongue cleaner pads.

The electric or power toothbrush on the other hand is part of the new wave of technology. The power toothbrush has a rechargeable battery case that can be plugged into any outlet so that you dont have to buy new batteries every time they run out. Many of the power toothbrush features are hi-tech and could promote better brushing habits.

Some of the hi-tech features of the power toothbrush include: various brushing modes, some for sensitive teeth or whitening and gum massaging features; pressure signals to indicate when brushing too hard; timers to time the length of brushing each quadrant of the mouth; digital reminders to alert when it is time to change toothbrush head; oscillating-rotating or sonic technology; and compatible brushing heads to choose the best bristle type for each person. The timer is useful because one tends to forget how long to brush and this feature can be extremely useful if you use it.

Cost is of course also important when making your decision. A manual toothbrush ranges from $2 to $4. Power toothbrushes run anywhere from $25 to $100. However, power toothbrushes do last longer than manual toothbrushes. Most dentists’ recommend changing a normal toothbrush every three months.

The dentist might recommend a switch to a power toothbrush because of all the features mentioned above. Whatever the recommendation may be, it is important to choose a toothbrush, either manual or electric, that is approved by the American Dental Association.

At the end of the day it is your choice. I would recommend that you try both and see personally what you like. Personally I love the power toothbrush because of the clean feeling i get after brushing, I rarely get this feeling with a normal toothbrush