It’s pretty safe to say that most people would agree that taking care of your teeth represents a good investment. This is especially true in the case of anyone who has ever been forced to hand over a vast sum of cash for expensive dental work, or perhaps gone through the rather unpleasant process of having root canal extractions and so on. In all such instances, it’s natural to find yourself wishing that you have taken slightly better care of your teeth in the first place. That is, given the fact that in so many instances it is technically possible to avoid unpleasant and expensive dental work, simply by looking after your teeth a little better.
Which is precisely why dentists across the board recommend high-quality electric toothbrushes to their patients. In fact, chances are you would not come across a single dentist these days that would genuinely recommend sticking with a manual toothbrush.
But given the fact that there are so many different types of electric toothbrushes on the market, where should you start if planning to pick one up for yourself?
Specialist Brushes
Well, the first step in the process is that of deciding what it is in specific you would like to focus on. The reason being that the very best electric toothbrush before teeth whitening may not necessarily be the best device if you have sensitive teeth. Some focus on the prevention of cavities, others focus more on gum health and so on and so forth. Exactly what it is in specific you are buying your toothbrush for will have the biggest impact on the type of brush that is suitable for you.
As such, the best advice is to browse the online reviews or ask for the recommendation of a dentist, in accordance with your priority. You may find certain brushes that can take care of multiple purposes, which for obvious reasons represent outstanding investments.
Battery-Powered or Rechargeable?
Generally speaking, battery-powered electric toothbrushes tend to be somewhat more affordable than rechargeable brushes. In terms of benefits, along with the obvious bonus of saving money, battery-powered toothbrushes bring the user the advantages of being able to stock up on batteries and continue using the toothbrush for an extended period of time, without having to worry about charging it. As such, they can be great for travelling when and where it may be impossible or difficult to find a power socket.
By contrast, one of the biggest benefits of a rechargeable toothbrush is the way in which it costs considerably less to run over time. Studies have shown that high-quality rechargeable toothbrushes cost somewhere in the region of £2 per year to power, while those using batteries can cost more than £20 per year. Not only this, but the vast majority of market-leading electric toothbrushes available today are created as rechargeable only. Those powered by batteries tend to be somewhat lower-end, though can be great for newcomers and children alike.
Rotation, Oscillation or Vibration
Many electric toothbrushes work in an entirely different way from their counterparts – different in terms of the way the head moves or operates to help keep the mouth clean. There’s quite a lot of debate as to whether vibrating, oscillating or rotating brush action works the best, but to be perfectly honest the very best brushes tend to combine one or more such actions. Often referred to as a ‘3D’ action, this is when the brush head moves in multiple directions to clean the teeth and gums as effectively and efficiently as possible. The one thing to remember when looking for an electric toothbrush is that regardless of which type you go for, it will inherently do a better job cleaning your teeth and gums than a manual toothbrush.
Additional Features
Aside from the actual cleaning action itself, many electric toothbrushes on the market today also have a variety of additional features. Such features are not always necessary when it comes to providing your mouth with outstanding cleaning, but can certainly enhance the experience and make it easier to look after your oral health to a professional standard.
Examples include:
- Battery life indicator. This is where lights are displayed on the brush itself and give you an indication as to exactly how much battery life is remaining. This can be extremely useful if you are travelling, as you will know exactly when to charge your brush.
- Speed. Many brushes also have variable speed settings, which influence exactly how intensive the cleaning action is when used. More speed settings means more versatility in general.
- Timer. The vast majority of electric toothbrushes on the market these days come with in-built timers, which along with telling you when the 120-second cleaning period is up also indicate when the time comes to move on to a different part of the mouth.
- Pressure sensors. These are designed to ensure that the user is not able to put excessive pressure on the teeth, with the toothbrush itself shutting down of slowing down if it detects excessive pressure.
- Multiple modes. There are also certain toothbrushes that combine multiple modes in one, which usually include daily cleaning, intensive cleaning, whitening and sensitive modes. These can be great for those planning to share one primary toothbrush with multiple users.
- Brush heads. It’s also worth looking into the different kinds of brush heads that are available for the device you are considering buying, along with their respective costs.
It’s important to be aware of the fact that there are certain electric toothbrushes that do not make it possible to change the brush head. As such, they are technically disposable. In addition, there are also electric toothbrushes for which replacement heads are significantly more expensive than others. As such, this is something that should be taken into account before making your final decision.
The best advice in all instances if you are looking for an outstanding product is to simply speak to your dentist and ask for their personal recommendation, in accordance with your unique mouth and needs. Whichever model you decide to go for, chances are you simply will not believe the difference switching to electric toothbrush can make and will probably wonder how you managed to survive so long without one!
