Stepping up to a dentist-recommended electric toothbrushfor the first time is always exciting. It can also be an absolute minefield, prompting countless questions to ensure you make the right decision.
As far as dentists are concerned, using an electric toothbrush day and night really is a no-brainer. Able to remove up to 100% more plaque than a manual brush, a high-quality electric toothbrushis considered an absolute must.
It’s simply a case of choosing the perfect product for you, after which you’ll soon wonder how you ever got by without it!
So to help simplify the selection process, here are few important questions to ask yourself before deciding which powered toothbrush to go with:
1. What’s My Motivation for Going Electric?
First of all, you’ll want to consider your reasons for going electric. For some, it’s simply a case of stepping-up their oral hygiene regime for the benefit of their health and wellbeing. For others, buying an electric toothbrush is all about building towards a brighter and whiter smile. And then there are those who struggle to clean their teeth the conventional way due to mobility issues. By determining what exactly you expect to get out of your brush, you’ll be in a far better position to choose the rightbrush. Some are designed specifically with whiter teeth in mind, others to deliver a dentist-quality clean with every use and so on.
2. Do I have Any Special Requirements?
By special requirements, we mean any aspect of your oral health in general that warrants additional thought. A common example of which being sensitive teeth – an issue that affects millions of adults across the UK alone. If you have sensitive teeth, it’s important to choose an electric toothbrush that’s designed to help. If you suffer from (or are prone to) gum disease, think about a brush that’s designed with gum health in mind. There are electric toothbrushes on the market to cater to all special requirements across the board – you just have to look for them!
3. Have I Heard of the Brand?
In the world of oral health and hygiene, brand is a big deal. The reason being that there are certain products and manufacturers that have received the full approval and recommendation of dentists and oral health professionals. For the best possible results, it simply makes sense to stick with a brand you can trust – one that’s trusted by those in the know. It can be tempting to pick up a bargain electric toothbrush from an unknown brand – especially if it looks the part and makes all the promises in the world. However, if it hasn’t received the recommendation of dentists, you could be putting your oral health and general wellbeing at risk.
4. How Much Do I Want to Spend?
You can spend as little or as much as you like on an electric toothbrush, with devices available at all ends of the pricing spectrum. Hence, it’s useful to determine ahead of time exactly how much you intend to spend, in order to narrow things down. If you’d prefer not to spend more than £20 on an electric toothbrush, you’ll still find dozens of outstanding devices available. If you’re more than happy to pay £100+ for the latest features, you’ll be spoilt for choice. It’s not necessary to spend a fortune to pick up a quality device, so it’s entirely up to you.
5. Would I Benefit from Additional Features?
Speaking of additional features, the market is packed to bursting with the most technologically advanced dental hygiene devices seen to date. From multiple cleaning modes to Bluetooth connectivity and so much more besides, electric toothbrushes are slowly but surely becoming mini-supercomputers! Nevertheless, it’s up to you to determine whether you’ll actually get any use or value out of these additional features. They can be fun to play with and can even instil better oral hygiene habits in some users. But they’re certainly not compulsory, so it’s up to you to decide how sophisticated you want your brush to be.
6. Is It Easy to Use?
By contrast, if you personally aren’t the most technologically sophisticated person in the world, you may benefit from a far simpler brush. Some electric toothbrushes are designed to be as easy to use and comfortable to hold as possible. If you’re all about simplicity, you should definitely factor this into your purchase decision. Once again, forgoing all the latest features on the market doesn’t have to mean compromising the quality of the final result.
7. Who Else Will Be Using it?
One of the best things about a quality electric toothbrush is the way in which it can be used by multiple people within the same household. Each user has their own personal brush head, which can be quickly and easily attached to the main unit before getting busy. So even when the initial kit is relatively expensive, it could still represent excellent value for money on a per-person basis. It’s therefore worth considering who else will (or could) be using the electric toothbrush you buy. The more people around the house you share it with, the better the value for money you’ll be looking at!
8. Will I Be Taking it Out and About with Me?
Last but not least, portability varies significantly from one electric toothbrush to the next. Most electric toothbrushes are technically portable, but some are designed to be as convenient to carry as possible. Long-lasting batteries, compact travel cases, complete kits for on-the-go oral hygiene – there’s plenty to explore if you plan on taking your toothbrush with you. It’s also worth considering a battery-powered brush as an alternative to a rechargeable device, in case you’re unable to plug it in.
Along with the considerations outlined above, it’s also worth speaking to your dentist or pharmacist for their own recommendations. Even if you plan on purchasing your electric toothbrush online, a little professional input really can go a long way!
