You just saw the dentist and now you\u2019re contemplating switching toothbrushes; so you find yourself at the pharmacy. So many options, so many brands, so many colors. Which is best? Manual? Electric? Electric has to be better, right? Actually,\u00a0 Consumer Reports has said in the past, \u201celectric and manual toothbrushes are equally effective as long as you brush teeth thoroughly for 2 minutes, twice a day.\u201d\u00a0 But a more recent report finds Consumer Reports changing their tune, \u201canalysis of 56 studies published in 2014 by the international evidence-based research organization Cochrane found that electric models may have a slight edge\u201d.<\/p>\n
What is this slight edge? What is the difference? Statistically speaking, \u201ccompared with manual toothbrushes, electrics reduced dental plaque 21 percent more, and 11 percent more after three months of use\u201d. What brushes were involved in these \u201cstudies\u201d? The Cochrane researchers looked into heavily, the rotating and oscillating electric toothbrushes. They also examined \u201csonic toothbrushes\u201d that featured vibrating brush heads but didn\u2019t rotate. Sadly, this research did not conclude the best kind of brush, rather benefits and risks.<\/p>\n
According to Consumer Reports dental adviser Jay W. Friedman, D.D.S., M.P.H., if you don\u2019t currently have gingivitis, \u201cit really doesn\u2019t matter which brush you use.\u201d What would you know, a dollar store brush does the same work as a $40 rotating head brush. Well, what about plaque? He commented, \u201cwe really don\u2019t know that it matters if a little more or less plaque is removed,\u201d he says. An electric toothbrush may help, however, if you have arthritis or a dexterity problem that makes thorough brushing difficult,\u201d Friedman notes.<\/p>\n
So, it all comes down to the consumer\u2019s choice. Whichever toothbrush you decide to use, don\u2019t get carried away with brushing. \u201cExcessive brushing with manual or electric has its risks,\u201d Friedman says. \u201cToo much pressure and too frequent brushing can abrade enamel, or the root if the gum has receded.\u201d This abrasion, he says, \u201ccan cause teeth to become hypersensitive to hot and\/or cold\u201d. Like with everything, follow directions to keep those teeth happy and healthy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You just saw the dentist and now you\u2019re contemplating switching toothbrushes; so you find yourself at the pharmacy. So many options, so many brands, so many colors. Which is best? Manual? Electric? Electric has to be better, right? Actually,\u00a0 Consumer Reports has said in the past, \u201celectric and manual toothbrushes are equally effective as long […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n