At Clifton & Mauney Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, we’re proud to help patients throughout the greater Chapel Hill, NC area achieve better smiles through world-class pediatric dental and orthodontic care. But in addition to providing world-class treatment in our Chapel Hill pediatric dentist’s office, we also strive to serve as a comprehensive oral health resource to our patients. We all know that brushing teeth at home is important, but if you’re like most people, you’ve probably asked yourself: are manual or electric toothbrushes better for teeth? As your Chapel Hill pediatric dentist, we want to shed a little light on this question.
Are Electric Toothbrushes Better than Manual?
First, let’s make something clear: you can keep your teeth perfectly clean with either a manual or an electric toothbrush. While there are some differences in terms of usability and convenience, both options are completely sufficient for maintaining a healthy smile.
So what’s the difference between manual and electric brushes? Ultimately, it’s a matter of convenience. Electric toothbrushes make cleaning the teeth a little less labor intensive, and they often come with features that make it easier to ensure you get your teeth completely clean. Because the head of an electric brush vibrates or rotates, it takes care of scrubbing for you: all you have to do is slowly glide the toothbrush along the surface of your teeth. Electric brushes often also come with automatic timers that tell you when you’ve brushed for the recommended 2 minutes, which can make compliance easier. That said, electric brushes aren’t always a good idea if you have braces: the back of the brush head can run into brackets, which can cause an uncomfortable sensation.
Manual brushes don’t come with all the bells and whistles, but they’re still a great option for cleaning teeth. So long as you’re diligent about brushing for the recommended two minutes and you use proper brushing technique, you can clear away bacteria and prevent cavities with a manual toothbrush. Manual brushes also don’t require charging, which makes them easier to travel with than electric brushes.
Contact Your Chapel Hill Kids Dentist
Ultimately, choosing between a manual and electric brush is a matter of preference: would you prefer the convenience of electric or the reliability of manual? Whichever you choose, the most important thing is to maintain a diligent schedule of brushing twice per day and flossing daily. If you have more questions about choosing between electric and manual, the team at Clifton and Mauney would be thrilled to help! Contact us today with any questions about at-home oral hygiene or schedule an appointment at our Chapel Hill office. We look forward to helping you achieve a beautiful, healthy smile!
