Dear Befuddled Brusher,

Your parents have been brushing up on dental hygiene. Studies published in both the American Journal of Dentistry and the British Dental Journal agree that electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque and reducing gingivitis than manual ones. Electric toothbrushes not only move bristles at a much faster speed than you could possibly achieve manually, but they also remove plaque more evenly in hard-to-reach places, such as between teeth and on back molars.

Currently, the American Dental Association recommends electric toothbrushes, particularly for people with manual dexterity problems or other physical limitations (such as arthritis) that might make it difficult to use manual toothbrushes.

None of this means, however, that manual toothbrushes are obsolete — just that most people in studies do a better cleaning of their teeth with an electric model. Contributing to people's more active, thorough, and consistent brushing, at least at first, is the curiosity and excitement sparked by using a new gizmo. Only with longer-term studies will we know whether the benefits of electric toothbrushes stick after the newness wears off and laziness sets in. Also, because electric toothbrushes can be pricey (ranging from about $30 to more than $100), you might want to first check with your dentist. If s/he thinks you're doing a great job with the classic model, consider skipping the latest techno-brush (with built-in pressure sensor and timer) and investing some of the $$$ you save on floss.

Alice

Related Q&As

Do whitening toothpastes work?