If you were to visit Oral B or Phillip’s websites you would find that they under no uncertain terms state that the powered toothbrushes are more effective than manually brushing. This is not surprising. Many manufacturers of products claim to be the champions of that industry. You can find the “best” diets, Airborne claims to fight off colds, and Audiomason’s speakers are 200,000% more eco-friendly than your home speakers. We feel that it is beneficial to provide you with an analysis of the powered toothbrushes with data to back it up.
The Claims
Oral B claims that powered toothbrushes remove more plaque than the manual counterparts. Sonicare claims that using their toothbrush will give you whiter teeth. They also claim to give you healthier gums in just two weeks.
The Studies
An independent study done in February of 2005 analyzed the powered toothbrushes. They found that the powered toothbrushes removed 11% more plaque, increased gingival health, and reduced gingivitis in 3 months (Robinson et. al 2005). In the spring of 2004, another independent study found that all powered toothbrushes performed as well as manual toothbrushes. They did find, however, that rotating oscillating toothbrushes (like the Oral-B) were the only powered toothbrushes to perform better than manual. They found a reduction of plaque of 7% and a 17% reduction in gingivitis.
Why Powered vs. Manual?
Removal of more plaque should be reason enough for many people to switch to a powered toothbrush. There are some other reasons to consider this option.
First, to effectively brush manually specific techniques are required to be used. For more information on that technique feel free to read our blog regarding brushing teeth. Younger people that have not yet developed the coordination to brush, people that do not have the strength to brush for the recommended two minutes, and people that are not willing to learn the proper technique can benefit from the toothbrush doing the work for them.
Second, people who have switched to the powered toothbrush have reported that they brush longer than they did when using the manual toothbrush. Since a large surface area can be covered with one stroke of a manual toothbrush the user can be fooled into thinking they have adequately completed that section. The Sonicare brush corrects this and somewhat forces the user into taking the proper time to brush.
The Sonicare toothbrush claims to give the equivalent of 30,000 to 40,000 strokes per minute. Manual brushing averages at 300 strokes per minute. Combine this with the longer brushing time and you can see why the research confirms the increase in efficacy.
What are the Drawbacks of Powered Toothbrushes?
A powered toothbrush is undoubtedly more expensive than a manual brush. The other major drawback to these toothbrushes is that many reports have stated that this adequately replaces flossing. This is not true. Proper flossing should still be a part of daily oral hygiene procedures.
Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry is a general and cosmetic dentist located in Ponte Vedra Florida. Dr. Harth and Dr. Townsend are family dentists serving Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville Beach, and surrounding communities. They are both Jacksonville natives and are dedicated to serving their patients in a friendly family oriented environment. For any additional information or to schedule a thorough consultation with your dentist, feel free to call Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry at (904)285-7711 or contact us online.