Dental Care for All of Us

The pandemic has changed the way people shop and the changes are probably here to stay. Everyone knows that you should trade your old toothbrush for a new one frequently. Now you can find subscription services that take the burden of remembering to buy a new toothbrush from you. You can also have floss and other dental needs and appliances delivered to your home. Now that it's easier to keep dental supplies coming, the question may arise about manual vs. electric brushing. For some considerations, read on.

Cost

Even with the cost of electric toothbrushes declining, manual brushing is less expensive for most people with toothbrushes readily available for less than a dollar or so. They are easy to find too. You can usually find manual toothbrushes in convenience stores, grocery stores, and even gas stations. You also must remember to keep your electric toothbrush charged or they are useless. The electric toothbrush heads only last so long, and then you might also have to replace the rechargeable battery from time to time. Overall, electric toothbrushes also require a higher upfront cost than relatively cheap manual brushes.

Ease of Use

However, electric toothbrushes are far easier for most people to use. They require less dexterity to operate, and they allow those with limited hand movements to get their teeth clean very quickly without having to use a lot of movements to do so. Manual brushes, on the other hand, require the user to make multiple repetitive movements to achieve the same results, something that people with hand, finger, wrist or arm issues may find difficult.

Extra Features

Electric toothbrushes often come with timers to ensure that the user is spending enough time on the task. This may be particularly helpful for those always in a hurry when they use manual toothbrushes and the very young who are still becoming accustomed to the task of brushing. Some electric toothbrushes have a built-in pressure sensor to prevent using too much force when brushing. Those using manual toothbrushes may end up brushing too long and too hard and that may result in sore and irritated gums.

Effectiveness

When it comes to effectiveness, electric toothbrushes make it much easier for users to access difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth. The spinning brush heads can do a better job of removing sticky plaque without as much effort as a manual brush. However, with enough effort and knowledge of proper brushing techniques, a manual brush can be just as effective as an electric toothbrush.

To find out more about manual or electric brushing, visit a dentist's office such as Apollo Dental Center.