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The best electric toothbrushes
For optimal oral hygiene, an electric toothbrush has become a must. Electric-powered toothbrushes usually have a larger soft-grip handle and provide consistency. It sufficiently cleans teeth by oscillating or vibrating back and forth with high velocity. To keep plaque, tartar, tooth decay, cavities, gingivitis, and other gum diseases at bay, what you need is an electric toothbrush.
It works great at removing plaque, surface stains, clean teeth, and reduce the risk of gingivitis.
Another great advantage of an electric toothbrush is that it’s very helpful for people with dexterity. Elderly or individuals with limited hand, shoulder, or arm mobility find that a power toothbrush is the best option for them. Furthermore, children who are uninterested in teeth brushing becomes more excited about the idea of electric toothbrushes.
Best overall for the price
Philips Sonicare HX6871 ProtectiveClean 6100 electric toothbrush
It promises to remove plaque stains on the surface and whiten teeth in just a week. Another major benefit is that it whitens teeth very gently with optimal pressure.
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Philips is leading the market when it comes to an electric toothbrush, and Sonicare 6100 has earned the best overall choice on our list. It’s great for those who want superior brushing every day to maintain their oral health. In addition to advanced sonic technology, it also whitens your teeth in just 1 week by gentle yet effective cleaning action. You can personalize brushing with various modes and intensities.
Furthermore, 6100 has long-lasting 2 weeks of battery life, so you don’t have to charge every day. The built-in sensor prevents over-brushing, while the reminder lets you know when to replace the brush head. On the whole, it deep cleans, whitens your teeth, and protects gums.
Best for plaque control & gum disease
Oral-B Pro 7000 SmartSeries electric toothbrush
This smart toothbrush is ADA accepted, helps in plaque removal and gingivitis prevention.
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Designed to perform better, it’s Oral-B’s most premium and the smartest toothbrush. Pro 7000 introduced Bluetooth technology to electric toothbrushes and can be connected to the Oral-B app to receive feedback. You can improve your teeth cleaning habits by getting real-time updates of brushing progress on smartphones. This high-tech rechargeable brush focuses on the main areas (tongue, gum, teeth) of your mouth and removes up to 500% more plague using electric power. Different cleaning modes will fulfill your different oral care needs. Unique dentist-inspired rounded brush head design cups your teeth for deep and thorough cleaning. Compact and lightweight, it comes with a travel case so you can easily take it anywhere. On top of this, you get extra-long battery life on a single charge.
Overall, the Pro 7000 electric toothbrush is engineered to ultimate cleaning power and superior results with 7 features.
Best for braces and veneers
Philips Sonicare HX6810 ProtectiveClean 4100 electric toothbrush
AT Gentle and safe on your mouth’s sensitive areas, dental work, and orthodontics.
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If you’re having trouble finding an electric brush for veneers, fillings, or braces, Philips 4100 ProtectiveClean is the most suitable choice. Since most brushes can’t reach the back of the mouth, 4100 features a specially curved power tip that easily reaches every part of the mouth. This means no more plague buildup, even if you have braces or veneers on. Besides, high-quality densely-packed bristles are proven to remove plague and offer a safer brushing experience. Since it improves your overall gum and teeth health, you’re likely to prevent cavities. With the innovative, BrushSync technology, brush usage is tracked and alerts when to replace the brush head. Charging is simple, with the charging stand included.
This power toothbrush with sonic technology is great if you prefer an amazingly gentle yet gentle clean.
Best for receding gums
Oral-B 1000 CrossAction electric toothbrush
It removes more % of plaque along your gum lines via its rounder brush head that’s moves in a 3D motion. PRO 1000 offers professional oral care.
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Oral-B pro-1000 is an affordable toothbrush that’s way too effective at removing 300% more plaque than a regular toothbrush. It gets its 3D cleaning title because of a round brush head that cleans better and whitens your teeth by removing surface stains. Although not loaded with many features, it has patented 3D cleaning with oscillating, pulsating, and vibrating action to freshen up your teeth. A timer and pressure sensor is great for those who tend to over-brush.
In a nutshell, the Pro 1000 toothbrush is perfect for those looking to fight the plaque and remove stains at a low price. It’s a simple yet effective electric toothbrush with 1 cleaning mode and a 2-year warranty.
Furthermore, battery life far exceeds that of more expensive models. Not only it takes less time to charge than other Oral-B models, but it also lasts longer.
Best cheap option
Fairywill electric toothbrush
Reasonably-priced, this Fairywill electric toothbrush is clinically-proven to show great teeth cleaning results.
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So, if you have a limited budget, this Fairywill electric toothbrush is considered the most budget-friendly option that utilizes ultrasonic technology. It cleans and keeps your teeth healthy by offering an array of built-in personalized modes, even for sensitive gums. Accepted by ADA, Fairywill electric toothbrush is for both adults and kids. Powerful like other high-end brushes, the 40,000 micro-brushes/min offers high-quality and safe oral care.
Electric corded; you can enjoy 30 days of frequent brushing on a single 4-hour charge with a long-standby period. Thanks to the smart timer, Fairywill will encourage good brushing habits. Overall, it offers an upgraded experience than using a manual toothbrush for brushing teeth.
Best for sensitive gums
Oral B Pro 500 electric toothbrush
It shows great plaque removal results while taking care of your sensitive gums and teeth.
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If you are looking for an electric toothbrush that’s gentler on your sensitive or receding gums, the answer is Oral-B Pro 500. It’s especially for gum care and superior plaque removal. Featuring a sensitive round toothbrush head, it has extra soft bristles and filaments that effectively clean your sensitive teeth and inflamed gums. It fits quite comfortably in the hand with plenty of grips. Sensitive gums don’t mean you can’t have clean white teeth. The thinner bristle tips are gentle on the inflamed areas but tougher on the plaque.
Overall, Pro 500 offers a gentle brushing experience as compared to the harsh bristles of regular toothbrushes.
Best with waterpik
Waterpik Sonic-Fusion electric toothbrush
It’s a single device that does the work of brushing and flossing to achieve maximum plaque removal results. Clinically-proven, Waterpik is 2 times more effective than traditional brushing and flossing.
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Who doesn’t want a combo of an electric toothbrush and floss? Yes, The Waterpik SF 02 is an electric flossing toothbrush that lets you brush and floss at the same time. Accepted by ADA, this performs 2 times better than regular brushing and flossing. Assemble, charge, and choose your mode for the best experience. The brush cleans the teeth surfaces while a built-in flosser cleans between teeth and gumline, so you get ultimate cleaning after each use. It’s one step to complete clean! Sonic fusion reaches plague and debris in those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth that traditional brush and floss miss.
Best for whitening
AquaSonic Black Series electric toothbrush
Using state-of-the-art technology, AquaSonic carefully engineered this toothbrush to remove and dissolve surface stains while improving overall gum and teeth health. Accepted by ADA, it’s clinically proven to be 10 times more effective at removing plaque as opposed to manual brushing and 4 times better than older less powerful electric toothbrushes.
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If you worry about your oral care during travel, the AquaSonic Black series electric toothbrush is a perfect choice. It uses an ultrasonic motor with 40,000 vibrations per minute and 4 different power modes for healthier gums and whiter teeth. What’s makes it ultra travel-friendly is the lithium-ion battery combined with superfast wireless charging that lasts 30 days on a single charge. Besides, it’s got that luxurious black satin look while the body is IPX7 waterproof. This allows you to brush your teeth while showering. Comes with 8 Dupont Brush heads which means this electric brush lasts for 2.5+ years and saves you money for brush head refills. Keep safe in a travel case included and leave the charger at home while traveling.
Best for kids
Philips Sonicare 2 HX62 electric toothbrush
It helps in treating CLINICAL conditions like excessive plaque and build-up of tartar on your tooth surface.
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With ProResults plaque control brush head and 31,000 strokes per minute, it will remove 6 times more plaque and eliminate bacteria than a normal toothbrush. This results in a cleaner, fresher mouth that’s free from plague, germs, and bad breath. Curved numerous bristles match your teeth shape while a longer power tuft is easier to reach hard areas where plague build-up is highest. Intrinsic grip and ergonomic design make it comfortable to use. Sonicare 2 series features a 2-minute smart-timer and is extremely quiet in operation. It’s a long-lasting ultrasonic toothbrush offered by Philips at a reasonable price.
Best premium option with A.I.
Oral-B GENIUS X electric toothbrush
This A.I.-enabled smart toothbrush can detect how you move the brush on your teeth and alerts when spots are missing.
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Newest in the line of Oral-B electric toothbrushes, the Genius X features IA brushing recognition. For those who want to improve their daily brushing results; Genius X is going to help you. This rechargeable toothbrush embraces artificial intelligence that recognizes your brushing style and then guides for a more superior clean.
Furthermore, it has Bluetooth connectivity to connect to smartphones and the Oral-B app. With different brushing modes and tech features, it’s a complete oral care package that will give a ‘dentist clean’ feel each time.
Manual vs. Electric Toothbrush
Manual toothbrushes with nylon bristles are used by people to clean teeth for decades. Brushing teeth is all about plague removal. A manual brush moves in 2 dimensions on the teeth surface and can leave 50% of the plaque behind.
Compared to a manual toothbrush, an electric toothbrush is clinically proven to be 10 times better at removing plaque along your gum lines and teeth. It pulsates to loosen plaque and rotates to sweep it away. As every bristle tip moves across your teeth, more % of plague is removed with each directional change and this is called shearing. More shearing means more removal of the plaque. A regular toothbrush can only make around 600 movements in a minute while an electric-powered toothbrush oscillates and vibrates with 30,000-48,000 movements.
Not only an electric toothbrush works great at removing surface stains, but it also improves overall gum health. Also, it’s very likely for a manual toothbrush to miss hard-to-reach spots. This is where an electric toothbrush is a hero. Electric toothbrushes also apply the right amount of pressure and movement required to fight plague buildup without irritating gums. Dental expert research claims that a vast majority of people who switched from manual to electric toothbrushes experience great improvements.
What to look for in a good electric toothbrush
Before you randomly buy an electric toothbrush, here is the list of things and features to consider for best brushing results. Not all electric toothbrushes are created equal and have the same features.
When it comes to choosing an electric toothbrush, the most important factor is the degree of cleaning. To achieve a superior clean, look for a toothbrush that has an oscillating motion and makes a difference in cleaning your teeth.
Different brush heads
There are different types of brush heads for electric toothbrushes that can be connected to a single handle. Similar to the dental tool, some brush heads are rounded to easily surround each tooth for thorough deep cleaning. Oral-B electric toothbrushes have rounded brush heads and are perfect for people with smallmouth. They rotate and spin all the way around while some may oscillate and pulse. Brush heads with MicroPulse bristles penetrate deeper and mimic the floss action while surrounding bristles clean the teeth surfaces.
Philips Sonicare, Colgate, and other brands tend to have a larger oval or square-shaped brush heads. Oval brush heads also have similar to different bristle types, including power tip, short bristles, and longer sweeping bristles. Choose a brush head size that’s appropriate for your mouth. A larger brush head is not good at reaching your upper back and lower front set of teeth.
A great advantage of electric toothbrush brush heads is that they are interchangeable to suit your oral needs. Although sold separately, brands make different brush heads with varying bristle amounts and cut to help meet various cleaning requirements. Offering different benefits, this wide range of brush heads allows you to personalize your brushing experience.
Bristle stiffness
Battery-operated toothbrushes also come in different stiffness’s. Bristle stiffness is ranked from soft to hard. Dental professionals don’t recommend using a hard bristle as it damages the gum tissue, removes enamel, and causes toothbrush abrasion. Since the sticky slimy plague layer is soft, a softer toothbrush can remove the biofilm.
So make sure you buy an electric toothbrush with soft bristles, so it’s gentler on the gums.
Pressure sensor
If you have a habit of brushing your teeth too hard, the built-in pressure sensor is a must-have feature. Applying too much pressure while brushing can irritate the gums and cause inflammation or bleeding. Extra pressure or using hard bristles may cause recession, gums shrinkage, or toothbrush abrasive.
This functional pressure sensor control alerts you when brushing aggressively to protect your gums and teeth. Besides, it automatically reduces the speed of the brush head and alarms the user using a beep, buzzer, or red light indication.
Built-in timer
You may not be brushing long enough to achieve those perfect clean teeth. That’s why most of the electric toothbrushes are now equipped with a built-in timer that helps you brush for the recommended full 2 minutes. This in-handle timer feature makes sure that you brush for the complete 2 minutes dentists-recommended time. It vibrates every 30 seconds and allows you to track each area’s brushing time and move to the next quadrant of the mouth.
Waterproof
It’s better to buy a waterproof electric toothbrush, so it’s safe to use underwater. The waterproof brushes are inductively charged and features a tight IP77 waterproof outer sealing.
Bluetooth connectivity
Some electric toothbrush models have Bluetooth connectivity to allow communication between the toothbrush and your smartphone. It provides real-time feedback by keeping track of your brushing habits over time. Linking the brush to an app, you can monitor, track, and actively improve brushing methods.
Detection technology
Another intelligent and smart feature found in high-end electric toothbrush models is the detection technology. This has a great benefit as it automatically detects the brushed zone and area of the mouth that is left. Detection is a great handy feature to ensure you never a single teeth spot.
ADA acceptance
ADA stands for American Dental Association and it’s important to buy a dental product like an electric toothbrush with an ADA acceptance seal. It assures you that the electric toothbrush is completely safe based on scientific evaluations. Dental hygienists and dentists recommend buying electric toothbrushes with ADA seal, a symbol that guarantees you’ll have a quality product. If an electric toothbrush has the seal of acceptance, you can trust that it removes plaque, prevent cavities, or whiten teeth.
Battery life
There’s a big difference in the battery timings of rechargeable toothbrushes. If you plan to pack away your charger or tend to travel often, then you must consider buying a toothbrush with a powerful 4-6 weeks battery. If charging your toothbrush is not an issue, so a long-lasting battery wouldn’t be your priority. Don’t want to deal with wires, chargers, or charging stands, there are models that charge wirelessly for your convenience.
Price
Electric toothbrushes are more expensive than your regular toothbrushes but there are many affordable options in the market nowadays. Electric toothbrushes range from $30 and go all way up to $250 depending on high-tech features, battery life, and cleaning modes.
Whichever toothbrush you choose, make sure to brush twice a day with a proper brushing technique that helps to remove food particles and plaque. Floss once a day to clean between teeth. Replace your brush head every 3-4 months to enjoy good oral health.
FAQ
What is sonic technology in toothbrushes?
The patented sonic technology uses high-frequency and amplitude brush head motion to create a unique brushing motion. Driven by the battery, the sonic sweeping motion of an electric toothbrush makes tender micro-bubbles that vibrate at different speeds per minute and reach deep between the teeth. Bristle tip activity has a velocity of over 30,000 strokes per minute. The toothpaste is propelled deep between your teeth along the gum line where bacteria and plague hide. This results in thorough disruption and removal of plaque biofilm. While brush sweeps back and forth, it also cleans hard-to-reach areas.
Sonic movements gently massage the gums to increase blood circulation and flow.
Why do dentists recommend 2-minute brushing time?
The recommended brushing time is 2 minutes to keep your mouth healthy. Since bacteria can attack all five surfaces of each tooth, you need to make sure that all these surfaces get proper cleaning during brushing. Since a lot of people brush for only 60 seconds, they tend to miss a lot of spots that are home plague-causing bacteria.
What is a plaque?
It’s the sticky pale yellow or colorless buildup of bacteria on our teeth. It forms regularly when saliva, food, and other fluids combine and build up between gums and teeth. Plague contains acids that directly attack the enamel and cause gum damage. If not removed, the mature plague will accumulate, harden, and trap stains. It results in tartar formation; a yellow-brown deposit that leads to gingivitis, periodontitis, and other gum diseases. So, a healthy mouth starts with good brushing habits. Disease-causing plague develops in just 24-hours, so it’s essential to inhibit plaque formation by using an electric toothbrush.
Final verdict
Using a high-quality electric toothbrush can have a great impact on your overall oral health. Whether you want it for plaque removal, teeth cleaning, whitening, or gum care, an electric toothbrush is the best way to maintain and protect our healthy oral hygiene. For your smile to look its absolute best, electric toothbrushes incorporate sonic technology and a variety of brushing modes to remove stains and plague. Whiter, cleaner, and healthier teeth!
