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Electric toothbrush saves teeth, not timeDear Dr. Reitz: I am considering the purchase of an electric toothbrush with the purpose of making time spent brushing more effective. Ignoring all the advertising hype; are they an improvement over my manual toothbrush, and is one brand superior to another? - Jill Dear Jill: The tooth cleaning ability of a toothbrush is from the physical scrubbing of the bristles on the tooth surface to remove the soft, adherent plaque. The addition of toothpaste adds abrasive particles and sudsing to help plaque removal. Using a manual toothbrush correctly takes practice and coordination. Because many of my patients never become proficient brushers, I recommend the purchase of an electric toothbrush. Generally there are two types of electric brushes, rotary action and vibratory action, also termed sonic action. Using an electric brush takes just as much time as a manual brush. The electric brush eliminates the wrist action required of a manual brush, however it is still necessary to have the brush head contact all the surfaces of the teeth for an adequate amount of time. Sonic brushes clean by vibrating the bristles against the tooth; in addition they claim to clean between the teeth by imparting vibration energy to the fluid around the teeth, a claim that has not been verified in actual use. Published studies have found rotary action brushes to be more efficient at plaque removal than a manual toothbrush, but don't believe the manufacturers claims that rotary action cleans because it works like a dental instrument. The hygienist polishes your teeth with a rubber cup that gets its cleaning ability from prophy paste too abrasive for everyday use. I have found both electric types more effective than using a manual brush. The decision between rotary action or sonic action should be based on your personal preference. I would recommend a quality rechargeable electric toothbrush that has replaceable heads. You should replace the brush head after three months of daily use. Because most toothpaste is abrasive and has the potential to wear away tooth structure, apply a very small amount to the brush. Allow the bristles adequate time to clean by slowly and gently moving the brush from tooth to tooth. If you decide to continue using a manual brush, ask your hygienist to critique your method of brushing. The column is written by John Reitz, DDS, and does not represent the opinion of the Pennsylvania State Dental Board. Dr Reitz answers questions from readers. E-mail them via his Web site at reitzdds.com or mail to John Reitz, DDS, 30 Commerce Drive, Wyomissing PA 19610 John
V. Reitz, D.D.S., F.A.G.D. Copyright
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