Are fancy electric toothbrushes better than basic toothbrushes?

Does it matter if you have the ‘smartest’ electric toothbrush on the market if you’re brushing your teeth right anyway? Photo / 123rf

By RNZ

The standard guide for brushing your teeth is twice daily for two minutes. So does it matter if you have the ‘smartest’ electric toothbrush on the market if you’re doing it right anyway?

While research has shown electric toothbrushes are about 10-20% more effective at removing plaque than manual toothbrushes, smart features on newer ones can push prices up to $600.

Consumer NZ product test writer Bryan Wall says hi-tech features, like connecting to an app via Bluetooth, can be a “bit of a gimmick”.

“We’re finding a lot of products out there with all these extra added smart functionality, and it’s $500-$600 for a toothbrush. But in all reality, they don’t necessarily clean any better than the $50 Oral-B electric toothbrush that you can buy from Woolworths or Pak’nSave or wherever.”

The best toothbrush is the one that you will use. Photo / 123rf

Anishma Ram from the New Zealand Dental Association has 15 years of experience in the community as a dental therapist. She agrees these advanced features are only be useful if they motivate you to brush your teeth.

In the end, “the best toothbrush is the one that you will use” and it is more important to apply the right technique.

“Just because it’s electrical doesn’t mean it’s magic. You still require a little bit of manual dexterity, so sometimes people use it in the wrong way, like especially rotating and oscillating ones.

“It’s always a good idea to go with the manufacturer’s instructions because every toothbrush would have maybe slightly different instructions as opposed to what you think works.”

Where could fancy ones prove to be useful?

Ram acknowledges some features are just clever marketing, but they can be effective for some groups of people. For example, brushes with cartoon characters or interactive elements like songs can be useful if you are encouraging your children to brush their teeth daily.

“I work with kids all the time and they’re not a big fan of [brushing their teeth], so having that kind of feature in there will actually encourage children to brush their teeth.”

Wall agrees smart app connectivity can guide children to clean their teeth properly. “But as an adult, I don’t think you need that because you should already know how to clean your teeth properly.”

Ram says oscillating/rotating toothbrushes can also be good for adults with manual dexterity issues. For those with heightened sensory reactions, you need to test what they would be comfortable with using but avoid vibrating toothbrushes.

What are the different kinds of electric toothbrushes?

The two main types of electric toothbrushes are oscillating/rotating, which have a small round head that cleans one tooth at a time, and sonic, which vibrates at high speed and frequency to scrub off plaque.

Ram says the cleaning ability of any of these electric toothbrushes will be higher than a manual toothbrush when used right - it is just a matter of preference.

“I think a lot of people say that they prefer the sonic [toothbrush] because with the sonic, it’s sort of a lot easier to use and because it’s shaped like a normal toothbrush.

“You apply it at the gum margin at a 45-degree angle, move it along slightly, it cleans that one side and in between teeth, then there’s a 30-second pause after which you can move to the next section of the mouth, so it’s more user-friendly, [some people] say.

The two main types of electric toothbrushes are oscillating/rotating and sonic. Photo / 123rf

“Whereas the other one [oscillating toothbrushes], you have to move it from one tooth to the next tooth and you have to apply a little bit of pressure to it.”

Wall says tests from European labs showed most electric toothbrushes cleaned well, with just one cheap Colgate electric toothbrush receiving a low score.

“So it’s then just down to what feels comfortable for you to hold and have in your mouth and how long you want your battery to last for, and whether you want all these fancy smart features and want to spend $600 on a toothbrush.”

What about battery-operated toothbrushes?

Ram says while rechargeable toothbrushes are more sustainable, battery-operated ones might be useful for preschoolers to get them into the habit of brushing their teeth. Once children get used to these brushes, it might be good to switch to rechargeable ones.

Wall says he would steer clear of battery-operated toothbrushes because it can be an inconvenience to keep buying and throwing batteries.

“You could buy these ones which look like normal toothbrushes. So they don’t look like the electric ones, but you put a little AA or triple-A battery in them and they vibrate a bit and they’re crap.

“But you can tell without any testing, you can tell they don’t do any better a job than just a normal manual toothbrush.”

What should I know before purchasing one?

Wall says electric toothbrushes have an ongoing cost of replacing brush heads every few months, with prices ranging from $9 to $19 per head.

Ram recommends replacing it every three months or when the bristles have frayed - whichever happens first.

Wall says there is some confusion around sensitive, whitening or flossing brush heads, but the European test labs only found a small percentage of difference between some of these. Sensitive heads will be softer on the gums but not as good at removing some plaque and tartar, he says.

Ram says medium- and hard-bristled toothbrushes, whether they are electric or manual, can damage your teeth and gums. She recommends people opt for the soft options.

“Effective cleaning is achieved by employing the right technique rather than a harder bristled toothbrush.”

Another consideration is how long you need the charge to last. Wall says their tests found the lowest-scoring electric toothbrushes had a charge that lasted for 14 two-minute uses. The more expensive ones can get up to about 68 two-minute brushes.

“The important thing about the battery life is that most people will keep their batteries on the little charger anyway in their bathroom, so it doesn’t really matter that much to them. It’s only important if you’re taking it away on holiday and you don’t want to actually take the charger with you.”