Choosing a Power Toothbrush

With so many electric toothbrush types available on the market, it's often difficult to select the right toothbrush for your own needs. First, let's distinguish between electric toothbrushes and battery-powered toothbrushes.

Battery-powered toothbrush

Those who want a dose of power but are weary of electric toothbrushes may like a battery-powered toothbrush (also known as a "battery power toothbrush" or a "battery-operated toothbrush"). Like electric toothbrushes, battery-powered toothbrushes are sometimes simply called "power toothbrushes" due to their use of a AA battery. While similar in design and cost to regular manual toothbrushes, battery power toothbrushes have just enough vibration to add some extra cleaning action.

Rechargeable electric toothbrush

A rechargeable electric toothbrush, also known as a "power toothbrush" is the kind you plug into the wall to recharge, keeping the handle and replacing the brush head every three months or so. Rechargeable electric toothbrushes differ among the kind of cleaning technology they use, such as oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.

Once you decide whether you want a rechargeable electric or battery-powered toothbrush, your next decision will likely be based upon the features of each type of brush.

Battery-powered toothbrush features

While similar in features to regular manual toothbrushes, these kinds of toothbrushes also vibrate to provide additional cleaning action. In addition to those of manual toothbrushes, features include:

• built-in AA battery that can be replaced in some models
• "On/Off" or "+/-" button located on the handle
• bristles or split brush heads specially designed to pulsate along with the vibrations

Rechargeable electric toothbrush features

Generally rich in technology and features, electric toothbrushes provide many oral health benefits. Some can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. Hi-tech features include:

• Numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth, whitening benefits or gum-massaging action.
• Pressure sensors to signal when you're brushing too hard.
• Timers to help you keep track of how long you're brushing each quadrant of your mouth.
• Digital reminders to replace your brush head.
• Oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.
• Multiple brush head compatibility so you can choose which kind of bristle design you prefer.

Most electric toothbrushes also come with features for added convenience, like a brush head or toothbrush holder, bathroom-counter storage units and travel toothbrush chargers.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Choosing-a-Power-Toothbrush

With so many electric toothbrush types available on the market, it's often difficult to select the right toothbrush for your own needs. First, let's distinguish between electric toothbrushes and battery-powered toothbrushes.

Rechargeable electric toothbrush

A rechargeable electric toothbrush, also known as a "power toothbrush" is the kind you plug into the wall to recharge, keeping the handle and replacing the brush head every three months or so. Rechargeable electric toothbrushes differ among the kind of cleaning technology they use, such as oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.

Battery power toothbrush

Those who want a dose of power but are weary of electric toothbrushes may like battery power toothbrushes. Like electric toothbrushes, battery power toothbrushes are sometimes simply called "power toothbrushes" due to their use of a AA battery. While similar in design to regular manual toothbrushes, battery power toothbrushes have just enough vibration to add some extra cleaning action.

Once you decide whether you want a rechargeable electric or battery power toothbrush, your next decision will likely be based upon the features of each type of brush.

Rechargeable electric toothbrush features

Generally rich in technology and features, electric toothbrushes provide many oral health benefits. Some can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. Hi-tech features include:

• Numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth, whitening benefits or gum-massaging action.
• Pressure sensors to signal when you're brushing too hard.
• Timers to help you keep track of how long you're brushing each quadrant of your mouth.
• Digital reminders to replace your brush head.
• Oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.
• Multiple brush head compatibility so you can choose which kind of bristle design you prefer.

Most electric toothbrushes also come with features for added convenience, like a brush head or toothbrush holder, bathroom-counter storage units and travel toothbrush chargers.

Battery power toothbrush features

While similar in features to regular manual toothbrushes, these kinds of toothbrushes also vibrate to provide additional cleaning action. In addition to those of manual toothbrushes, features include:

• built-in AA battery that can be replaced in some models
• On/Off" or "+/-" button located on the handle
• bristles or split brush heads specially designed to pulsate along with the vibrations

Other factors that might affect your decision include:

• The need to modify brushing technique: Proper brushing technique varies when using different kinds of toothbrushes. Battery power toothbrushes require you to provide all or most of the brushing action, moving the brush back and forth along all sides of your teeth and gums. In contrast, rechargeable electric toothbrushes provide the cleaning action while you need only guide it along all surfaces. Once they get the hang of it, many people find this method of brushing easier.
• The level of value in terms of features and benefits: Rechargeable electric toothbrushes tend to have a higher price value than battery power and regular manual toothbrushes. Although they can be a bit pricey, rechargeable electric toothbrushes offer various high-tech features, including numerous brushing modes, digital reminders for replacement, and pressure sensors. Battery power toothbrushes are usually only a few dollars more than ordinary manual toothbrushes.
• The ability to "test-drive" an electric toothbrush: It's understandable to want to test-out a battery power toothbrush before buying a hi-tech one for the first time. Battery power toothbrushes are ideal for people who are curious about giving an electric toothbrush a try but want a taste of what it's like first.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Choosing-a-Power-Toothbrush

Believe it or not, many school-aged children are now enthusiastic about brushing their teeth. We can thank the invention of the rechargeable electric toothbrush for this happy phenomenon.

Rechargeable electric toothbrushes are easy to use - that's part of their appeal. And although a rechargeable electric toothbrush costs more than a manual toothbrush, it may be worth it if your child (or you) is more enthusiastic about using it.

Most rechargeable electric toothbrushes operate at anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 strokes on your teeth per minute, and because of this, it takes less time to do a thorough job. Some rechargeable electric toothbrushes have even more power - Oral B's Professional Care 7550 series of rechargeable electric toothbrushes rotates 40,000 times per minute.

To use a rechargeable electric toothbrush, just place toothpaste on the brush head and hold the brush at a 45-degree angle, just as you would a manual toothbrush. Then turn on the rechargeable electric and move the brush from tooth to tooth. The smaller heads of most rechargeable electric toothbrushes usually brush about one tooth at a time, depending on the size of your teeth. Guide the electric brush along the front surfaces, back surfaces, and chewing surfaces of each tooth.

Even with a rechargeable electric toothbrush, you should spend about two minutes brushing to ensure that you've cleaned each tooth. When you've finished brushing, simply rinse the brush head with water and allow it to dry.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Choosing-a-Power-Toothbrush

Wondering if that hi-tech power toothbrush on display at your dentist's office is really better than the regular ones? What about a power toothbrush that uses AA batteries? What's the difference between them all?

In addition to things like your brushing technique, how often you brush and the length of time you spend doing it, experts believe that the type of toothbrush you use will directly affect how well you remove plaque. In order to decide which type of power toothbrush is right for you, it's helpful to understand exactly what kinds are available to you and how they differ from one another.

Knowing the three main types of toothbrushes

The three main types of toothbrushes on the market are rechargeable electric (including sonic), regular manual and battery power.

Rechargeable electric toothbrush: A rechargeable electric toothbrush, also known as a "power toothbrush" is the kind you plug into the wall to recharge, keeping the handle and replacing the brush head every three months. Rechargeable electric toothbrushes differ among the kind of cleaning technology they use, such as oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.

• Regular manual toothbrush: In contrast, regular manual toothbrushes are the basic toothbrushes you're probably accustomed to with a plastic handle and various nylon bristle designs on the brush head. This is the most common type of toothbrush, and it doesn't require any power sources.
• Battery power toothbrush: Those who want a dose of power but are weary of electric toothbrushes may like battery power toothbrushes. Like electric toothbrushes, battery power toothbrushes are sometimes simply called "power toothbrushes" due to their use of an AA battery. While similar in design to regular manual toothbrushes, battery power toothbrushes have just enough vibration to add some extra cleaning action.

Assessing technology and features

Rechargeable electric toothbrush: Generally rich in technology and features, electric toothbrushes provide the many oral health benefits. Some can even enable you to improve your brushing habits. Hi-tech features include:

• Numerous brushing modes specialized for sensitive teeth, whitening benefits or gum-massaging action.
• Pressure sensors to signal when you're brushing too hard.
• Timers to help you keep track of how long you're brushing each quadrant of your mouth.
• Digital reminders to replace your brush head.
• Oscillating-rotating, sonic or ultrasonic technology.
• Multiple brush head compatibility so you can choose which kind of bristle design you prefer.

Most electric toothbrushes also come with features for added convenience, like a brush head or toothbrush holder, bathroom-counter storage units and travel toothbrush chargers.

Regular manual toothbrush: While ordinary toothbrushes don't nearly provide the benefits and features of rechargeable electric toothbrushes, the technology featured in their brush heads, bristles and handle designs can be quite advanced, for example:

• crisscrossed, extra-long or multi-level bristles
• polished or rounded bristle tips
• textured bristles
• cupped-bristle design for whitening benefits
• ergonomically designed handles with special grips
• tapered or angled brush head
• gum stimulators
• tongue cleaner pads

Battery power toothbrush: While similar in features to regular manual toothbrushes, these kinds of toothbrushes also vibrate to provide additional cleaning action. In addition to those of manual toothbrushes, features include:

• built-in AA battery that can be replaced in some models
• "On/Off" or "+/-" button located on the handle
• bristles or split brush heads specially designed to pulsate along with the vibrations

Modifying brushing technique

Proper brushing technique varies when using different kinds of toothbrushes. Both regular manual toothbrushes and battery power toothbrushes require you to provide all or most of the brushing action, moving the brush back and forth along all sides of your teeth and gums. In contrast, rechargeable electric toothbrushes provide the cleaning action while you need only guide it along all surfaces. Once they get the hang of it, many people find this method of brushing easier.

Understanding power toothbrush value
Rechargeable electric toothbrushes tend to have a higher price value than battery power and regular manual toothbrushes. Although they can be a bit pricey, rechargeable electric toothbrushes offer various high-tech features, including numerous brushing modes, digital reminders for replacement, and pressure sensors. Regular manual toothbrushes cost the least, and they are often sold in multi-packs as well as individually. Battery power toothbrushes are usually only a few dollars more than ordinary manual toothbrushes.

Trying out a power toothbrush
It's understandable to want to test out a battery power toothbrush before buying a hi-tech one for the first time. Battery power toothbrushes are ideal for people who are curious about giving power a try but want a taste of what it's like first.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Choosing-a-Power-Toothbrush

If you want to take teeth cleaning to the next level, consider a sonic or ultrasonic toothbrush.

The bristles on a sonic toothbrush vibrate extremely fast. The high frequency vibration provides a unique mouth feel, while the conventional brush head means no change in brushing technique.

The primary cleaning mechanism for a sonic toothbrush, or any electric toothbrush, is the contact of the bristles with the teeth. So you still have to brush - you can't just wave a sonic toothbrush in front of your mouth. But brushing with a sonic toothbrush can be very effective because the fast-moving bristles generate 24,000 – 48,000 strokes per minute. Ultrasonic toothbrushes are the newest developments in this field. Unlike sonic toothbrushes, ultrasonic toothbrushes use ultrasound rather than the strokes to remove plaque and bacteria.

No matter what toothbrush you choose, it is important to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day as part of your regular oral care routine.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Choosing-a-Power-Toothbrush