What you need to know about choosing an electric toothbrush…
Since tooth brushing is the only effective way to remove stubborn plaque, choosing the best toothbrush is vitally important for your health. The best toothbrush for you depends on factors such as your budget, personal preference and current level of oral health. if you have any ongoing dental health issues, make sure to ask you dentist for advice.
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Electric v Manual
Cleaning teeth with a manual brush can be perfectly effective if performed with a good cleaning technique. Research has shown however that many people do not actually clean their teeth thoroughly enough to reduce plaque to an acceptable level. If you suspect that your teeth cleaning technique may not be up to scratch then a power toothbrush may be worth considering for improving your oral health.
Clinical tests have been performed to determine how effective electric brushes are compared to manual brushes. The Cochrane Oral Health Group compared the final test results of the 4000 participants and found that certain types of electric toothbrush were conclusively better at reducing plaque than manual brushes. Studies have also shown that owning an electric toothbrush does in fact motivate people to clean their teeth longer and more regularly.
Essential electric toothbrush features to look for.
Power toothbrushes boast a rich selection of basic and advanced features. Some features are essential others can be useful depending on the users needs. Below is a list of the most common features available.
Timer
Many people do not actually clean their teeth long enough to properly clean away all the plaque. It is estimated that the average person only brushes for 46 seconds instead of the 2 minutes recommended by dentists. One of the top reasons for using a power brush is because the best electric toothbrushes all feature a built-in timer. This may take the form of a simple 2 minute on/off timer, or a more advanced smart interval timer where the 2 minutes is divided into four 30 second segments to alert the user that they have completed each quadrant of the mouth.
Rechargeable battery life
When shopping for an electric toothbrush it is worthwhile taking a minute to consider battery life. When deciding how much money to spend on a toothbrush bear in mind that the rechargeable batteries are built into the casing of the brush and can’t be removed so when the battery fails, the life of the toothbrush is essentially over. Generally speaking, you can reasonably expect to get 3 to 5 years use from a good electric toothbrush.
Cleaning heads
When choosing an electric toothbrush it’s important to consider the cost and availability of replacement cleaning heads. Dentists recommend changing toothbrushes every 3 months to maintain good oral health. If you use an electric toothbrush it does mean you will also have to replace the cleaning head every 3 months. When purchasing a new electric toothbrush, take into account the price and availability of replacement cleaning heads.
Warranty
When buying any appliance it makes sense to check to see if the product has a warranty policy that you find acceptable. Although most consumer products have some form of warranty, not all policies are the same. Some manufacturers cover the replacement of parts but not for labour or postage. With regards to electric toothbrushes, Sonicare offers a limited 2-year guarantee that covers parts and labour.
Cleaning teeth with too much pressure can result in tooth abrasion and bleeding gums. The pressure control mode prevents too much force being applied.
With regards to complete oral health it is important not to neglect to clean the tongue thoroughly. The tongue surface is perfect for trapping food particles and bacteria and failure to remove this coating of debris can result in tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath.
Philips have developed a handy cleaning brush head that fits on to their Sonicare range of toothbrushes. The cleaning brush comes complete with a bottle of bacteria killing spray By simply clicking on the tongue cleaner
The sensitive mode applies a gentler cleaning action for users with sensitive teeth and tender gums.
Built in UV bulb for sanitizing brush heads.
Cleaning Technology.
The power toothbrush was first introduced in the 1960′s. Since then manufacturers have developed and experimented with different brush head motions to aid in the removal of plaque. Below is a list of the six main cleaning head motions.
Brush head moves in a side to side high frequency motion. Example – Philips Sonicare
Brush head rotates in a complete circle in one direction only. Example – Rotadent
Brush head sections move in opposite direction. Example – Interplak.
Brush head bristles vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies. Example – Ultrasonex.
Electric charge applied to tooth surface. Example – Panasonic.
Electric toothbrush Comparison Chart
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Best low price electric toothbrushes
There are many factors involved in determining the best power toothbrush. One of the first considerations is how effective the brush is at removing plaque and improving oral health. Clinical test have shown that the rotating – oscillating style power toothbrushes are the most effective brushes for combating plaque. More recent studies have shown that sonic brushes are also highly effective. Budget and personal preference are also important when deciding on the best brush for your need. These first choices are entry level bushes that perform highly. They do not boast the same features as the more expensive models but they are ideal for people who want an uncomplicated device that is reliable, safe and effective.
Oral-B 1000
The Triaction 1000 from Oral-B is an entry level electric brush that will appeal to people who like the size and feel of a manual brush but with the added efficiency and convenience of a power toothbrush.
Oral B 2000
The Oral B 2000 is a reasonably priced toothbrush that offers many of the most important features required to give an exceptional clean. The cleaning action combines rotating, oscillating and pulsating movements to give what Oral B describe as a 3D clean.
Sonicare PowerUp
The PowerUp is is a budget price Sonicare model that lacks the advanced cleaning modes featured in the more expensive models. With only one operating mode and a basic timer this brush is the most basic rechargeable power brush in the Sonicare lineup.
Oral-B Pro 600
The Braun Oral B professional 600 is a popular entry level rechargeable power toothbrush. This brush features the same cleaning technology as the more expensive Oral B models but lacks some of the more advanced cleaning functions.
Best Buy – Oral B Pro 2000
The Oral B 2000 ticks all the boxes. It has the same power and cleaning technology as the higher specification Oral B models but at a very reasonable price. There is no doubting the effectiveness of this brush, the 3D cleaning action and cup shaped CrossAction brush head is favored by many dentists for recommending to patients. The major plus points in favor of this brush is the sturdy battery life, the cheap price of the replacement cleaning heads and of course, the excellent cleaning capability. This may be a fairly basic electric toothbrush but what it does, it does faultlessly.
Best Mid-Range Toothbrushes
For people who are willing to spend a bit more on a toothbrush, there are some feature rich systems available that combine power, versatility and quality.
Oral B 3000
The Oral B 3000 is a reasonable priced mid-range toothbrush that has the same cleaning power as many of the top range brushes. Although it doesn’t have some of the more advanced features such as the whitening mode or smart guide it does feature the most commonly used functions.
Oral B 4000
The Oral B Pro 4000 is a full featured power brush that has proven to be one of the best electric toothbrushes at removing plaque. With a choice of cleaning modes and cleaning heads this brush is suitable for all kinds of cleaning.
Sonicare Healthywhite Deluxe
The Philips SoniCare HealthyWhite electric toothbrush uses patented sonic cleaning technology to efficiently remove plaque and teeth stains. The dynamic sonic action drives water between the teeth and around the gums to effectively maintain oral health.
Best Buy - Oral B Pro Healthywhite
The Sonicare HealthyWhite is one of Philips most popular toothbrushes. With an operating speed of 31,000 brush strokes per minute this brush gives a clean that is noticeably superior to a manual clean.
Best Top Range Toothbrushes
For people who are willing to spend a bit more on a toothbrush, there are some feature rich systems available that combine power, versatility and quality.
Braun Oral B Pro 5000
The Oral B 5000 Pro toothbrush is a fully featured power brush that oscillates, rotates and pulsates to remove plaque and maintain oral health. In addition the Pro 5000 comes with a wireless smart guide that gives realtime cleaning performance.
Philips Sonicare Flexcare Platinum
This Flexcare Platinum toothbrush has the style and sophisticated look that has long been associated with Philips products. With precision engineered sonic technology this power brush can remove up to 7 x more plaque than a conventional toothbrush.
Best Buy - Oral B Pro 5000
The Oral B 5000 is a fuller featured smart version of the Oral B 2000, 3000 and 4000 toothbrushes. In addition to the extra cleaning modes, the Oral B 5000 comes with a wireless SmartGuide unit and full Bluetooth capability. The smart guide gives simple real time feedback on cleaning performance while the Bluetooth feature and Oral B App gives a complete brushing guide and feedback system. The App may seem like unnecessary overkill to many people but just one use can demonstrate that your cleaning technique and discipline is not as good as you previously thought.
Best High Tech Teeth Cleaning Systems
For people who are willing to spend a bit more on a toothbrush, there are some feature rich systems available that combine power, versatility and quality.
Philips Sonicare DiamondCare.
This Flexcare Platinum toothbrush has the style and sophisticated look that has long been associated with Philips products. With precision engineered sonic technology this power brush can remove up to 7 x more plaque than a conventional toothbrush.
Daily Clean
Massage
Sensitive
Whitening
Polish
Battery Indicator
Travel Case
USB Charger
Oral B Pro 7000 Smart Series Toothbrush.
Oral B crown their range of electric power brushes with the feature rich Pro 7000. Manufactured by Braun, this toothbrush has all the prime features of other top end cleaning models but with some added functionality never seen before in an electric toothbrush. Oral-B has developed the first smart toothbrush app that connects with iPhone and Android to give real time feedback and cleaning performance data.
3D Cleaning
Daily Clean
Deep Clean
Sensitive
Massage
Whitening
Tongue Clean
Pressure Control
Battery Indicator
Smart Guide
Smartphone App
Travel Case
Best Premium Priced Electric Toothbrush
Sonicare DiamondClean
Philips acknowledged the demand for highly stylized and polished Apple-esque products with the addition of the Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush and Sonicare AirFloss . The DiamondClean is a relatively new addition to the Sonicare toothbrush range, but it is proving to be one of the most popular brushes with consumers.
There is very little to dislike about this brush, as soon as you pick it up, it instantly feels like a premium appliance. The operation is smooth and quiet in all modes with a sonic cleaning action that has been tried and tested in previous Sonicare models. The DiamondClean features the latest cleaning head that boasts 44% more bristles for an even more effective clean.
With the stylish good looks of the handle and the innovative charging glass the DiamondClean will especially appeal to people who want a toothbrush that looks as good as it cleans.
