While you can clean your teeth properly with a manual toothbrush if you brush each tooth consistently for the same amount of time, an electronic toothbrush can increase efficiency when it comes to oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth, along with flossing, is an essential part of preventing oral health conditions—particularly tooth decay and periodontal disease. Electronic toothbrushes provide some benefits for preventing the accumulation of harmful substances like plaque and tartar over a manual toothbrush. If you want recommendations for oral hygiene products including electronic toothbrushes, feel free to ask our dentist at your next checkup or cleaning.
Benefits of Electronic Toothbrushes
Electronic toothbrushes can help improve one’s oral hygiene regimen—especially if the brush heads rotate quickly or pulse sonically. The pulsating or rotating aspects of brush heads are consistent and therefore allow a person to clean oral surfaces evenly. An electronic toothbrush will remove most of a day’s plaque deposits when patients brush all their teeth for a total of two minutes. Moreover, sonic pulses help stimulate soft oral tissue—particularly the gums. Those with dexterity issues or folks who have trouble cleaning all teeth with the same amount of strokes typically benefit from the steady rotation of an electronic brush head. Moreover, by holding the toothbrush over teeth and not applying excessive pressure, a person can avoid brushing too vigorously. Brushing vigorously can irritate the gums and weaken teeth over time so it is important to clean teeth with gentle circular motions, a feature that most electronic toothbrushes provide.
Why Plaque is Dangerous to Oral Health
Plaque is colonized oral bacteria. It is a sticky substance that coats teeth. When plaque is exposed to calculus, it hardens into tartar and cannot be brushed or flossed away. Tartar accumulation is a leading cause of periodontal disease. Proper oral hygiene can help prevent tartar buildup by removing daily plaque deposits.
Even if you practice meticulous oral hygiene, dental cleanings and checkups are still necessary. Call us today to reserve an appointment with our dentist.
