Is it Time to Power Up Your Brushing?

Whether to take your brushing from manual to power is a question you may have asked yourself during your oral hygiene routine.

Read on for things to consider when making your decision.

The Pros of Power

Increased Efficiency

The top selling point for a powered brush over a manual brush is the increase in efficiency. Whereas manual brushing results in approximately 300 brushes per minute, powered brushes range between 2,500 and 7,500 brushes per minute, with some models featuring as many as 45,000 brushes per minute.

This means that regardless of how diligent you are in brushing with a manual brush, using a powered brush will result in a much greater degree of efficiency. In practical terms, this equates to more dental plaque being dislodged in two minutes with the use of a powered brush than in six minutes with the use of a manual brush.

Aids Dexterity Impairment

If you struggle with manual dexterity due to an injury or arthritis, it may be difficult - or even impossible - for you to manage manual brushing correctly. A powered brush will do most of the work for you, making it the optimal choice for proper oral hygiene upkeep.

More Benefits of Power Brushing

Proper dental care can be challenge in your busy life, but it's an essential component of your overall wellbeing. See our article about how your health is affected by your oral hygiene here .

Switching from manual to power brushing can help you maintain great oral health between your routine visits to your dentist by helping you keep your mouth optimally clean through the increased brush rotations and by helping to brush in areas of your mouth that are difficult to reach through manual brushing.

As well, power brushing is the optimal approach for anyone with dental braces due to the ability for a closer brush around the brace.

While no toothbrush can whiten your teeth, a power brush may aid in removing more surface staining than a manual brush, again due to the increased speed of brushing which enables a deeper cleaning to occur in less time than manually brushing.

Feature Checklist

If you've decided that you are best served by making the move from manual to power in your next brush, here are some factors to consider to help you make the right choice to suit you.

• Rotation speed - the general rule-of-thumb is: the more movement, the better.
• How long does the battery keep its charge?
• Do you have special dental needs to consider, like braces?
• Do you travel often or will you mainly be brushing at home? Special travel-ready brushes are available.
• Do you want your child to have a powered brush? Many great kid-ready options are available.
• Choose a brush with a built-in timer if you have trouble committing to brushing for the proper length of time.
• Do you brush too hard or too aggressively? Some electric toothbrushes have a pressure indicator function which tells you when you are brushing with too much pressure.

Ready for the Switch?

While there are clearly many pros to using a powered brush over a manual brush, the bottom line is that the best brush is the one you'll actually use. Any tool that aids your brushing effectiveness is a good investment. Perhaps for you that means sticking to a manual brush. But perhaps the features and benefits of a powered brush are what you need to keep your pearly whites sparkling.

If you would like to have further assistance in choosing the right brush for your needs, City Oasis offers a complete line of Oral B and Philips power brushes and can help you find the right fit for you.