Electric Toothbrushes Reviews

Does an electric toothbrush really clean your teeth better than a manual toothbrush? Until recently, many dental experts said no, maintaining that if you brush for two minutes at least twice a day, floss and visit your dentist regularly, manual brushes and electric toothbrushes are equally effective. However, research by the Cochrane Oral Health Group and others now indicate that powered toothbrushes with an oscillating rotating action are more effective than manual toothbrushes in reducing plaque and gingivitis. Other types of powered toothbrushes produced less consistent reductions in plaque and gingivitis than manual brushes. The Cochrane group's study involved 3,855 participants and over 25 different powered and manual toothbrushes.

Another research study by the Journal of Dentistry corroborates findings of the Cochrane Oral Health Group -- that electric toothbrushes using an oscillating rotating motion, such as toothbrushes by Braun Oral-B, are more effective than manual brushing at reducing plaque. A test by a more mainstream source -- Men's Health Magazine -- comes to the same conclusion: Braun Oral-B toothbrushes (in this case the Oral-B ProfessionalCare) reduce plaque the most. Consumer Reports is not a good review source when it comes to electric toothbrushes. Editors have only tested four models in the last four years, and none recently.

It seems that every year a new expensive electric toothbrush hits the scene, claiming to clean better than anything that's come before. This year, that toothbrush is the . This new model claims to combine "ultrasound waveguide technology" with brushing to achieve what its website describes as "an incredibly long-lasting feeling of clean." The Ultreo electric toothbrush has earned some fans. Esquire Magazine recently gave the Ultreo a grooming award, and New York Magazine plugged it in a short article. However, how well it does in cleaning teeth has yet to be scientifically evaluated, and the final word on this powered toothbrush must await clinical studies comparing the Ultreo to models by industry leaders such as Oral-B and Sonicare.

The problem with any kind of toothbrush is that many people just aren't very dentally self-disciplined. A number of articles we came across in our research say that most Americans brush for only 30 to 60 seconds, which is half the time recommended by dentists, and not nearly long enough to enable the fluoride in toothpaste to work properly. Reviews say the best electric toothbrushes come with a two-minute timer and are able to reach hard-to-clean areas better than most of us tend to do with a manual brush.

For those of us who could use a little encouragement to keep brushing past the one-minute mark, experts say electric toothbrushes are worth the investment. They're also good for folks who have restricted use of their hands or arms, and for children who might be motivated to brush longer with a fun-to-use electric brush.  ... Continued

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In the most recent research, experts say the pulsating/oscillating motion of the Braun Oral-B powered toothbrushes remove slightly more plaque than Sonicare models and manual toothbrushes. Owners still like the Sonicare models, however.

Inexpensive options (under $10), such as the Colgate Motion, Crest SpinBrush Pro and Oral-B CrossAction Power, don't have all the bells and whistles, but they do a good job of cleaning and may encourage brushing longer. We include the Colgate Motion in Fast Answers as an inexpensive, but still effective, option.