Stop Making These 4 Common Mistakes With Your Electric Brush

You probably don’t give much thought to brushing your teeth as you have for as long as you can remember. However, it is important to pay attention to how you brush your teeth if you want to keep them healthy. If you use the an electric toothbrushit’s easy to get lazy and think that brushing is doing enough to keep your teeth plaque-free. Believe it or not, using an electric toothbrush incorrectly can damage your teeth.

Even if you’ve been a long-time user of an electric toothbrush, it’s always a good idea to refresh your memory on how to use it properly.

How to properly use an electric toothbrush

Ready to switch to a powerful toothbrush? Or, are you ready to learn how to use yours properly? Fortunately, using one of these brushes is easy and requires no more effort than using a toothbrush.

1. Charge your toothbrush: Your electric toothbrush should have an indicator that lights up when it is charging.
2. Outdoor area: Hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and start brushing the outer surface of your teeth. Hold the rotating brush heads against each tooth for 2 to 5 seconds before moving on to the next.
3. Interior: After brushing the outer surfaces of your teeth, move on to the inner surfaces, holding the rotating brush heads against them for 2 to 5 seconds before moving on to the next tooth.
4. Chewing areas: Next, hold the head of your brush against the chewing surface of your teeth. Hold your brush in each area for a few seconds before moving on to the next.
5. Get the laughs: You’re not done yet. Run the rotating heads of your electric toothbrush along your gum line and gums. This will remove any remaining plaque in your mouth.
6. Clean up your language: As a final step, gently brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue. This is a great way to remove stubborn food particles, and brushing these areas of your mouth can also help freshen your breath.

Electric toothbrush mistakes are common but dangerous

Although it’s easy to use an electric toothbrush, there are still mistakes you should avoid when brushing your teeth. Here are the most common:

1. Not mixing long enough

Don’t rush your brush. The ADA recommends brushing your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rushing this makes it more likely that you won’t scrape enough plaque off your teeth.

2. Not replacing a worn toothbrush head

Do not overuse electric toothbrush heads. The ADA recommends that you replace these pads every 3 to 4 months. If the bristles on these heads are broken or combined, replace them immediately, even if you have used them for less than 3 months.

3. Brushing too much

You may be tempted to push hard when brushing your teeth, but this can damage your teeth and gums. Brushing too hard can damage your gums and teeth. That can destroy the enamel, making your teeth more sensitive to hot or cold temperatures. Brushing too hard can cause your gums to recede.

4. Using the wrong toothbrush

You can brush your teeth effectively with an electric or manual toothbrush. You will need to use the right brush. The ADA recommends using a toothbrush with soft bristles and a long handle to reach the back of your mouth.

Want to make sure your toothbrush is working? Look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Brushes approved by the American Dental Association put a seal on their packaging.

Electric toothbrush benefits to consider

There are several advantages to using an electric toothbrush, such as handling and efficiency. Here are some of the most important ones:

Electric toothbrushes may work better

Studies have shown that electric toothbrushes can prevent tooth decay.

In 2014, the Cochrane Collaboration reviewed 56 clinical trials of unsupervised tooth brushing involving more than 5,000 subjects in adults and children. Researchers found that people who used an electric toothbrush for one to three months experienced an 11% reduction in plaque compared to those who used a toothbrush for the same amount of time.

Another study that followed adults for 11 years also found that participants who used an electric toothbrush had healthier teeth. A 2019 study, conducted by researchers at the University of Greifswald in Germany found that those who used electric toothbrushes had healthier gums and retained 19% more teeth throughout the study than those who used manual brushes.

A better choice for young children

Children often struggle to clean their teeth properly with a manual toothbrush. They may become bored before completing the recommended 2 minutes of brushing, which can make it easier for plaque to build up on their teeth. An electric toothbrush can help. Because such brush heads rotate in different directions, they provide greater brushing power and can effectively remove plaque in less time.

Some electric toothbrushes have built-in timers, which let young children know when they’ve reached the 2-minute mark.

It is more effective at removing plaque if you have braces

Do you have any instruments? If so, an electric toothbrush may be a better choice for your dental health. A study published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics found that participants who used manual toothbrushes after getting braces tended to have a higher risk of gingivitis than those who used electric toothbrushes.

It is better to remove the plaque normally

Your goal when brushing your teeth is to remove as much plaque as possible. That’s because plaque bacteria eat away at the tooth’s protective enamel. Your teeth are more likely to decay and more likely to have painful cavities if you don’t remove this plaque.

It is easy to use for others

An electric toothbrush may be easier to use for people with chronic pain or disabilities. That’s because the rotating heads of the brushes do most of the cleaning. With manual toothbrushes, you have to do the brushing yourself.