Electric Toothbrush vs Traditional Toothbrush: Which is Best?

Electric Toothbrush vs Traditional Toothbrush: Which is Best? : The last few years have seen a massive shift from the traditional toothbrush to electric ones – but is going electric better for your teeth?

Electric toothbrushes are the modern alternative to the traditional toothbrush. In true post 2020 style, these offer a semi-digital alternative to a standard plastic handle with bristles. To modernize every aspect of human life, we have even electrified the way we wash ourselves… which admittedly sounds counterintuitive.

However, does the electric toothbrush really clean your teeth better? Or does a standard handheld toothbrush do the same job? Let’s see what the science says.

About the Electric Toothbrush

The concept for the electric toothbrush dates back to 1954 when a Swiss dentist invented the first ever prototype. The first mass produced electric toothbrushes hit shelves in the US in 1959, manufactured by E. R. Squibb and Sons Pharmaceuticals. Swiss inventor Phillippe-Guy Woog made the toothbrush with disabled people in mind. It took a pharmaceutical firm to realize the potential the produce would have on the global market. Although the electric toothbrush gained popularity swiftly, it did not develop into a replacement for the traditional toothbrush. Nevertheless, electric toothbrush kits remain popular to this day.

About the Standard Toothbrush

The standard toothbrush which we all know and love first appeared in England in 1780. A man named Willian Addis takes credit for the design. It wasn’t until 1834 that manufacturers started producing toothbrushes with more innovative designs, such as three rows of bristles instead of one. The standard toothbrush had animal hairs instead of plastic bristles back then. Nylon bristles developed in 1938 and softened after the Second World War.

The Sustainable Toothbrush Option

There is a third option to the great toothbrush debate. This third option aligns with the more sustainable models of manufacturing than traditional or electric toothbrushes. Instead of plastic, manufacturers make these sustainable toothbrushes from bamboo. While the bristles are still not recyclable, a bamboo toothbrush can go into the compost pile when your finish with it. Cut the bristles off into the bin and plant your bamboo toothbrush when you finish using it. They have the same cleaning power as the standard brush, but they remove the guilt of plastic use for those concerned about their carbon footprint. You can also buy eco-friendly dental floss nowadays to help out.

Do Electric Toothbrushes Clean Your Teeth Better than Manual Toothbrushes?

So, which cleans your teeth better: the standard toothbrush or the electric toothbrush? Research suggests that the electric toothbrush works better even over a six-week period. This study into clinical, cosmetic, and investigational dentistry, found that powered toothbrushes showed noticeable reductions in both plaque removal and gingivitis – that’s gum disease – over a short period of only 6 weeks. Over time, the study suggests that this would make significant improvements to your dental health.

It is not only the scientists which believe electric toothbrushes are better, either. Electric toothbrushes are better for children, according to research in the Journal of Pediatric dentistry. Dentists in a survey also reported that electric toothbrushes better treated plaque build-up and gum problems over time.

There you have it. Electric toothbrushes do better for your smile long term. However, they are less sustainable than traditional toothbrushes made from bamboo.