Electric Toothbrush Rules to Live By
So you received an electric toothbrush for Christmas? Great! Someone cares about your oral health :D :D :D. It's an excellent step up from a manual toothbrush, but there are still key areas you need to focus on to maintain great oral hygiene at home:
Time Spent Brushing
Going electric doesn't mean you get to skimp on time spent brushing! We still recommend doing 2 minutes twice a day - regardless of whether you are using manual or electric brush. Why? People, on average, spend about 45 seconds brushing - which is a little haphazard if you're thinking to get rid of all the build-up, the tiny food particles and whatnot. Aim to brush every exposed surface on every tooth - so let the moving brush-head do its job, but focus on lingering on each tooth - on the top of every tooth, on the tongue-side part of every tooth and on the cheek side of every tooth. And YES, you do have to remember to go allllll the way to the back to really thoroughly clean the molars!
Flossing
Yes, we still recommend that you floss, even if you've gone electric with your brush. Even if you follow step #1 to a tee and spend time on all the exposed surfaces of the teeth, the areas in between teeth are important as well. And unfortunately, often neglected. Which means, cavity-causing and inflammation-causing substances that go into your mouth will catch in these areas and leave you more susceptible to decay and gum disease if you forget to floss. So keep it up!
Changing brush heads
We recommend changing your manual toothbrush every 3 months and each time you get sick. This is the same for your electric brush heads. Frayed and old brush heads will be less effective at removing surface debris regardless of whether you're using manual or electric toothbrushes, so remember to stick to a regular replacement schedule.
Careful on the pressure!
Many people apply too much pressure while brushing, (and this is especially the case, when you're using a really old, worn-out brush!) Using an electric toothbrush with excessive pressure can damage your enamel surface, so be careful to ease up on the pressure! Aim to be thorough by focusing on getting all the teeth surfaces, but not pressing too hard when you do. Some electric toothbrushes come with sensors that alert you when you're applying too much pressure, so hopefully, you received one of those!!
Remember to recharge
The worst, least effective toothbrush is the one that you do not use! So remember to charge your brush when it is low on batteries.
Don't forget your gums!
Since healthy gums provide a solid foundation for healthy teeth, remember to give the gums some attention too. This 'rule' is the same for manual brushes as well as electric - but since people tend towards less time brushing with an electric one, we're here to remind you to remember all those areas that the average person often forgets! Again, you're looking to apply gentle pressure over the gums, so that the moving brush heads can do their job.
