Maintaining your oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health. An important tool to help you with this is your toothbrush.
While many of us might not see it as a big deal, there’s a big difference between a good and a bad toothbrush. In this guide, we want to help you find the best toothbrush for your kids and to understand the differences between various types of toothbrushes.
How to Choose a Great Toothbrush
Before we talk about the best toothbrushes of this year, let’s take a look at some of the factors that go into choosing a toothbrush.
- Bristle Type: Toothbrushes generally come with soft, medium, or hard bristles. Dentists often recommend soft bristles, as they effectively clean teeth without causing damage to gums.
- Size and Shape: Choose a toothbrush head size that comfortably fits in your kids mouth and allows easy access to all teeth surfaces. Additionally, pay attention to the handle’s grip for better control during brushing.
- Electric or Manual: Decide whether you prefer the ease and technology of an electric toothbrush or the simplicity of a manual one.
- Fun Factor: Look for a toothbrush that your children would enjoy using every day. An average person will spend over 2,000 hours brushing their teeth in their lifetime, so it’s important to use a brush they love.
Electric vs Manual Toothbrushes
One of the main decisions you’ll have to make with your toothbrush is whether to go with an electric or manual option. Each has its own pros and cons so read through the following information carefully:
Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes offer several advantages, such as:
Efficient Cleaning: Many electric toothbrushes come with rotating or vibrating brush heads, which can remove plaque and debris more effectively than manual brushes.
Built-in Timers: Some electric toothbrushes have timers that prompt users to brush for the recommended two minutes, ensuring thorough cleaning. For example, the SuperMouth Smile Sidekick has a two minute timer that ensures your children brush for the right amount of time.
Various Modes: They often offer different cleaning modes, like sensitive or whitening, catering to specific oral health requirements. The SuperMouth Smile Sidekick also comes with three brushing modes for clean, sensitive, and massage.
Manual Toothbrushes
While manual toothbrushes lack the technology of their electric counterparts, they still have benefits:
Affordability: Manual toothbrushes are generally more budget-friendly compared to electric ones.
Portability: They are lightweight and do not require charging, making them convenient for travel.
Gentle on Gums: Manual toothbrushes allow users to have more control over brushing pressure, which can be beneficial for those with sensitive gums.
Essential for Education: We believe it’s important that your children learn how to brush properly and it’s best that they learn that using a manual toothbrush like the Glow Globe Mouthbrush.
Best Electric Toothbrushes
Now let’s talk about some of the best electric tooth brushes that both children and adults can use to maintain optimal dental health.
Sonicare DiamondClean Smart: This top-of-the-line electric toothbrush offers multiple brushing modes, real-time feedback, and even connects to a smartphone app for personalized oral care tips.
Bristles The Brushineer: This electric toothbrush is not only designed to help keep your kids teeth clean, but it’s so much fun for your children. It comes with a dinosaur toothbrush caddie and plays two-minute songs for proper brushing time.
Best Manual Toothbrushes
If you prefer a manual toothbrush or you want to make sure your children learn the proper techniques for brushing their teeth, here are some manual options.
Colgate 360 Total Advanced: This manual toothbrush comes with a unique tongue and cheek cleaner, along with tapered bristles for hard-to-reach areas.
4 Song Musical Mouthbrush: This toothbrush from SuperMouth plays four different songs to try and increase the amount of time your children brush for. It automatically stops when their two minutes are up so they know they’ve brushed long enough.
Which Toothbrush Removes the Most Plaque?
While both electric and manual toothbrushes can effectively remove plaque, several studies suggest that electric toothbrushes, particularly those with rotating or sonic technology, tend to do a better job at plaque removal.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to your oral health, it’s so important that you choose the best toothbrush. But, keep in mind that this can be different from one person to another. While studies do show that electric toothbrushes are the better choice, there are reasons why you might want a manual toothbrush.
Regardless of the type you choose, you need to ensure your children brush for at least two minutes, twice a day, and be sure to always floss! Don’t forget to have the best toothpaste to compliment their brushing as well!
Dr. Kami Hoss is a top-awarded pediatric dentist in San Diego. Schedule an appointment to visit one of our six locations near you.
