 Power toothbrushes are one of the best tools for taking care of your mouth. We'll show you what features to look for.
I recommend power toothbrushes for several reasons:
For kids, they're more fun. Parents, what will your kids enjoy more,
that dull plastic stick, or a race car
with power bristles? There a lot of
kid-friendly toothbrushes out there. Take your kids out to your local drug
store, supermarket, or discounter and have them pick out one they like.
This is one purchase where it's OK to spoil them a little.
For anyone
with limited dexterity (such as elderly or disabled), power toothbrushes produce better cleaning results with less effort.
Because the bristles are constantly moving, you don't have to worry as much
about angles, small circular strokes, etc. Power toothbrushes (especially
Sonicare) also have thick, easy to grip handles for those with limited hand strength
or coordination. The toothbrush takes care of the technique for you.
What Features Should I Look For?
 The power toothbrush market is a large one, but Braun/Oral B (owned by Proctor & Gamble) and Sonicare (owned by Philips) dominate in sales. Both make an
excellent product. Models change frequently, so it's more important to know what to look for,
rather than specific models or even brands.
- Is there a 2 minute timer?
This is arguably the most important feature of a power toothbrush over a
manual one, because the cleaning quality is more closely related to time spent
than anything else. Oral B's most basic timer brush is pictured to the
right.
- Is it rechargeable?
A lot of the base model toothbrushes use standard AA batteries.
These are better than manual, but not by much--they tend to brush much
slower than higher priced models. Plus, you'll pile the landfills with disposable batteries over
time. Most come with NiCad batteries, but better ones use the newer NiMH
(nickel metal hydride) batteries which don't have as much memory effect.
- How fast does it brush?
All other things equal, more strokes per minute should mean more cleaning power. Sonicare
had a clear lead in this department, but Oral B has caught up. You can find
good prices for these at
Costco or
Sam's Club, but retailers like Target
and Walmart have greater selection. Over
20,000 strokes per minute,
you're going to be hard pressed to tell the difference. Some people are
tickled or irritated by the ultra-fast pulsing. Better models include a
slower speed for comfort, as well as an automatic slowdown if you scrub too
hard. Make sure you buy from a retailer that allows exchanges or
returns.
- Is it easy to clean?
Poorly designed power toothbrushes have all sorts of nooks, crannies and
crevices for water to get into. This has been my specific beef with
Sonicare for years--gunk gets stuck under the heads, and if you don't
constantly clean them, they start to stink. (newer models seal out water somewhat better) A well designed toothbrush
is smooth, sealed, and easy to clean.
- How often do you have to replace the heads?
You have to periodically replace the brush heads to maintain cleaning power.
Make sure that you can afford the brush heads. Oral B brush heads last
about 1-3 months (they come in varying softness levels), Sonicare heads are rated for
6 months, and cost commensurately more. Also make sure to get the smallest head
possible--it helps get those upper back teeth cleaner. Here's a
tip--brush your upper back teeth with your jaws closed--you'll create more
room.
Ignore the Marketing Hype
Pay less heed to claims of "ultrasonic vibration" and "better
whitening"--good product doesn't need hype. Ultrasonic vibrations beneath
your gums make no clinical difference in my experience. Toothbrushes (and
toothpastes) that claim to whiten more usually do so by adding extra abrasive. In extreme cases, you can prematurely wear out your enamel.
Tooth whitening is safe, much faster way to
whiten most teeth.
Really, which one should I get?
Sonicare makes a very good product, and even their base model gets
30,000 pulsations a second. As long as you remember to open them up and
clean them out weekly with a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol, they won't stink, and they do an excellent
job cleaning teeth. For environmental reasons, I would advise against
the toothpaste dispensing models unless the user has limited manual dexterity.
Sonicare brushes start around $30, and average $60-$100. There is no significant performance
difference between the basic models at Costco, Target/Walmart, and pricey deluxe
"performance" models at Sharper Image.
I
personally use an Oral B power brush because they're easier to
clean. They also have extra soft bristle heads which are gentler
on the teeth. The Oral B 7000 and 8000 series are just as
fast as the Sonicare models. Oral B makes power brushes from $5
and all the way up to $200. The best models have 20,000 pulses
per second or more.
There are many other brands of power toothbrush which I have
not mentioned in this article. I have chosen these two brands because you can find
replacement heads relatively easily. You can always try other brands.
If you find a better toothbrush, we'd like to hear
about it .
For kids, the one that they are excited about, and the one
they will use, is the one to buy. I prefer a child using the worst
toothbrush in the world regularly over a child who leaves a great toothbrush in the drawer.
That goes for grown-ups, too.
See our special offers page for powerbrushes that we sell in our office.
Finally, remember that when it comes to
brushing, you can achieve excellent results just by keeping that toothbrush,
powered or manual, in scrubbing your mouth for 2-4 minutes.
Disclosure: Oral B uses with the slogan "The Brand Most Dentists Use"
because they give every dentist and hygienist who ask a reduced price top-of-the-line
power toothbrush and buys the office lunch, too. Sonicare charges dentists
a reduced price for their product, and does not offer free lunch. I have
purchased professionally discounted brushes from each brand. The author has no financial interest in either company, or any other toothbrush
manufacturer.
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