There are many types of toothbrushes and, if we want to make a division, we can classify them into these two main groups: manual and electric.
Based on this functional characteristic, we are going to try to help you choose.
We start from the premise that both manual and electric toothbrushes are designed to provide good dental care. However, depending on your needs and habits, one option may suit you better than the other.
At MiravéCo we have found that the choice of toothbrush can compromise both the quality and quantity of brushing. That’s why we thought it important to confront the pros and cons of using one or the other to help you in your next choice. Let’s see:
Advantages and disadvantages of manual toothbrushes vs. electric toothbrushes
According to comfort
Manual toothbrushes are the most common and you can easily find them in pharmacies, drugstores, grocery stores and multi-product stores. It is very convenient and easy to renew them when it is time, to have several in your purse, in the office.
Electric toothbrushes, on the other hand, are distributed in more specialized stores, such as pharmacies and drugstores and appliance distributors. Although there is a portable version, they are larger and more “cumbersome” to carry. So, in their case, the benefit of convenience is associated with their use: the toothbrush cleans the teeth by means of its automatic oscillating movement. By simply placing the brush at the gum line, the cleaning job can be carried out without much effort.
2. Economic cost
One of the main differences between manual and electric toothbrushes is cost. Manual toothbrushes are relatively less expensive, do not require a charger and their portable size and design make them easy to carry from one place to another.
Although there are now automatic travel toothbrushes that can be charged electronically or run on batteries, their cost and volume are still higher than manual toothbrushes.
3. Waste and environment
Electric toothbrushes are less environmentally friendly compared to manual toothbrushes, if the latter are made of an environmentally friendly and recyclable material.
However, as the renewal of the electronic toothbrush head should be the same as that of the conventional toothbrush, if we compare designs made of plastic, the difference is minimal.
In any case, it is the batteries, the charger and the electronic design system that give an extra residual and ecological cost to be valued.
4. Efficiency
As in many aspects of our life in which we can compare mechanical and manual work, electric toothbrushing surpasses manual brushing in cleaning capacity, speed and efficiency. That is why, when you do not have a good technique or do not have the time required for manual brushing, the electronic one beats us.
5. Electric toothbrushes for children
On some electric toothbrushes it is possible to set a two-minute timer, which automatically stops the brush once the job is done. As suggested by the children’s dentist at MiravéCo clinic, this feature is very beneficial for the little ones to teach them good oral hygiene practices while they are still learning at an early age.
We can conclude that both brushes offer effective dental care. If not for a medical prescription reason, analyzing the different factors such as cost, features and flexibility, taking into account comfort and personal experience, is what can guide us in choosing one option or the other. In either case it is essential that your hygienist or dentist gives you oral hygiene instruction to perfect your brushing technique because if it is done incorrectly, no matter which one you use, your brushing will not be satisfactory.
