Periodontal disease can have lasting effects not only on your teeth, mouth, and gums but your entire body. If you are looking for ways to prevent, or at least reduce the likelihood of developing periodontal disease, you may want to think about switching from a manual toothbrush to an electric toothbrush.
Why Make the Switch to an Electric Toothbrush?
Many dentists, oral surgeons, and dental hygienists recommend their patients switch to an electric toothbrush because it can help improve oral health. An electric toothbrush has been proven to not only clean teeth more effectively than a manual toothbrush, but to also remove plaque from hard-to-reach places.
Benefits of Switching to an Electric Toothbrush
People who switch to using an electric toothbrush receive many benefits. Some of the benefits that come with making this switch include:
- Cleaner teeth – an electric toothbrush can brush more strokes per minute than a manual toothbrush. This means debris and plaque buildup can quickly, easily and more effectively be removed.
- Gums are protected from brushing too hard – brushing too hard can cause gums to become inflamed and irritated. An electric toothbrush does all the work for you, so you aren’t left scrubbing your gums and causing them to be irritated.
- Easier to reach those hard-to-reach places – electronic toothbrushes can easily get into all the small nooks and crevices in your mouth where food particles, bacteria, and other debris can hide. Removing these things from these areas helps to improve your oral health and prevent the start of periodontal disease.
What Makes Electronic Toothbrushes So Special?
Many patients wonder what makes electronic toothbrushes so special. After all, they appear to be like manual toothbrushes only they run on batteries, but they are so much more than that.
Electronic toothbrushes come with a number of special features that help you work to improve your oral health. The features that are found on your electronic toothbrush will vary depending on the manufacturer and the make or model of the toothbrush.
Some of the features that can be found on electronic toothbrushes include:
- Pressure sensor – some electronic toothbrushes have a small pressure sensor in them. If you happen to be brushing and you start brushing your teeth too hard, a small light will appear to alert you that you could be damaging your gums.
- Gum massage – you need to brush much slower and gentler when you are brushing around your gums. The gum massage feature on electronic toothbrushes gently vibrates the toothbrush head so that it is just the right speed for you to brush around your gums without causing any irritation or damage.
- Timers – dentists recommend that you brush for at least 2 minutes. Most people take a guess of how long that is, but you don’t have to do that with the timer on electronic toothbrushes. Electronic toothbrushes use a timer that has them run for 2 minutes – the exact amount of time you should be brushing.
- Different motions for the toothbrush head – toothbrushes don’t just need to move back and forth. They also need to move in circular motions if you want to properly remove plaque from between the teeth and around the gum line. Some electronic toothbrushes allow you to choose which way your toothbrush head moves.
Using an Electronic Toothbrush isn’t All You Need to Do to Prevent Periodontal Disease
While switching from a manual toothbrush to an electronic toothbrush will help improve your chances of not getting periodontal disease, it isn’t all you have to do. There are a number of other things you will want to do to help reduce your chances of getting periodontal disease.
Other things you will want to do include:
- Scheduling regular professional cleanings with a dentist or an experienced periodontist
- Flossing at least once a day
- Learning proper brushing and flossing techniques that properly remove plaque from around the teeth and gums
- Following up on any dental procedures, such as fillings or deep cleanings, that need to be performed
Looking for more tips on how to prevent periodontal disease? Call Vero VIP Implants & Periodontics to schedule an appointment to speak with Dr. Brown. He is an experienced periodontist who can help with the treatment and maintenance of periodontal disease.
FAQs
Easier to reach those hard-to-reach places – electronic toothbrushes can easily get into all the small nooks and crevices in your mouth where food particles, bacteria, and other debris can hide. Removing these things from these areas helps to improve your oral health and prevent the start of periodontal disease.
Does an electric toothbrush help periodontal disease? ›
Conclusion. If you are suffering from receding gums, using an electric toothbrush can be a great way to help improve your gum health. They help remove plaque and bacteria from teeth and gums, which can help reverse receding gums.
Are electric toothbrushes good for implants? ›
Research has shown that electric and sonic toothbrushes, which do produce small vibrations in the mouth, are actually beneficial in preventing bone loss, gum disease and tooth decay. This type of stimulation is more likely to maintain the life of the implant when performed correctly.
What is the best toothbrush for periodontal disease? ›
A consistent oral care regimen can help keep gum disease from taking root. When looking for the best toothbrush for your gums, consider switching to an electric toothbrush. Research has shown that brushing with an electric toothbrush, like the Oral-B iO Series 9, can maintain gum health and prevent tooth loss.
What is the best toothbrush for implants and crowns? ›
It is also helpful for people with implants or braces. These must be cleaned in all their niches exceptionally well and the best, safest and easiest way is with a sonic toothbrush, particularly with a Curaprox Hydrosonic.»
Which Oral-B electric toothbrush is best for periodontal disease? ›
The Bluetooth connectivity and customizable features on the Oral-B app make the Oral-B io Series 9 toothbrush a strong choice for people with receding gums or who are prone to over-brushing.
Do doctors recommend electric toothbrush? ›
Dentists agree that overall, electric toothbrushes are superior to manual ones. "Because electric brushes have a rotation, they essentially force the toothpaste in more difficult-to-reach areas, which is where cavities start," says Dr. Creaven.
What is the next best thing to dental implants? ›
Our six best alternatives to conventional implants are:
- Same-day teeth.
- Mini implants.
- Conventional dental bridge.
- Adhesive dental bridge.
- Partial denture.
- Do nothing at all!
The CS 708 is the alternative to “I can't reach there”. It can get to difficult-to-reach areas with no problems since it can be easily bent. Thanks to the bend in the handle, it cleans at just the right angle.
Who should not get dental implants? ›
If you regularly or subconsciously grind teeth, have uncontrolled diabetes, gum disease or jaw irradiation following a cancer diagnosis, these situations don't bode well for dental implants. Essentially, these conditions must first be dealt with or controlled to ensure the best possible outcome for implant restoration.
Proper oral hygiene practices, such as brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily, can go a long way in preventing and reversing gum disease. Additionally, using an antibacterial mouthwash can help kill bacteria that contribute to gum inflammation.
Can you reverse periodontal disease? ›
Only the first stage of gum disease, known as “gingivitis” can be reversed. After it progresses into the second stage (periodontitis), it's no longer possible to completely eliminate it.
What toothpaste reverses periodontal disease? ›
parodontax is Clinically Proven to Help Improve Gum Health
If you're noticing a little bit of blood when you brush, it could be an early sign of gum disease. Learn how parodontax toothpaste can help prevent bleeding gums when used twice daily.
Can you use Sonicare with implants? ›
Sonic toothbrush vibrations are comparable to those created by chewing. They are unlikely to harm your implants. On the contrary, they may be helpful. These automatic toothbrushes effectively clean your dental implant because they can reach all of the corners surrounding the implants.
Do you need a special toothbrush for implants? ›
1) Toothbrush/Tufted Brush
Angled neck brushes make cleaning the implant abutments from the inside easier. They have slim brush heads and can reach into narrow spaces. Soft filaments won't scratch your implants. Regular implant brushes have the narrow heads and soft filaments of angled neck brushes.
What kind of toothpaste do you use for implants? ›
The unique active oxygen-releasing formula of bluem® products and other key ingredients help with recovery (post-surgery) and long-term daily maintenance of implants and healthy teeth. For the best results, use bluem® fluoride free toothpaste and bluem® mouthwash together as part of your twice-daily routine.
Is an Oral-B electric toothbrush safe for periodontitis? ›
Well, your dental professional will give you some toothpaste options, designed specifically for gum health. An Oral-B electric toothbrush helps with plaque control as well. As long as the situation hasn't reached a critical level, this is really all you need to do (while following proper plaque control steps).
Can a Waterpik fix periodontal disease? ›
They can be good for people with periodontal disease or with extremely dry mouths. You also might want to try one if you have arthritis or other problems using your hands. Kids or teens with braces sometimes find water flossing easier than traditional flossing.
Does a Waterpik help with periodontal disease? ›
Over the past decade, water flossers (WFs), also known as oral irrigators or dental water jets, are devices designed to improve periodontal health by directing a pressurized stream of water at the teeth and interdental area, removing supragingival and subgingival food particles, pathogenic bacteria, and plaque [4].
Is a Waterpik good for periodontal? ›
In turn, these cleaner environments are less likely to experience additional bone loss, pocketing, bleeding, or spread of disease. For individuals with moderate to severe periodontitis, this reason alone is more than enough to invest in a water flosser!
