How to Brush Teeth With Your Electric Toothbrush - Preserve Your Teeth (2024)

Bacteria tends to build on our teeth all the time. All it takes is a single bacterium to adhere to the teeth and build colonies that create mature populations. The effects of this are harmful to the teeth and gums. With the careful and frequent removal of bacteria by brushing with a toothbrush, one can prevent the buildup of biofilm on the teeth. Originally, the electric toothbrush was developed for people with decreased manual dexterity. However, they became widely popular amongst people without a dexterity impairment.

Why an Electric Toothbrush Is Better

An electric toothbrush is superior to a conventional toothbrush when it comes to effectively reducing bacterial biofilm. Electric toothbrushes can help to prevent teeth staining, are easier on teeth, and are less prone to cause tooth abrasions. Also, accidental toothbrush gum injuries, which cause gum recession, are more common with a manual toothbrush.

How to Use an Electric Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush requires some time to get used to. Occasionally, it can take up to two weeks. The brushing technique is quite different, as the hand does not engage using the same brushing strokes as a manual toothbrush. What is required is a careful reach of the brush head into all of the areas of the teeth and gum line.

Brushing is done solely by the electric toothbrush, so the learning curve requires getting used to bristles reaching tooth and gum line at the same time at a 45-degree angle. You can follow the pictures below to learn the correct position of the toothbrush head.

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Since this kind of toothbrush is very powerful, it is the best to start using your toothbrush without toothpaste and in front of the mirror. Practice these moves around the gum line and all of your teeth. You might even want to start without turning it on.

Whenever you are ready, dispense a pea size of a toothpaste onto the bristles and carry the toothbrush into your mouth. Next, push the start button on the toothbrush. This will avoid splashing the toothpaste all around and wasting it. Once you are comfortable using the electric toothbrush, you can brush with a closed mouth. We suggest tracing the gum line around all of your teeth again at 45-degree angle. The bristles should engage well with the cervical area of the teeth.

How to Brush Teeth With Your Electric Toothbrush - Preserve Your Teeth (2024)

FAQs

How to Brush Teeth With Your Electric Toothbrush - Preserve Your Teeth? ›

Put the brush head against your teeth at a 45-degree angle, then begin to brush the outside of your teeth gently in small and circular strokes. Work your way methodically around each tooth, making sure to be brushing both your teeth and gums.

How can I use an electric toothbrush without damaging my gums? ›

To prevent gum damage, it is advisable to choose a soft or extra-soft brush head, use gentle circular motions, and allow the bristles to do the work without exerting excessive force.

Are you supposed to brush back and forth with an electric toothbrush? ›

Try to brush with the curvature of the teeth. This is the most effective method for removing plaque and food particles. Place the brush on the outside of each tooth for a few seconds at a time. There's no need to press hard or scrub back and forth—the electric toothbrush will do that for you.

Is there a wrong way to use an electric toothbrush? ›

The oscillating or rotating motion of electric toothbrushes is designed to do the work for you, so applying excessive pressure is unnecessary and can lead to oral health issues. To avoid this mistake, let the brush's bristles gently glide over your teeth and gums without pressing too hard.

How long should you brush your teeth for with an electric toothbrush? ›

Even with a rechargeable electric toothbrush, you should spend about two minutes brushing to ensure that you've cleaned each tooth. When you've finished brushing, simply rinse the brush head with water and allow it to dry.

How to brush receding gums with an electric toothbrush? ›

Gentle Pressure: Apply light pressure when brushing to avoid further irritation to the delicate gum tissue. Allow the electric toothbrush's oscillating or sonic motion to do the work, gently removing plaque and debris without causing unnecessary friction.

What is the best electric toothbrush for receding gums? ›

We frequently get asked which Sonicare toothbrush is best for gum recession. This is our recommendation. This Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 allows you to change intensities to allow you to brush with less intensity if your gums are feeling sensitive. It also alerts you if you're brushing too hard by pulsing.

Should you rinse after brushing your teeth? ›

Don't rinse with water straight after toothbrushing

After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.

Can receding gums grow back? ›

The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.

What angle do you brush teeth with electric toothbrush? ›

Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle toward the gum line. When brushing your teeth, move the brush back and forth gently, with a circular movement over the front, back and top (chewing surface) of your teeth.

Should you floss before or after brushing? ›

While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.

Can you brush your teeth too much with an electric toothbrush? ›

Brushing time: One of the key factors in tooth damage caused by electric toothbrushes is overbrushing. Exposing the tooth to the high-frequency vibrations for too long can cause the enamel and dental to wear away.

Why don't my teeth feel clean after an electric toothbrush? ›

Finding the right balance when using an electric toothbrush is important: you don't want to press too hard because that can lead to gum irritation and enamel damage. On the other hand, if you don't press hard enough, plaque and food debris won't be removed effectively from your teeth.

Why does my mouth not feel clean after electric toothbrush? ›

Don't rush your brush. The ADA recommends that you brush your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with a brush with soft bristles. Rushing this makes it more likely that you won't scrub away enough of the plaque that builds on your teeth.

Why do my teeth feel weird after using electric toothbrush? ›

Excessive pressure while using an electric toothbrush can lead to enamel wear and gum irritation, which results in acute sensitivity and toothache after using electric toothbrush.

Is it better to brush your teeth manually or with an electric toothbrush? ›

A review of studies showed that, in general, electric toothbrushes do decrease more plaque and gingivitis than manual toothbrushes. After three months of use, plaque was reduced by 21 percent and gingivitis by 11 percent. Oscillating (rotating) toothbrushes seem to work better than just vibrating toothbrushes.

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