Thank you so much for all the great feedback and comments regarding the first article on this subject of electric vs. manual brushing!
In case you haven’t read part one of this discussion, here’s a link to it: Electric vs manual brushing, which is better? part 1
In that first article, we established that how we brush our teeth is fundamentally more important than what tool we use.
In this second article of the two-part series, we’ll explore some pros and cons of several types of electric and manual toothbrushes.
Electric toothbrush overview
The spectrum of different devices has grown tremendously over the past 10 years.
Oral-B and Sonicare brushes have become the standards in the industry.
There are also several offshoots that use sonic technology as well as many other lesser-known brands.
Sonicare and other sonic-style brushes
The Sonicare company has done a tremendous job marketing its toothbrush to the world.
In fact, in sales circles, they are recognized as one of the best overall (not just dental-related) companies in the world at marketing their product! So it’s not surprising that many people love their Sonicare toothbrushes.
Here’s a bit of information you may not hear from the dentists who endorse (and sell) Sonicare toothbrushes.
Many of our dentist friends have told us that they aren’t impressed with the job that sonic brushes do to remove plaque.
We don’t know the exact reason why. Maybe sonic-style brushes just don’t clean teeth as well as their marketing departments claim. Or maybe the brush user places too much trust in the technology’s abillity to remove plaque, so they don’t use the brush as thoroughly as they might if they were using a lower-tech brush.
In any case, if you are happy with your sonic brush and your dentist/hygienist is giving you a thumbs-up, then keep doing what you’re doing.
However, if you use a sonic brush and still get mixed results during your dental checkups, then you may benefit from a different tool that will better support you along your path to greater oral health.
We have no personal experience with the Sonicare brush other than trying it once.
The way the brush head moves for sonic brushes does not facilitate the Bass Brushing Technique, and that has always been enough reason for us to look for more suitable options for our family.
Besides, the electric vibration in the mouth did not feel good to us. More on this farther down below…
Oral-B and similar spin / rotary brushes
As we mentioned, the Oral-B electric brush is the other industry standard. In full disclosure, we have had an Oral-B brush for many years and have used it off and on.
Everyone in our family generally prefers manually brushing with the Bass Brushing Technique and a Bass toothbrush.
However, every once in a while I still do use the Oral-B to give the surfaces of my teeth an extra polish and remove any remaining plaque. (Kind of like how a hygienist uses a rotary head tool to polish our teeth.)
As I have continued to improve my diet (mainly by continuing to cut back on sugars), the amount of plaque that I need to remove in this way has diminished dramatically.
If you’d like tips on ‘in-the-mouth’ and ‘whole-body’ strategies you can use to help support your oral health, feel free to download our FREE eBook, “How to stop tooth decay and remineralize your teeth”.
Rotadent brush
There’s another rotary-style electric brush called ‘Rotadent’ that we really appreciate. However, in the same breath, we have to state that we aren’t fans of the company that produces the brush.
The brush design is particularly good for gently sweeping along the gum line to help disorganize the colonies of thug bugs that are implicated with gum disease.
The Rotadent may be a good option for someone who is looking for an electric brush to help with existing gum disease (and of course, the tools in our HealThy Mouth System can really help with this, too).
While the Rotadent brush is great, it’s not built as well as the Oral-B. So if you choose to purchase a Rotadent, you’ll definitely want to do so via an authorized dealer so you’re eligible for their warranty.
In other words, if you purchase a Rotadent toothbrush from an unauthorized dealer on amazon.com or elsewhere, your Rotadent warranty will not be valid.
This is why we don’t like the company.
Also, they have structured their business so that for the most part, only dental offices seem to be their authorized dealers. We have reached out to them explaining that we would love to be an authorized dealer so we can offer you this great brush with the warranty. Unfortunately, they didn’t go for the idea. 🙁
So, if you know a dentist who is a rep for Rotadent and you are looking for a good electric brush, consider getting one. Just be sure you get it from an authorized dealer so you have the warranty intact.
30 Second Smile and Bass-style electric brushes
Another electric toothbrush we tried and really liked is the 30 Second Smile brush.
This brush uses the Bass Brushing Technique, and like our manual OraWellness Bass Toothbrushes, the 30 Second Smile toothbrush bristle ends are rounded to reduce abrasiveness (we’ll go into more detail on bristle tips below).
We liked this brush so much that we wrote a separate article on it: “What’s the best electric toothbrush to reduce gum disease?“.
Note of caution
Our first article in this series did receive a number of comments regarding the risks of EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) that might be emitted from electric toothbrushes.
One person had a device to measure EMFs, and they said their electric toothbrush had a very high reading on their EMF meter. So, if you consider yourself more sensitive to electromagnetic frequencies, you may want to keep this in mind when navigating the manual vs. electric toothbrush question.
For similar reasons, we have always been a bit cautious toward the sonic-style brushes in particular. We feel that the vibration that these sonic-style brushes emit to knock plaque off our teeth could cause more collateral damage than we realize.
For example, is it possible that these sonic waves could compromise the bond of existing restorations (fillings, etc.) in the mouth?
Also, is it possible that the sonic waves could scramble other systems in the body?
Given that we are very aware of the bio-electric nature of our bodies (think of acupuncture and the meridians of traditional Chinese medicine), having more electric waves inside the head has never felt like the right path for us.
Reminder to brush consciously
Depending on the level of awareness one applies while using an electric toothbrush, the beneficial features that it has can also wind up becoming risks.
An electric brush is faster at removing plaque due to its mechanical movement. However, if we brush unconsciously, this increased movement can cause faster damage, too.
Let’s keep in mind that one of the main contributing factors in gum recession is brushing the teeth too hard day after day.
Gum tissue likes to be massaged. It likes to be stimulated and loved on. However, it doesn’t like it when the massage turns into a torture session (ever had one of those massages? 🙂 ).
We consider daily unconscious brushing to be one of the main assaults to navigating the path to our optimal oral health.
Additional tips
No matter which toothbrush you choose to use, you just need to gently place the bristles against your teeth and gums and then do your thing (you don’t need to use a bunch of pressure).
If you’re using an electric toothbrush, it’s even more important to be super mindful of the amount of pressure you’re using (hopefully not much at all!). Also, you just need to slowly move the brush around your mouth, because the electric brush is doing all of the work for you.
In terms of using the Bass Brushing Technique with electric brushes, it might be best to do this technique along your gum line with the brush turned off. Then turn the brush on when you’ve finished with your gum line and are ready to circle back to brushing the surfaces of your teeth, tongue, etc.
For move information on brushing, feel free to check out our article, “How to avoid 3 common tooth brushing mistakes that can damage your teeth and gums“.
Manual brushes
There’s such a big range of manual toothbrush features that it can be overwhelming when you’re trying to pick the one that’s right for you.
Is the handle supposed to be long? Short? Curved? Made from recycled materials?
What about the bristles–are they long? Short? Multi-leveled?
There are two criteria we stand by when it comes to choosing a toothbrush.
First, the brush bristles should be rounded at the tip. Some toothbrushes look great with the naked eye, but when you look at the bristle tips under a microscope (or super zoomed in with a macro lens on a DSLR camera), the torture potential shows itself.
The image on the left below shows the Bass toothbrush’s polished round bristle tips. The image on the right below shows the jaggedly cut bristle tips of a common toothbrush that can easily be found in stores.
With this up-close view, it’s easy to see how we can damage our tooth enamel and gum tissue over time by brushing unconsciously, especially with the typical toothbrushes that are available in stores.
Speaking of bristles, this brings us to our second criterion for choosing a toothbrush.
It has never made sense to us why some brush manufacturers use colored bristles that are meant to fade over time ‘so you know when to change your brush’. Really? Bristles that are dyed and the color fades with use? After all, where does that color go but into our mouths and bodies! 🙁
That’s why you won’t find color-fading bristles on our Bass toothbrushes. Instead, we encourage folks to pay attention to the condition of the bristles as an indicator of when it’s time to change your brush.
You see, when the bristles start to fray and frazzle and bend out of shape, they’re no longer effective at helping us keep plaque biofilms thin and disrupt thug bugs. So, that’s when it’s time to switch to a new toothbrush.
You can actually use this tip with any toothbrush that you choose to use.
In general, a toothbrush should last at least a couple of months (incidentally, here’s an article that explains how to sanitize your toothbrush, in case you’d like to check it out). If you find that your bristles are bending out of shape quicker than that, it might be a sign that you’ve been brushing too hard.
Wrapping up…
We’ve tried lots of different types of toothbrushes, and overall, we’ve stuck with using the Bass Brushing Technique along with our effective but not-very-fancy Bass toothbrushes.
In fact, we’ve had fun conversations with customers (you know who you are! 🙂 ) who admitted that when they received their first Bass brushes, they wondered what dollar store we had purchased them from. However, after trying them, they found they really love our brushes!
The takeaways from the two articles in this series…
- How we brush is more important than what type of brush we use.
- We should each choose whichever brush and brushing technique we can consciously, comfortably, and effectively use to support our oral health by thinning plaque biofilms and disrupting thug bug colonies.
What about you? Do you prefer a manual or electric brush (and why)? What feedback has your dentist given you regarding how well your toothbrush or brushing technique have been working? Have you learned any helpful tips along your path to greater oral health?
We’re all in this together. We feel so blessed to be able to engage with you so we can share our stories with one another and benefit from the lessons we’ve each learned.
Would you like to hear more of our thoughts on any of the subjects we’ve touched on here? If so, please let us know in the comments below!! (hey, that kind of rhymed 🙂 )
We love you.
Thank you and Aloha!
Helpful, Related Resources:
How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth [free eBook]
Electric vs manual brushing, which is better? part 1 [article]
How To Brush Your Teeth To Reduce Gum Disease [article]
OraWellness Bass Toothbrush [product solution]
HealThy Mouth System [product solution]
What’s the best electric toothbrush to reduce gum disease? [article]
Meridian Tooth Chart [free resource]
What Causes Receding Gums and How to Stop it [article]
How to avoid 3 common tooth brushing mistakes that can damage your teeth and gums [article]
3 Easy Ways to Keep Thug Bugs From Growing on Your Toothbrush [article]
If one uses a waterpik must he also brush the teeth as well, whether manually or with an electric toothbush?
So.. I tested my new Sonicare with my emf reader at it was ready at about 75mG which was just as much as my microwave produces. I’m returning my toothbrush as it falls within the warranty. My old one lasted about 3 years. But after reading in the user manual EMF info and finding out that the EPA deems .5-2.5 safe levels, this is getting the heck out of my house and mouth and brain… Dunzo.
Any chance of smaller convertible Bass brushes for traveling? Are you familiar with the type that the head can be pulled off it’s hollow handle, and then flipped around to store the head inside that hollow handle, to be protected and kept clean once dropped into pocket/purse/backpack/glove box/etc?
That’d be great if there were a portable/travel Bass brush like that 🙂
Hey Ted,
I don’t think we’ll be creating any cool ‘convertible’ brushes. While it may sound a bit ‘unhygienic’, I tend to just have several brushes and keep one in the car, another in my backpack, etc. That way, I have a brush handy whenever I need one. (and yes, I do have several in my bathroom too :).
I hope that helps Ted!
I read your article with interest , Two years ago I suffered a stroke . The stroke happened as I was using a sonic toothbrush. The type of stroke was a pure motor stroke and in the area of the brain directly above where the toothbrush was being used. There were factors that were unusual. I was biting down on the toothbrush at the time, trying to remove some overalls . This type of stroke is usually associated with older men with high blood pressure /cholesterol etc., As I am a female with NO risk factors ( I have no narrowing of the carotid arteries and have had a 5 day heart monitor test to rule out atrial fibrillation also no high BP or cholesterol ) we, as a family, started to investigate. My husband is a vibration test engineer tested the frequency of the brush and this came out at a frequency that has been proven to cause damage to blood vessel linings and blood clotting. There is a lot of research into HAVs at this frequency (125hz/250hz ) and the damage it causes. The mandible an skull are also susceptible to frequencies >100hz. I understand that this may be a rare occurrence but when you start to investigate vibration and its damage you start to question whether it is a good idea to put a brush of this frequency anywhere near the head. We have compiled a report comprising the toothbrush test by us, and an independent source . We have also got all my medical scans (MRI) and hospital discharge notes and independent blood test results and we intend to send these out to the dental profession and anybody who has any interest so that this matter can be discussed.
Philips have been very uncommunicative . The best they offered was a refund for the toothbrush. This is not about money it is about informing the public that this product could be potentially dangerous to use. There is real ignorance about vibration and the damage it causes and I really feel it needs to be discussed.
Kind regards
Suzanne Manton
Aloha Suzanne,
WOW! Thank you SO much for writing your experience (and the reminder email!)
First, I’m sorry to hear of your experience.
Second, somehow your story does not surprise us in the least. As you read in our article, we are dubious of the vibration brushes like this emit. You may find more points of contact if you watch our video tutorial where we question whether cell phone radiation could be implicated with causing tooth decay because of the proximity the cell phone has with a gland called the parotid gland, which plays an important role in the primary remineralization pathway our bodies have.
Here’s a link to the video tutorial if you’re interested.
We are curious to hear more about your situation Suzanne. While we don’t know what help we could be, surely we can help bring more attention to your story and help others avoid such risk factors.
Please feel free to share more with us here.
Thank you for sharing your story with us and others who may benefit from reading it!
As a recommendation- a shorter post would be more beneficial to actually read or bullet points. Or videos are most helpful when there is tons of info to share. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback LP!
I agree. I can be rather long winded 🙂
I hope the article provided some solutions for you.
I would like to know what you think about ionic toothbrushes!
Diane Wilkinson’s comment is the most enlightened on this topic.I would add that nearly all so called “recession” is actually tooth brush damage due to excessive scrubbing /force.
Ask your hygienist or dentist.There are different brushing techniques that children and adults (18-20+)can use as plaque is damaging with a poor diet (in between meal sticky refined carbohydrate snacks) In adult mouths with little or no snacks as above plaque may be protective and act as a buffer. Adult brushing should be a light pressure massage rather than a scrub.
I cannot substantiate these comments,but have a few years experience in dentistry to draw on.
Hello and thanks for all your articles which I find interesting. I am a Hygienist and Nutritionist in UK (41 years experience) and find I get best results from patients when instructed to use the Oral B oscillating brush correctly i.e. one tooth at a time and no scrubbing. The Sonicare is good for patients with excessive calculus and or staining but has to be used carefully so as not to scrub. The best manual brush I have come across thus far, is a Swiss brush made by “Curaprox” It has 5460 bristles in it which are ultra soft and so a safe brush to use using your excellent technique which I also endorse. I have not yet tried your brush and so cannot comment on that. Keep up your great articles and THANK YOU.
the link to the panel on electric v. manual toothbrushes is no longer live
Thanks for the heads up Eric! Not sure what happened to them, but I removed the dead link.
Holler with any questions, we’re here to help. 😉
Personally I love to use an Oral B electric toothbrush. I like the feel of the rotating action on my teeth. My teeth also feel cleaner for longer than when I used a manual brush.
I tried a sonic toothbrush once and didn’t like it because it tickled and felt like it wasn’t doing anything.
nice post
I have seen several patients that practically assault their gums with their electric toothbrushes! The brush is doing all the hard work, no need to add a ton of pressure. It’s not as if you need to sandblast your teeth to get them clean.
Aloha Dr Tagliarini!
Thank you for offering your input here! We completely agree! Hehe, sandblasting your teeth… 🙂
Pressure alert is present in electric brushes. So if too much pressure is given, the electric toothbrush will give alarm. That’s why it should not cause harm to the gums. Oral B is better between oral b vs sonicare.
Thank you for this two-part series! I’ve been using the Healthy Mouth Blend since October. I purchased a Bass brush as well and experimented with it after watching the video a few times but couldn’t get the hang of it, so I continued using my Sonicare. I have been using a Sonicare (given to me as a gift) for the past year. Plaque/tartar tends to build up on my teeth very quickly, especially in specific areas. I have been noticing that it the Sonicare wasn’t doing as great a job as it should, especially given that it’s supposed to be amazing at removing plaque. I would brush and then still feel that my teeth weren’t clean! I use a gentle brush head with the Sonicare. After reading this column I decided to give the Bass brush another try and my teeth are MUCH CLEANER. Wow. I should also mention that after a LIFETIME (I’m in my 30s) of bleeding gums during flossing, the bleeding reduced within DAYS of starting to use the Healthy Mouth Blend and cleared up completely within the month. This was a problem I was struggling to solve for years! Thank you for all your great products and excellent advice!
Wow Lily!
Thank you so much for posting here! We feel so blessed to hear that our information and products have helped you so profoundly! I hear you on the challenge of learning the Bass technique at first! 🙂 I’m so glad you persisted! Now you know why so many people rave about our awesome brushes! 🙂
Thank you and Aloha!
Thanks for your response, Will! I’m still having success with the Bass brush and the Healthy Mouth Blend. One of the other improvements I’ve had is that I pay much more attention when brushing. I still have to remind myself to keep the brush at an angle and use only gentle pressure. Since using the Bass brush in place of the Sonicare, I haven’t had the tartar build-up that I was having. There are still a few areas that are hard to maintain but there is definite improvement. And there is no bleeding when flossing (maybe one particular tooth every few weeks), which is excellent. I have a cleaning scheduled in April and look forward to seeing what they have to say. Thanks again for your help!
I like my Sonicare and have had great feedback from multiple dentists about my dental hygiene since I started using it (I’ve used one for 12+ years now). However, I think the quality of the brushes (both the base and the brush heads) has diminished now that they are no longer made in the USA. The last set of brushes we got seems harder on my gums and I have to agree about the fading color (I don’t need dyes to tell me when to change my brush and would rather not have them in my mouth).
Aloha Shelly,
Thanks for posting your experience with Sonicare. I hear you on the products not being made in the USA. I definitely feel better knowing where our products are being manufactured. That’s yet another reason why we love our Bass brushes! 🙂
Actually Walmart replacement brushes the last time I checked are superior to the Sonicare brand. Go figure. Sonicare wants us to replace them more often.
Not a argument but comparison, I bought Walmart replacements for my Oral B and found them I’ll fitting, slightly difficult to put on and off the shaft… Recently got a real deal on genuine Oral B replacement brushes and they not only slips more easily but also the power of my brush seems increased as if the mechanism is working with more freedom and power due to more accurate connections! I’m a happy customer!
Curious to know what you think of ionic toothbrushes.
Thanx for an intelligent article. It made me rethink why I use an electric toothbrush, although I do not use it as long as recommended.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad we got you thinking! 🙂
I love your honesty and openness. I feel supported by your information and delivery. Thank you for doing what you do! I’m off to brush with my bass mindfully. I’m also symbolically brushing away any plaque from my ability to express truth graciously. With love.
Wow Alissa!
Thank you for being the bright light you are in the world! Your ability to express yourself is just fine Sweetheart! Keep up the good work! 🙂
Aloha!
I used to use an electric toothbrush years ago but stopped once I learned about EMF’s. A good quality toothbrush and high quality tooth powders or toothpaste are next on top of the list alongside good nutrition. I have had clients report back to me that their dentists are impressed with their dental work after working with me. Its good to get feedback to know that what I’m doing is helping. There is no place for gum disease, dental caries and poor mouth hygiene and my nutritional programs for all my clients is a top to bottom process that leads to overall well being (not just symptom improvement).
Thank you for your information. When I read your posts I see that you often rattle cages with the responses and its good to get people to think, learn and change instead of just following mainstream beliefs. Blessings
Would you recommend the Bass brush for someone with braces?
Definitely!! The bristle tufts are more spaced out so it’s easier to work around braces!!
Enjoyed the second electric vs. manual brushing. Never thought about EMF’s and the brush and I’m very conscious about them. Good to know.
The Bass brush is the most beneficial brush I have ever used and will never purchase another brand.
You have my business for as long as I’m brushing my teeth.
Love and Best Wishes, Carole
Thank you sweet Carole! 🙂
We feel your support and appreciation!
I want to say that for most of my life I was a poor tooth brusher. I have the dental bills to prove it! Then I found Sonicare. Now, I actually don’t mind brushing. The two minutes that the brush allows is not enough time. I go through the cycle twice for a total of about 4 minutes. I am able to carefully go over each tooth and hard to reach areas. I learned from a miserly friend that you don’t need to cover the entire brush with toothpaste. If you want a rave review, speak to my dentist! I also found Johnston’s under bridge cleaners to be the bomb! Unfortunately, they seem to have gone out of business. Glide, by the way, simply does not have enough “tooth” but seems at times to be the only one available. I don’t know what they were thinking in developing this useless product. Using a toothpick would be better.