Electric Toothbrush Vs. Manual Toothbrush: Which One is Better?

The most impactful inventions or scientific technologies are usually the ones which affect your everyday lives and gradually become a part of it. Take electricity for example. Life without electricity is hard to even imagine, let alone live it. Though electricity is a natural phenomenon, using it as a source of energy to power modern machines needed various inventions and scientific innovations. Michael Faraday, Benjamin Franklin, James Clerk Maxwell, Nikola Tesla, etc. have all contributed extensively to this field of electrical engineering. These innovations, over the years, gave birth to a new stream of science called electronics. Electronics is nothing but electrical engineering at play but at the electron level so as to power certain devices and appliances. Today, electronic appliances have become an integral part of everyone’s lives. From a cupboard-sized refrigerator to a hand-sized iPhone, every electronic gadget in your home has changed your lives irreversibly. Another great innovation that is getting a lot of traction since the last decade or so, is the electric toothbrush.

Electric toothbrush, just like many other electronic appliances, is powered by an electric motor which helps in automatic bristle motion, thereby helping to clean your teeth. An electric or powered toothbrush is generally supplied the necessary energy through a rechargeable battery, which can move the head of the toothbrush either in linear oscillatory motion or rotational motion.

Electric Toothbrush Vs. Manual Toothbrush

Though a significant amount of population has shifted to electric toothbrush, many still have apprehensions regarding this gadget and prefer a manual toothbrush. In some cases, people who had previously shifted to powered toothbrush have come back to using manual ones. Why this is so? Why many people still opt for manual toothbrushes? What are the pros and cons of an electric toothbrush?

Advantages of Electric Toothbrush

• More effective and accurate in removing plaque from the teeth, especially from the hard-to-reach areas of the mouth
• Easier to use, especially for people with braces
• Easier to use for elderly people, people suffering from diseases like arthritis, or people with disabilities
• Environment-friendly, as the life of a powered toothbrush is much longer than a traditional manual toothbrush which helps in reducing waste

Disadvantages of Electric Toothbrush

• Quite expensive than its traditional counterpart
• Though the body of the powered toothbrush goes for a long time, in some cases, the head of the toothbrush needs frequent replacement
• The gadget as a whole is quite delicate, and hence susceptible to physical damage

Best Electric Toothbrushes in the Market Today

Over the years, research and innovation to improve the working of a powered toothbrush and to resolve the issues associated with it have yielded a lot of positive results. Today, some of the best toothbrush companies of the global electric toothbrush market have come up with a wide range of powered toothbrushes.  

1. Oral-B Pro 7000 Smart Series

Oral-B, the leading global brand for oral heath hygiene products, has recently launched the 7000 Smart Series. Touted as the world’s first electric toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity, it allows the user to connect the toothbrush to the smartphone through an app. This app tracks the user’s brushing habits and provides necessary reminders and other similar inputs. Equipped with six modes such as daily clean, gum clean, tongue clean, etc., this toothbrush is designed to cover oral health and hygiene holistically.

2. Arm & Hammer Spinbrush PRO+

Arm & Hammer is a go-to brand for many people around the globe, as far as household and personal care products are concerned. This latest product in this segment is becoming quite popular mainly due to its design. Spinbrush PRO+ is quite easy to use, even for children and elderly people. Its soft bristles are quite delicate on gums and help in maintaining overall oral health. The biggest plus point of this series of toothbrushes is that they come at a quite affordable price range.

3. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Series

Philips, an electronic gadget manufacturing giant, has long jumped the bandwagon of electric toothbrush manufacturing and has launched numerous powered toothbrushes already. However, this series of toothbrushes may prove to be a game changer, both for the market and Philips. The Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 toothbrushes come with large flat bristles instead of small and round shaped bristles which are common in the market. Philips claims that this design will help in removing the plaque in a much better way, that too with less effort.

The Bottom Line

Electric toothbrushes, as of now, are in an infancy stage wherein not many people are ready to shift to this gadget. Expensive nature of these toothbrushes might be one of the main reasons. Manual toothbrushes are quite cheap and, in some cases, might prove to be even better at cleaning teeth than powered toothbrushes. Thus, the benefit-cost ratio is much lower in case of this electric gadget. However, as more and more players enter this industry, the prices will surely stabilize and the quality and efficiency of this gadget will improve substantially.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.