The great toothbrush debate has raged on since the appearance of the the first electric toothbrush which appeared in Switzerland in 1954. The general consensus from dentists is that oral hygiene is more about the brusher than the brush, though some users come down hard on one side or the other. If the thought of using a manual toothbrush makes you bristle (see what I did there?), but you aren’t sure what to look for in an electric brush, this is the article for you. If you’re a manual user who is ready to make the switch, read on. We’ll look at a few of the recommendations that have come out of dentist reviews of certain electric brushes in order to determine what factors make an electric toothbrush worth all the buzz. Yes, I did it again.

What’s the Point?

Before choosing an electric toothbrush or considering a review dentists have given, it’s important to highlight the major features that set electric toothbrushes apart.

1. Timers. Many brushers do not spend the recommended two minutes brushing their teeth. Although there are solutions for manual brushers, electric toothbrushes often offer beeping timers to let you know when to stop or shut down altogether at the end of the allocated time.
2. Movement. High speed vibrations and mechanical movements can reduce the amount of work that brushers need to do and can, according to some dentist office reviews, increase the quality of your brushing.
3. Display. Besides timers, some electric toothbrushes display information on their LCD screens that can help younger brushers to brush more accurately.

Dentist Reviews: What the Pros Think

Most dentist reviews of particular electric toothbrushes seem to focus on three major things: shape, movement, and features.

• Shape: Dentists tend to recommend brushes that are longer and have curved tips. Many electric toothbrushes have small round heads which can make it difficult for the brusher to reach molars. Longer heads can reach the back, and a curved tip follows the contour of teeth.
• Movement: All electric toothbrushes vibrate, but not all vibrations are the same. Though many consumers are drawn to brushes with the strongest vibrations, it is not the strength of the vibration that makes the biggest difference, according to dentist reviews. Brushes with finer vibrations that resonate deeper help clean teeth better than those that simply do a lot of wiggling.
• Features: Some electric toothbrushes come with extra features like water piks or extended battery life. Electric brushes that squirt water while you brush can help to loosen food, but don’t replace flossing as a method for removing debris. Dentist reviews don’t necessarily recommend brushes with additional features, but they don’t condemn them either. It’s really up to the user.

In the end, the success of tooth brushing depends more on the technique of the brusher than the style or quality of the toothbrush, though dentist reviews do seem to indicate that certain electric brushes are of better quality than others. The best bet is to peruse dentist reviews of particular brushes and to talk to your hygienist before choosing one.