Elbow Grease or Shiny Electric Piece? A Study of the Toothbrush

Teeth brushing has come a long way since the invention of the toothbrush in China during the 1400s. Did you know the first toothbrush was actually made from a small animal bone, by a criminal sitting in a jail cell?

Luckily, we don’t have to brush our teeth with small animal bones. We even have the luxury of choosing between a regular, manual toothbrush, and ever-improving electric toothbrushes, which are advertised to clean ten times as much area as a manual toothbrush.

With that in mind, why even choose a regular toothbrush? Well, for one, if you have young children, regular toothbrushes are much easier to use, as one can learn how much pressure to apply on teeth, and how to concentrate on brushing for the full two minutes required by dentists.

Manual toothbrushes are also available everywhere, and are very inexpensive. Whereas some electric toothbrushes can cost upwards of $150, many manual toothbrushes cost less than $7, and are even available at your local gas station, in case you’re in need of a quick brush. Manual toothbrushes are also light, and easily packable when going on business trips or vacation.

While they might cause a pretty penny, there are some intrinsic benefits associated with an electric toothbrush. For people with limited mobile dexterity (arthritis), the electric toothbrush provides them with a larger brush from which to clean more effectively.

In addition, for those people who tend to be “sloppy” with their teeth brushing, an electric toothbrush provides a “shortcut” to teeth brushing, helping to clean the maximum amount of teeth, with sensors notifying you if you spend too much time on an area.

If you’d like to learn more about brushing techniques and get our toothbrush recommendations, give us a call today to set up a Houston dental checkup and teeth cleaning appointment.