When it comes to oral care, there are two teams; those who root for manual toothbrushes and those who root for electric.
The real question here is which is better? The manual toothbrush has been around for much longer, but technology has ways of helping improve situations. When the two go head to head, which will win in the end?
Round One: Price
This is something very practical to consider. With everything else that you have on your list, adding more expense can be a bit of a burden. In this particular instance, an electric toothbrush would cost more. Different models cost different amounts and the higher the performance level the more it costs.
On the other hand, manual toothbrushes can easily be found for a dollar a piece. Of course there are still some others that cost more, but in general, manual toothbrushes tend to cost less, according to Symptom Find.
Winner: Manual!
Round Two: Effort Needed
The goal in many circumstances is to figure out a way to do something well with the least amount of energy and effort needed. This could easily be applied to brushing your teeth. With a manual toothbrush, you have to physically move the brush back and forth on your own, which usually results in you missing a spot or not taking as long to brush.
According to Jefferson Dental, electric toothbrushes are very easy to use. All you need to do is put them on your teeth at a 45° angle, and let the toothbrush do the rest.
Winner: Electric!
Round Three: Size
Something to consider when deciding on the toothbrush of choice is the size. Manual toothbrushes are generally all the same size and are fairly skinny. According to Everyday Health, they are easier to travel with. They can be put into drawers, holders, or anything else that can be used in order to organize them.
Electric toothbrushes however tend to be larger in size, and have a base that they need to sit on in order to charge when it’s not in use. This means that it’s taking up more space on the counter, which is more inconvenient when you’re travelling.
Winner: Manual!
Round Four: Overall Cleanliness
Possibly one of the most important questions to ask is “How clean will this 
toothbrush get my teeth?”
With a manual toothbrush, it’s entirely possible for someone to get their teeth as clean as they should be. However this involves brushing your teeth for a certain amount of time, getting all the right angles and putting the right amount of pressure on them.
With an electrical toothbrush, it’s easier to feel the pressure, and even those who cannot move around as easily as others are able to get their teeth clean, according to How Stuff Works. Overall, it’s easier to clean your teeth with an electric toothbrush.
Winner: Electric!
Round Five: Chargers
Electric toothbrushes have a charging base that they sit on so that they are powered up whenever you need it to be.
This is handy, until you accidentally forget to charge it, or lose the base. Manual toothbrushes are good to go as is and can be picked up anytime, anywhere for use.
Winner: Manual!
Round Six: Timer
It’s recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes every time. It can sometimes be hard to keep track of this with a manual toothbrush. Some have separate timers that they use or they just pay attention to a clock.
With most electric toothbrushes, there is a built in timer that will go off when your two minutes is done. This will ensure that you are brushing your teeth long enough and you are doing all that you can to get your teeth clean.
Winner: Electric!
Round Seven: Options
Manual toothbrushes have been around for a long time. As such, there has been a lot of room for growth in the industry, meaning there are more brands. Also, you will find that there are vary degrees of bristle softness, shapes of the head, and overall design.
With electric toothbrushes there are fewer brands out there and most of the heads look similar. In general, there isn’t as much variety so there are fewer options when it comes to shopping around for something in your price range.
Winner: Manual!
Round Eight: Which is Greener?
“Going green” is something that many people have become concerned about. How Stuff Works points out that with a manual toothbrush, you’re expected to replace them ever 3-4 months. When you do this, you’re throwing out the entire thing which has a lot of plastic in it.
With electric toothbrushes, instead of throwing the whole thing out, you just replace the head. This is considered to be greener because less plastic is used or discarded.
Winner: Electric!
Who is the real winner?
The fact is everyone will have different needs when it comes to their oral care. Some have sensitive teeth and don’t like electric toothbrushes, where others might have arthritis so they need the help of an electric toothbrush.
You should always consult your family dentist about making changes to your cleaning routine. Who the real winner is will be up to you!
If you have any questions about the toothbrush you’re using or need to schedule a dentist appointment in Charlotte, feel free to contact Modern Family Dental Care today!
