Not all electric toothbrushes out-clean their manual rivals
24 January 2003
If you're wondering whether that electric toothbrush you received for Christmas really does the job, look at the brush head.
If the head rotates one way, then the other, then your new electric toothbrush probably works better than the manual type.
Cochrane reviewers found that this type of rotation oscillation brush removed more plaque and reduced gingivitis (gum inflammation) more effectively than regular toothbrushes in the short and long term (Issue 1, 2003).
(Cochrane reviewers review material for the Cochrane Collaboration, an international organisation aimed at helping people make well-informed decisions about healthcare by undertaking scientific reviews of evidence for certain treatments).
No other type of electric toothbrush — including those with bristles that move side to side, round and round, at an ultrasonic frequency, or in a complex pattern known as counter oscillation — achieved consistently better results than a manual toothbrush.
The type of brush also made no difference to its ability to remove stains.
Although the reviewers found the rotation oscillation electric brush to be most statistically effective in removing plaque, they admitted that they didn't know the clinical significance of their findings.
The trials were too short in duration to show whether the effects achieved a reduction in destructive periodontal disease (disease in the tissues that support the teeth, including the gums), they said.
'Individuals who prefer the 'feel' of using a powered toothbrush can be assured that powered toothbrushing is at least as effective as manual brushing, and there is no evidence that it will cause any more injuries to the gums,' the reviewers said.
None of the trials in the review compared the durability, reliability and cost of using a manual brush compared with a powered brush.
Last Reviewed: 23 January 2003
