Of all the devices, it took me the longest time to get used to a display on my toothbrush. Now I look forward to the validation, a sort of thumbs-up for brushing right and brushing long enough on my smart toothbrush. It’s been a decade since I switched to an electric toothbrush and about a year since I’ve been checking out toothbrushes with ‘smart’ features. So, does switching to an electric toothbrush fix everything? Here’s our ready reckoner:
Do you need one?
“The biggest advantage of an electric toothbrush is that it takes out the manual errors. It’s particularly useful for those without a good brushing technique,” says Dr Debadeep Chakravarty, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who runs the dental clinic Advanced Dentistry in Kolkata.
Most of us don’t possess the perfect brushing technique. “Many Indians tend to brush sideways, because that’s what we see in the movies or grow up watching our parents do.” An up-and-down brushing technique without too much horizontal movement around the gum margins (this leads to gum recession) is the ideal way, he explains.
It’s not a quick fix
Dentists don’t recommend an electric toothbrush if you can’t reserve enough time for your morning and night brushing routines. Most experts suggest 2 to 3 minutes based on a simple formula. The ideal time for each quadrant (or eight teeth) is about 30 seconds and hence two minutes is the bare minimum. You also need to remember to charge it periodically (unless it runs on batteries).
#ProTip: Keep an old-school, manual toothbrush handy at all times.
It’s not a one-time buy
The one mistake most first-time or repeat buyers of electric toothbrushes make is not replacing the head. An electric toothbrush is a toothbrush too, the bristles will wear out eventually. The head needs to be replaced every three months. Make sure you look for electric toothbrushes with replaceable heads that are easy to find. You can find good electric toothbrushes even under Rs 1,000 with the option of an electric charger or those that are propelled by batteries. Smart toothbrushes with additional features can go beyond Rs 10,000.
Three electric toothbrushes you can check out
Colgate Proclinical 500R
Powered by sonic technology, this electric toothbrush has dual brushing modes – daily clean (30,000 strokes/minute) and gentle clean (20,000 strokes/minute). It has a handy 2-minute timer featuring a quadrant pacer that switches off when you reach the 2-minute mark, and comes accessorised with a hygiene travel case. (Rs 3,499)
Oral-B iO
This smart toothbrush brings Artificial Intelligence to your daily brushing routines. Its 3D tracking monitors the 6 zones of your mouth, guiding you to a thorough clean while a bimodal smart pressure sensor guides you to brush in the optimal pressure range. The smart display with an intuitive interface is a cool addition for this category. The companion App brings a whole bunch of features including personalised tracking and coaching. (Rs 11,999)
Philips Sonicare CleanCare+
Lasts 14 days between charges. The QuadPacer lets you know when you've spent the optimal amount of time on each section of your mouth while the SmarTimer signals when your total time is up. Together they ensure you reach your recommended brushing time. (Rs 3,595)