Why your traditional toothbrush might be outdated

Should you toss out your old, trusted plastic toothbrush to make way for its electric counterpart? 

‘Like brushing my teeth’ is a common phrase used for activities that come to a person like second nature, and rightly so. It’s one of the first few good habits you learn in your early years and one you continue to exercise twice a day, without giving it any thought. For as long as we can remember, a toothbrush has simply been a plastic tool to maintain oral hygiene and get rid of bad breath, to be tossed and replaced once the bristles lose their shape or, as dentists recommend, at least every three months. While the first electric toothbrush dates back to 1954, made in the United States, it started to gain popularity in India about two decades ago. Today, you see them all over social media via advertisements at price points ranging between ₹500 to ₹15,000 and upwards. We find out whether switching to an electric toothbrush is really worth the investment, or is it just another frivolous tool being marketed as an essential. 

Electric versus regular toothbrushes

While both electric and regular toothbrushes clean teeth, their cleaning functionalities are where they differ from one another. “The most significant difference between regular manual toothbrushes and electric ones is the vibrations of the bristles per minute, which contribute to the cleaning capacity of the brush,” explains Mumbai-based dentist Dr. Namrata Jadhwani Takhtani. Electric toothbrushes are not all made the same either. 

“There are two types of electric toothbrushes: powered toothbrushes which are usually battery-operated and sonic toothbrushes which have an inbuilt battery. They largely differ in their bristle vibrations per minute. Powered brushes range between 4,000 -7,000 vibrations per minute while sonic brushes range between 26,000-40,000 vibrations a minute. Manual toothbrushes, meanwhile, have around 100 vibrations a minute.” Mumbai-based Dr. Nidhi Mehta, an advocate for electric brushes, explains, “Research shows that electric toothbrushes decrease more plaque and gingivitis as compared to manual ones, making them a better choice for oral health. The bristles oscillate and vibrate, which is better than just moving the brush horizontally around the teeth.” Jadhwani Takhtani shares some numbers: Sonic electric toothbrushes have ten times the plaque removal capabilities as compared to electric brushes and hundred times the cleaning power of a manual toothbrush. 

A host of benefits

According to dental experts, electric toothbrushes offer a plethora of short-term and long-term benefits, making them worth the switch. “Both electric and manual toothbrushes are effective at cleaning teeth if you use proper technique and brush long enough. However, an electric toothbrush may make brushing easier, resulting in better plaque removal,” says Mehta.

The biggest win with electric toothbrushes is that they take the guesswork out of an ideal teeth-cleaning routine. “Perfect brushing requires the correct technique, pressure, frequency and time. Over the decade of practising I’ve realised that one of these factors is usually missing and combined with lazy and disinterested brushing, it usually leads to a higher amount of cavities, bad breath and bleeding gums. With an electric brush, you usually eliminate the aspect of human erring,” says Jadhwani Takhtani. “They help avoid over and under brushing since they usually have a smaller head which allows reaching every crevice of the teeth, especially the last molars which get neglected with a larger head size. This leads to lesser cavities as compared to [when you use] a manual toothbrush. Also, it’s easier to monitor brushing time, alleviates sensitivity issues and more suited for those undergoing dental treatments such as Invisalign, implants or caps.”

Is the price tag justified?

Electric toothbrushes have a very wide price range, with those by Colgate starting from ₹ 500; Indian brand Perfora at ₹999; Oral B ranging from ₹1,600 to ₹16,000; and Jahdwani Takhtani’s own brand that recently launched Seven Oral Care featuring sonic brushes, at the sweet middle spot of ₹5,999. Of course, the difference in price points has to do with the capabilities and features of the brushes.

Jadhwani Takhtani co-founded Seven Oral Care after identifying a gap in the market for a brush that ticks the right boxes for form and function. “As a practising dentist passionate about oral care, I noticed a dearth of all-encompassing, holistic oral care products. I found that some products lack a few features while most lack design and some are just gimmicky, which I could never recommend to patients. Our first product—the SuperBrush—mimics a clean-up at the dentist and makes brushing an elevated experience. It has a 60-day battery life, three custom modes and, of course, is waterproof. There’s an equal attention to detail from the design perspective too—it comes in four colours with a matching vegan travel case. The aim is simple: to make oral care fun and functional.”

In spite of the benefits, it is hard to ignore the significant price difference when you can buy a standard toothbrush for under ₹100. “If I had to point out one drawback to using an electric toothbrush, it would just be the cost as compared to a manual toothbrush. However, this is more of an investment, especially with the amount [of money] you’ll save at your dentist. They are also more sustainable since you only replace the head as opposed to the whole body of the brush,” says Jadhwani Takhtani. Electric toothbrushes are helpful for patients with special needs, making it convenient for their caregivers. An ideal option for children too, “they make brushing fun for kids, inculcating the habit more easily,” says Mehta.

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