Electric toothbrushes clean better

Electric toothbrushes protect, according to a study particularly well in front of an inflammation of the gums and loss of teeth. The letter, researchers at the University of Greifswald in the “Journal of Clinical Periodontology”. For their study they analyzed data from approximately 2800 adults, whose teeth had been observed in health over a period of eleven years.

Users of electric toothbrushes lost during the observation period an average of 0.4 teeth less than people with a mechanical toothbrush clean, is it in the investigation of Vinay Pitchika and his Team. Electric Brushing was associated with less so-called gum pockets, and with less loss in the periodontium.

In a healthy mouth the gum is stuck to every Tooth. In the case of periodontitis, the gum is inflamed due to bacterial dental plaque, and surrounds the Tooth is only loose. The inflammation reaches the alveolar bone, is this – if left untreated, a tooth may be lost.

It was noticeable according to the researchers, that users of electrical tooth were brushes tend to be younger, better educated and more emphasis on dental health increased. The positive effects of the electrical toothbrushes remained although, as the researchers expected, the influence of these factors. Nevertheless, it can not be excluded that the measured effects are in addition to the choice of the tooth, other factors brushes played a role.

Fluoride more important than the type of toothbrush

A connection between the use of electric tooth brushes and tooth decay, the researchers found. “It is assumed that fluoride plays in dentifrice creams a more important role in the prevention of caries or reduction of dental caries progression,” said the Greifswald researchers Pitchika.

Dietmar Oesterreich, Vice-President of the German dental Association, reads from the study, “is that electric toothbrushes have a relevant positive impact in the prevention of the emergence or the progression of a beginning have periodontal disease”.

Generally you could achieve with a manual tooth brush with optimal handling comparable results as with electrical devices, says Oesterreich. However, each user does not have the perfect technique. “The electric toothbrush makes it automatically right.” In the prevention of periodontal disease electric toothbrush own according to the latest studies, the benefits.


The correct brushing technique

The University of Greifswald advises on your home page to a toothbrush with soft or medium degree of hardness, and specific shapes – for example, a moving head – are therefore not necessary. It is recommended, when Cleaning with the inner surfaces in the lower and upper jaw, with the outer surfaces continue to be clean, finally the chewing surfaces.

The toothbrush should be placed at the outer surface at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees and to cover the same Parts of the tooth surface and gums. Then apply a slight pressure so that the bristles perform some bending and light circular or shaking movements.

Who wants to take control of its cleaning power, it can get in the pharmacy Färbetabletten. This show, where after Brushing, plaque on the teeth retarded.


Austria, according to the normal tooth were the brushes a long time as just as effective as electrical. However, numerous studies have delivered in the last few years, evidence that electric brushes perform the same regular application of an effective oral hygiene.

The dentists Stefan Zimmer of the University of Witten/Herdecke, comes to a similar conclusion: “It has been shown, that they clean better than manual toothbrushes.” With these, you could achieve the same result, if you no longer plasters. “The most not make, therefore in the daily life is electrically better,” he said.

He recommends that already in the case of two-year-old children electrically to the brushes. Four-year-old could be self-cleaning electric the teeth. Statements, you could slurp the gums electric,””, rejects the room because they were based according to him, on scientific knowledge. Electric Brush is more gentle.