Toothbrushes play an extremely crucial role throughout the life. Choosing the right kind of toothbrush is the first step towards maintaining oral hygiene. Oral hygiene is something that you have to take care of for a lifetime. But, doctors recommend to maintain proper health of buccal mucosa and oral cavity since childhood. It is because if you lack decent care of these little things as a child, you will undoubtedly come across either of these two conditions: Firstly, you can develop disease related to oral hygiene or dental ache since a very little age. Secondly, you can encounter these problems later in life; but, with much more severe intensity.
No one likes to live an unhealthy life filled with obstacles. Having a buccal disease implies to a lot of headaches and money squandering on the treatment and medications. Therefore, experts always recommend to pick a conventional brush to have healthier gums and teeth. With advancing technologies in every field, scientists managed to make the brushing more easier. The discovery of electric brushes brought a twist in the world of modern appliances. Everyone was so fascinated with it and wanted to use it for once. Moreover, it has become a necessity for people who love living a sedentary life. Remember waking up lazy every morning with your eyes half shut towards the washroom? Holding a brush and brushing teeth is too much labor when you have a readily available option! Yes, an electronic toothbrush.
The same goes for the children! Though kids also tend to be lazy in the morning; however, they are quite active to irritate you with all the mischiefs. You will have to do a lot of labor to make them learn brushing. To avoid this drama in the morning, many parents are opting for electric brushes nowadays. But, the question remains- how effective are these toothbrushes? Many of them are worried about the safety of their children. There are numerous questions related to electric toothbrushes that parents ask day to day; we are here to solve all your queries one by one. Let us look at some points that will help you to determine if the electric toothbrushes are better and safe for children.
To make this aspect more clearer, let us begin with answering a very elementary question-
What is an electric toothbrush & how does it work?
Electric toothbrushes, as the name suggests- function with the help of a battery. These toothbrushes usually have a battery inside the lower case that helps to rotate the bristles of the brush. When these bristles come in contact with your teeth and gum, they clean them efficiently. Therefore, it eliminates the need for manual brushing. All you have to do is- step into the brush area, take the toothbrush, switch it on with the help of the power button, and that’s it; you’re all set for the day ahead!
An electric toothbrush also enables you to set a timer for the desired time. For example- if you wish to cleanse teeth for 2-3 minutes, set a timer & it will automatically switch off after that time. You should change the battery from time to time to make it long-lasting. If you feel that the bristles are no longer working, you can readily replace the heads. So, that was all about the introduction and functioning of an electric toothbrush. Let us move forward to the next essential points.
Is it suitable for kids? If yes, what is the age limit?
One of the biggest questions is that the electronic toothbrushes are suitable for kids or not. To answer this question, you must know certain points. Toddlers usually have delicate gums and underdeveloped teeth. Stimulating with some electric products is not a wise option for children below 6 years. At the age of 6 years, most of them learn to brush by themselves, and can identify risky and non-risky habits to some extent.
Also, the handle of toothbrushes are not suitable for little children to hold as their tiny hands cannot grasp the brush handle accurately. Though electric toothbrushes come in different sizes for various age groups, even for the toddlers; but, experts recommend using them after 5-6 years. A child must learn a manual brushing technique. Even if you make your child adopt the habit of using an electric toothbrush, make sure to supervise them while brushing.
Can my children use it regularly? Is it safe enough?
The next primary aspect is considering the safety of electronic toothbrushes. Whether it be a toothbrush or any other item, parents always want to ensure 100% safety to their child. To begin with, yes, you can use the electric toothbrush regularly, just like a manual toothbrush. However, make sure to change the top portion every3-4 months as the bristles might get ineffective after that period. Now let us discuss the safety of an electric toothbrush; initially, when these brushes were innovated, some manufacturers were alleged of creating an unsafe product. However, as time passed, many more trials were carried, and there was a betterment in these brushes.
The modern electric toothbrushes like Philips and oral-B are certified by trusted agencies. Some people believe that these brushes can lead to loosening of teeth. However, it is a completely natural process & the vibrations produced by an electric toothbrush do not affect your child’s teeth in any manner. The next thing is choking or poking of toothbrush to cause injury to cheek and face.
- There is minimal hazard of choking the toothbrush into the throat. To avoid it, you will have to teach the do and don’ts to your child.
- Poking can also be prevented by not using the brush aggressively. A gentle use will give you perfect white teeth. To be completely assured, we advise you to be present until your child completes brushing.
⇒ Also Read: Brushing Advice for Babies and Toddlers
How does it compare to a manual toothbrush?
Both manual and electric toothbrushes are excellent in their domains. But, if we look at it with a child’s perspective, it changes the entire scenario. Children prefer playful, vibrant, and more fancy things. In comparison to a manual toothbrush, an electric toothbrush has more interesting options such as different colors, designs, auditory notes, and much more. Children love to do enjoyable things; therefore, in this aspect, an electric toothbrush wins.
That was all about fancy things; however, we must remember the fact that the main purpose of a toothbrush is effective cleaning of teeth. If your child is lazy and does not like to move his hands while brushing, there will be incomplete cleaning that will lead to tooth decay. However, an electronic toothbrush eliminates the need of doing manual labor. So, it is more preferable in the case of sluggish children.
Here are a few benefits and drawbacks of using an electric toothbrush
Benefits
- Keeps a check of time: Electric toothbrushes usually come with a timer setting. It enables you to set a timer according to your convenience. Experts recommend brushing your teeth from 2-3 minutes per session.
- Fancier: These brushes are available in various colors, sizes, designs, and melodious songs. It appeals more to the toddlers and children.
- Better for handicapped: People who have restricted allowance of activity can readily use these brushes without stressing their mind and body.
- More intense removal of plaque: Scientists have suggested that some brands of electric toothbrushes show more effective plaque removal than the manual ones. However, this aspect is still questionable.
- Less contribution to waste: You only need to replace the topmost portion of these brushes in the majority of the cases. Thus, they are more eco-friendly and contribute to lesser waste generation.
Drawbacks
- Price: Electric toothbrushes are costlier than the manual ones. A usual electric toothbrush will cost anywhere around $10 to $200. You will also have to save for batteries and replacement heads.
- Requires a lot of searching: It is quite inconvenient to find the right size of the replacement head.
- Personal choice: Some people commonly do not prefer to use an electric toothbrush. Therefore, it always relies on your personal preference.
- Battery reservoir: You should always have a battery reservoir at your home. If you run out of batteries and do not have a backup method, what would you do?
⇒ Also Read: How to Get Your Child to Brush Their Teeth Properly
How can I make it more effective for my kid?
To receive 100% efficacy from a toothbrush, make sure to learn your child effective way of brushing. Even if you replace a manual toothbrush with an electronic one, you will still have to move your hands to ensure proper cleaning. Also, the correct technique is needed; ask your child to hold the brush at an angle of 45 degrees from teeth. Make sure to wash your child’s toothbrush after they finish using it. There is a minimal difference in the maintenance of both these brush except that the electric one requires charging. Also, to prevent infection, make sure to change the brush after every episode of flu.
We hope you liked this informative article on electric toothbrushes for kids. Thank you!
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