Are you using your electric toothbrush correctly?

An electric toothbrush makes brushing teeth easier, but you have to use it correctly. "If you brush incorrectly, even an expensive electric toothbrush is not of much use," Luc Martens, professor of preventive dentistry at Ghent University tells VRT’s consumer affairs programme “The Inspector”.

A lot of myths still exist about electric toothbrushes and toothpaste. Which brands should you use, are all brush heads equally good and do toothpastes really do what they promise? These are the questions the Inspector put to Luc Martens, professor of preventive dentistry at UGent.

"Electric brushing is better anyway"

Do you get better results by brushing manually or electrically? Manual brushing has certainly not been written off says Professor Luc Martens. "With a manual toothbrush, you can still achieve perfect oral hygiene."

If you brush manually, it is important to make circles. If you use an electric toothbrush, you have to brush differently and pay particular attention to using it correctly.

With an electric toothbrush, you should definitely not scrub or rub. You should actually let the electric toothbrush do its job. "The brush head itself already rotates or vibrates so you should actually just move it and let it do its work," he says.

Professor Martens stresses that, above all, you should look at the state of your mouth.

People say "An expensive toothbrush is always better", but is that true?

You can find all kinds of toothbrushes and attachments on the high street, in all price categories. Is more expensive really better? Professor Martens would avoid the cheap electric toothbrushes. "As for toothbrushes from well-known brands, there is often scientific evidence that they work. For own brands that evidence is often not there for cheaper models. That doesn't mean they don't work, there's just no evidence."

Martens, however, also feels that you can certainly pay too much for an electric toothbrush. "For a good basic brush, you should pay less than 90 euros. And these do a good job. Of course, you also have more expensive models that are connected to an app. But that's not necessary."

As for the brush head, it is a bit the same story. If you want your brush head to be high-quality and effective, it is better to get one that has been scientifically studied. "The brushes from cheaper brands make limited movements and the bristles are of inferior quality" he notes.

It is also important to change the attachments soon enough says the professor. "Once the bristles start bending outwards, it's better to use it to clean paving stones."

"All toothpastes are the same"

Fluoride is one of the main ingredients in toothpaste and Professor Martens has good news: "There is fluoride in almost all toothpastes and it is essential to fight cavities." Some toothpastes also use the term "professional". According to Martens, this is a hollow claim.

Brands promoting all-in-one toothpastes with 8 different workings in 1 toothpaste are also misleading, Professor Martens believes. "All toothpastes have 2 workings as a basis: to prevent cavities and to keep gums healthy. Everything else they add, such as anti-bleeding or anti-plaque, actually all means the same thing."

Whitening toothpastes, which have become quite a big hype in recent years, provide a temporary solution to a problem, according to Martens. "Teeth whitening via toothpaste gives a temporary result, this is never permanent."

Home remedies like bicarbonate also do more harm than good. "In large quantities, it is not good for your tooth enamel. The same goes for toothpastes with charcoal. That's basically brushing your teeth with your barbecue, I really can't recommend that."

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