June 26 is National Toothbrush Day – which is a cause for celebration if you’re a dentist. We aren’t the only ones who think so. In 2003, Americans named the toothbrush as the top invention they couldn’t live without in a survey the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The humble toothbrush dates back to 3000 BC when Egyptians created tools from twigs and leaves to clean their teeth. It has changed many, many lives for the better by helping us keep our smiles healthy for a lifetime!

We’re celebrating the occasion by highlighting some of the latest toothbrush trends. The simple tool isn’t so simple anymore! Toothbrushes now use features like digital technology to help you keep your teeth clean.

Read about toothbrush trends, then if you have any questions for us, just let us know during your dental exam or call us at 334-600-1423. We’re always happy to help you improve your oral hygiene!

Why You Might Want to Go Electric

Electric toothbrushes aren’t new; they first went mainstream in the early 1960s. Still, many folks still use manual toothbrushes. National Toothbrush Day is a good time to consider going electric. Electric brushes give you four key benefits:

  • Brushing Ease – Many people like young children, senior citizens, those with dexterity issues, or people with arthritis often find electric brushes easier to use. They require less effort to get teeth clean. Many folks also find it easier to hold a rounded handle.
  • Ability to Improve Technique – Most of us would benefit from improving our brushing techniques. Many electric toothbrushes now have features like sensors that tell you if you’re applying too much pressure and timers that ensure you’re brushing long enough.
  • More Consistency – With a constantly rotating brush, an electric brush can give you more consistent cleaning. Many even have different heads you can try until you find the one that works best for you.
  • Environmental Friendliness – You switch heads on an electric toothbrush instead of tossing the entire brush. So you’ll discard far less plastic over time.

Toothbrush Trends: High-Tech Features Improve Technique

An increasing number of electric toothbrushes use digital technology and other features to help you improve your oral hygiene. Two popular brushes that pack in lots of high-tech features are the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean and the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000. Both have apps that offer suggestions for getting the right angle on your brush and applying the correct amount of movement and pressure.

Other features include:

  • Pressure Sensor – If you’re brushing too hard, the handle vibrates and a light flashes. Avoiding excessive pressure helps you avoiding damaging enamel and gums.
  • Smart Timers – A timer shuts off your brush at the pre-set time limit for the brushing mode you select, and it alerts with a gentle vibration when you need to move to a new section of your mouth while brushing. Some brushes also have a feature that allows you to begin with lower vibrations, then increase them as you get used to the brush.

Both of these brushes, which have lots of positive reviews on Amazon, have many different brush heads and easy-to-find replacements. We recommend always using soft bristles and replacing the head every three or four months, sooner if the bristles begin looking frayed.

Toothbrush Trends: Delivery to Your Door

Subscription plans bring products like razor blades, dog food, and makeup to your door at regular intervals. Now you can receive your replacement toothbrush heads the same way. Two of the best-known subscription plans for dental supplies are Goby and Quip. There are others too, including Burst and Buck Brush. These services provide proprietary supplies. You can also purchase replacement heads for Philips and Oral-B brushes this way through Amazon, Brusher Club and Toothbrush Hub.

In addition to brush heads, you can also receive toothbrushes and other supplies like toothpaste and floss from some of these suppliers. If subscription plans help you replace your brush heads on a more regular basis, we see this as a positive toothbrush trend.

Toothbrush Trends: Hands-Free Brushing

One of the newest toothbrush trends is mouthpiece toothbrushes, sometimes referred to as self-brushing or hands-free toothbrushes. The U-shaped brushes look a lot like sports mouthguards. You put them in your mouth, where they simultaneously brush all of the surfaces of teeth in both your upper and lower jaws.

They claim to clean your teeth in seconds. The best known of the hands-free brushes, Amabrush, recommends using the device for 10 seconds in an instructional video on its site.

In addition to cleaning teeth faster, the idea is to make your brushing technique more consistent. The concept certainly holds promise. However, we aren’t recommending mouthpiece brushes yet as early consumer reviews for them aren’t good.

Our team is happy to discuss toothbrush trends with you! We can also show you how to improve your brushing technique. Call Carmichael Dental Care at 334-600-1423 to schedule an appointment in Montgomery, AL.