Tooth issues and electric toothbrushes

[StevieBee]

For the first 50 years of my life, I've had pretty good dental health. The odd filling but otherwise all OK. Over the five years since, I've had two taken out, cracks, chips, the occasional bad toothache, and what not.

It occurred to me this morning that it was five years ago that I started using an electric toothbrush (I got given one as a present). It's nothing fancy; just one of those that oscillate.

Was wondering if there might be a connection. What do we reckon?

[Belle427]

I stopped using one 2 years ago after getting no end of trouble with over sensitive teeth.
Not had the issue since.

[LunarOne]

I'm 48 and not had any fillings yet and only one wisdom tooth removed 30 years ago. But my dentist strongly recommended (about 15-20 years ago) that I use an OralB electric toothbrush, as he said he could see that I was brushing too vigorously and that I should be gentle and let the toothbrush do the work. He said that it was most important to brush regularly but lightly, and an electric is the best way to do that. And I have. Only in the last 9 months I've switched from the big bulky rechargeable round-head brushes to their disposable oscillating ones, as I travel regularly and can't be bothered with the faff of a base station and big bulky toothbrush. I don't think it's as good, but the key is brushing lightly and regularly.

Edit: Oh, and I do have good teeth. I was once asked if I wanted to appear in a Colgate TV ad due to my good gnashers. I didn't.

[Nemophilist]

I stopped using an electric toothbrush years ago.

I swapped to a Curaprox 5460 and my teeth and gums have been better ever since.

Its super soft so doesnt cause damage, but has way more bristles so the teeth actually feel cleaner and more polished than they did with an electric toothbrush.

[durbster]

StevieBee said:

For the first 50 years of my life, I've had pretty good dental health. The odd filling but otherwise all OK. Over the five years since, I've had two taken out, cracks, chips, the occasional bad toothache, and what not.

It occurred to me this morning that it was five years ago that I started using an electric toothbrush (I got given one as a present). It's nothing fancy; just one of those that oscillate.

Was wondering if there might be a connection. What do we reckon?

What are you doing with it - smashing it against your teeth?

How could an electric toothbrush damage your teeth?

[craig1912]

durbster said:

How could an electric toothbrush damage your teeth?

It can’t, a bad workman ……..

[BoRED S2upid]

I was told by dentist a few years ago to stop using electric and go back to manual. But then again I didn’t know until recently that you shouldn’t rinse after brushing.

[Nickbrapp]

craig1912 said:

durbster said:

How could an electric toothbrush damage your teeth?

It can’t, a bad workman ……..

Most people that suffer from sensitive teeth from using a electric toothbrush do so because they apply too much pressure which presses against the gums, which causes them to recede and you expose part of the nerve, which is of course sensitive.

Not the tooth brushes fault though.

[BoRED S2upid]

I was told by dentist a few years ago to stop using electric and go back to manual. But then again I didn’t know until recently that you shouldn’t rinse after brushing.

[untakenname]

I was told by my dentist to only use sonic electric toothbrush as the rotation ones can cause receding gums and to use a traditional toothbrush once a week to help keep plague away.

[Punctilio]

I'm lumping electric toothbrushes with electric carving knives, no call for them to be
invented as the manual version is entirely fit for purpose.

[Common Porpoise]

If you are still using the same one it's likely to have lost power after five years as the batteries deteriorate. Mine needs changing as it definitely isn't as effective as it was when new. perhaps unlikely to be the sole cause of problems but it could be a factor.

[Driller]

I’ve used an oscillating electric tooth brush (Braun/OralB) for almost 30 years (sometime in the 90s anyway). No problems here.

[Scarletpimpofnel]

My electric gives me a better clean than my manual ever did. The key is not to push too hard. A bit like painting, let the brush do the work.

The OralB ones light up if you are pushing too hard. Frequent and light is better than infrequent and hard.

[Tagteam]

StevieBee said:

For the first 50 years of my life, I've had pretty good dental health. The odd filling but otherwise all OK. Over the five years since, I've had two taken out, cracks, chips, the occasional bad toothache, and what not.

It occurred to me this morning that it was five years ago that I started using an electric toothbrush (I got given one as a present). It's nothing fancy; just one of those that oscillate.

Was wondering if there might be a connection. What do we reckon?

Sounds like you need a mouth guard and not electric brush . You could be grinding teeth at night

[Randy Winkman]

I went through a phase in my late 40s of needing work done on my teeth after years of having no problems. And now I'm in my late 50s I'm back to normal. My dentist said it was simply related to the stage in life I was at in relation to the remedial work I'd have done on my as a teenager and young adult. Some of those repairs were coming to the end of their life and needed doing again.

[vulture1]

BoRED S2upid said:

I was told by dentist a few years ago to stop using electric and go back to manual. But then again I didn’t know until recently that you shouldn’t rinse after brushing.

Yeah me too. 36 years I was rinsing and then dentist mentioned not to.

[LunarOne]

vulture1 said:

BoRED S2upid said:

I was told by dentist a few years ago to stop using electric and go back to manual. But then again I didn’t know until recently that you shouldn’t rinse after brushing.

Yeah me too. 36 years I was rinsing and then dentist mentioned not to.

What do you mean don't rise after brushing? You leave toothpaste in your mouth? I'm 48 and have no fillings, no cavities and all my teeth present and correct and I always rinse after brushing?

[vulture1]

LunarOne said:

vulture1 said:

BoRED S2upid said:

I was told by dentist a few years ago to stop using electric and go back to manual. But then again I didn’t know until recently that you shouldn’t rinse after brushing.

Yeah me too. 36 years I was rinsing and then dentist mentioned not to.

What do you mean don't rise after brushing? You leave toothpaste in your mouth? I'm 48 and have no fillings, no cavities and all my teeth present and correct and I always rinse after brushing?

spit now but used to then slurp a load of water from the tap and continuosly spit and swirl it out.

Dentist said recently that doing no good.

[dingg]

Used an oralb cheapo version for the past 30 years after being told I was brushing too vigorously and causing gum issues, been fine since.

Some people have very strong teeth and others softer things that seem to wear away rapidly, I'm in the second group, my missus is in the first.

My father in law had a dentist phobia and hadn't seen a dentist since he was a teenager, when his wife died his daughters nagged him to get to the dentist and get the very visible plague chiselled off and a general looksee.

He came back without one filling being required and a perfect set of gnashers and is still the same at 86...

He's definitely in the first group....