Used properly, an electric toothbrush should not hurt your gums or enamel but instead promote overall oral health. Many people are guilty of brushing too hard, which can, over time, cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and can cause receding gums, which is also irreversible.
In general, electric toothbrushes on their own don't damage your enamel. The problem is just if you're pushing too hard with your brush, using a toothbrush head with hard bristles, or using abrasive toothpaste. These things can wear away at your enamel faster.
Using an electric toothbrush won't damage your teeth — but misusing one can lead to tooth damage, sensitivity, and gum recession. If you're considering investing in an electric toothbrush, keep reading as Taylor Dental explains how to prevent tooth damage when brushing your teeth.
Using an electric toothbrush is blamed for bleeding gums, eroded enamel and even fillings falling out. Evidence produced by the Cochrane Oral Health Group shows when using a powered toothbrush for one month plaque was by reduce by 11% and by 21% after three months of use compared with when using a manual toothbrush.
The short and mainly inaccurate answer is yes, electric toothbrushes CAN damage your gums. But, so can a manual toothbrush. Brushing too hard or improperly can always lead to gum recession. The key to using an electric toothbrush is to be very gentle.
Electric toothbrushes have a considerable advantage over their manual counterparts. Other than being more effective at plaque removal, power toothbrushes are the best types of toothbrushes for gum recession.
Electric toothbrushes are often recommended for improved dental hygiene. Brushing with an electric toothbrush is a quick and easy way to help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Studies show that electric toothbrushes do a better job of cleaning your teeth than manual toothbrushes do, which can help prevent cavities and gum disease.
You should spend 30 seconds on each section and 2 minutes brushing in total. If your electric brush has a timer, that's even better, since you'll get a full and even clean every time. Hold your brush perpendicular to the tooth, engaging the gumline.
“Excessive brushing with manual or electric has its risks,” Friedman says. “Too much pressure and too frequent brushing can abrade enamel, or the root if the gum has receded.” This abrasion, he says, can cause teeth to become hypersensitive to hot and/or cold.
Check inflammation and irritation: Electric toothbrushes are also better in reducing gum inflammation than manual toothbrushes, as they offer gentle brushing modes. They can help to improve your overall oral hygiene habits, as they are more effective at reaching all the surfaces of the teeth.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has stated that both electric and manual toothbrushes remove plaque and bacteria from teeth, as long as you use a proper brushing technique. In fact, they've said that the technique is more important than the tool.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or an electric toothbrush: Soft-bristle toothbrushes are the most recommended by dentists because they are gentle on teeth and gums. Brushing vigorously with hard-bristled toothbrushes has the potential to damage your gums, root surface, and protective tooth enamel.
Dental professionals recommend soft-bristle toothbrushes because too much pressure or overzealous brushing can negatively impact the enamel and gums. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends soft-bristle toothbrushes with angled or multi-layer bristles to ensure an excellent clean without harming your teeth.
Electric Toothbrush Pros:
More cleaning power: The rotation of electric toothbrushes loosens plaque, making them more effective at cleaning your teeth and gums. Built-in timers: A built-in timer ensures you brush every quadrant of your mouth equally.
At the end of three months, the group using an electric toothbrush showed 20 percent better plaque removal and 11 percent less gingivitis than the group using the manual toothbrush. In studies that ran six months and longer, the benefits of the electric toothbrush were even more pronounced.
Electric rotating-oscillating toothbrushes come with lower power than sonic toothbrushes, but due to the rotating head you can find them quite powerful in removing the plaque off your teeth. Sonic toothbrushes, on the other hand, are considered much more effective thanks to the high level of vibrations they provide.
You can use any fluoride toothpaste with an electric toothbrush. Whatever type of goal you have for your oral health, you can find a toothpaste to help you get there along with your electric toothbrush.
For complete protection, I'd recommend buying Oral B Sensi Ultra-Thin brush heads. These are even more gentle on gums, but still tough on plaque. The golden combination of the Oral B Pro 2 pressure sensor and the Sensi Ultra-Thin bristles means real protection with your toothbrush for receding gums.
Gum graft surgery is the most predictable and long-lasting treatment option for gum recession. Typically, a periodontist (gum specialist) performs this procedure. During this surgery, a gum graft is used to replace your missing gum tissue.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.