Can You See an Electric Toothbrush on Braces? Is It Safe?

If you or someone in your family wears braces, you might have a few questions. For example: ‘can you use an electric toothbrush on braces’? The answer is a resounding yes.

In this guide, we’ll discuss how you can use one without having to damage your orthodontic appliances. It’s important to maintain good oral hygiene even if you are relying on them for straightening your teeth.

We’ll discuss how you can use an electric toothbrush on braces and answer a few other questions that may apply.

Let’s continue this discussion by showing you how to use an electric toothbrush while you have braces.

Yes, You Can Use An Electric Toothbrush On Braces

Electric toothbrushes have additional functions that manual toothbrushes may lack. For this reason, it will be a popular choice among those who may be wearing braces. Specifically, the oscillating movements of an electric toothbrush can be able to get around the wires and brackets.

It may even reach some areas that are underneath the wires and brackets. This can be a challenge with manual toothbrushes, especially when you need to go over them multiple times to get out any trapped particles. The number of rotations a brush head will have every second (or minute) will make loosening those particles much easier.

How many strokes per minute will an average electric toothbrush have? About 30000 strokes. Some electric toothbrushes may be slower or faster in speed depending on certain factors like the speed settings or a certain mode that it’s set on.

Can Standard Electric Toothbrushes Work On Braces?

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Yes, you can use a standard electric toothbrush on braces. What you’ll want to note here is these types of toothbrushes will provide you with lesser numbers of strokes per minute. You can expect a standard electric toothbrush to have anywhere from 2500 to 7000 strokes (depending on the modes and different speed settings it may have).

Compare that to manual brushing, which will only give you 300 strokes per minute (or even less). To that end, it’s clear that manual brushing may be a challenge for those with braces. So it would be a smart idea to use an electric toothbrush to ensure that you keep your teeth nice and clean.

Electric toothbrushes will also work better at removing plaque compared to manual brushing. Whether you’re wearing braces now or have them removed after treatment, you may be relying on electric toothbrushes for as long as you like.

Can An Electric Toothbrush Break My Braces?

The short answer? No.

The long answer is that so long as you are using it properly, you should have no issue using an electric toothbrush while you are wearing braces. Orthodontists will recommend that you use an electric toothbrush as opposed to its manual counterpart. Its easy to use and has increased ability to remove plaque and loosen food particles under the brace.

Improper use of an electric toothbrush can harm your braces. So it is important to gently apply pressure as you are brushing your teeth with it. Don’t press down hard or be forceful.

It may be a good idea to note that most electric toothbrushes have an auto-stop feature that kicks on if you seem to be brushing too hard. Make sure that you brush your teeth two to three times a day.

You should wait at least 30 minutes after breakfast, lunch, or dinner to brush your teeth so that you won’t have to spread out any sugars or anything similar that can lead to tooth

Choosing An Electric Toothbrush For Braces: What To Consider?

If you have yet to find an electric toothbrush, you’re in the right place. We encourage you to find one that will best fit your needs and preferences.

Let’s take a look at what you should consider:

• Battery-powered: A battery-powered electric toothbrush will either rely on AA or AAA batteries. It will feature a brush head that will rotate and ensure that it cleans your teeth and along the gumline.
  You may still need to use a brushing motion in the same manner as a manual toothbrush. Battery-powered electric toothbrushes are great if you want something with power but don’t want to spend a lot of money. When the batteries die, please change them as soon as possible so they don’t leak.
• Rechargeable: Rechargeable electric toothbrushes will be jam-packed with more features. They include but are not limited to various speed settings, timers, reminders to replace the brush head and others. Of course, this type of electric toothbrush will be more expensive. However, they will be the most effective in terms of performance. Speed-wise, they will be a lot faster than their battery-powered counterparts. If you find a more affordable rechargeable electric toothbrush, it can still give you a decent amount of strokes per minute. In terms of quality and performance, you can find the best rechargeable electric toothbrush that you can afford.

What Kind Of Features Should You Look For In An Electric Toothbrush?

There are plenty of features that you might find useful in your next electric toothbrush.

Let’s take a look at the following list and explain why these may be beneficial for you:

• Pressure sensors: As mentioned earlier, some electric toothbrushes have a feature that will stop automatically if you brush too hard. If you are known for dealing with weakened enamel, this might be a useful feature so you don’t wear down your teeth.
• Timers: This is a feature that will inform you of how long you’ve been brushing per session. This will be great for those who want to keep track of the time it takes to brush their teeth. Some may worry about whether they’ve brushed too long or too quickly.
• Compatibility with brush heads: One of the most prominent features of every electric toothbrush is it has detachable heads. Like manual toothbrushes, you’ll want to consider changing the heads out every three to six months. With that said, it’s important to find one that will be compatible with various brush heads.
• Brush settings: These include rotary (which goes in one direction), counter-rotation (which goes in any direction), and rotating-oscillating, among others. Any of these settings can prove themself useful in cleaning your teeth. But some may argue that one setting might be considered the best because of its ability to provide you with a better clean each time. You may find that a rotary brush setting may be great for you or a rotating-oscillating head with some bristles going one way and the rest going in another. Thus, it could provide you with better results.

Final Thoughts

Braces will be safe with the use of an electric toothbrush. If you haven’t found one yet, it would be a good idea to get one while you still have braces. It will be a great upgrade if you have spent most of your life using a manual toothbrush.

The good news is that your braces won’t get damaged because of the power these toothbrushes produce. So make sure you find one that will be powerful enough to get the job done each time. If it fits your personal needs and budget, get it and put it to good use.