Features to look for when buying an electric toothbrush.

If you have decided to go ahead and buy an electric toothbrush, either sonic or high end conventional rotary type, you will find that the various models you have to choose from will each offer their own combination of options. Some of these options will vary by way of the design type of the toothbrush (i.e. sonic or conventional electric) while other features will vary by way of the individual manufacturer and what they feel is important to offer.

Listed below are the options we have observed as being available. No doubt you will find some of these to be of great benefit and then others of much less importance to your specific situation, but we list them all in an attempt to be thorough and complete.

Electric toothbrush timers.
As you know from reading our pages about tooth brushing one of the major obstacles to effective brushing (with any type of brush actually) is that many people simply do not brush long enough. So to help to alleviate this problem many electric toothbrush manufacturers have incorporated timers (with either audible or tactile signals) into their products so to give their users an idea of how long to brush. The most common variations on the idea of brush timers are as follows:

----- Brushing duration timers.
These timers are intended to provide a guideline related to the total amount of time to brush. Typically these timers trigger at one or two minute intervals.

----- Quadrant timers.
Dentists will often refer to the mouth as being composed of four "quadrants" (i.e. the upper left teeth, the lower right teeth, etc... ). Some electric toothbrush manufacturers have incorporated timers into their brushes that trigger at intervals marking how long you should brush each single quadrant of your mouth. Usually these timers trigger at 30-second intervals.

Electric toothbrush power settings.
Some electric toothbrush designs allow for an option that sets the power of the brushing action to either a "high" or "low" level. Typically an electric toothbrush's greatest benefits will be achieved with the brush set to its higher setting. The lower power setting is usually suggested for those who have just started to use the product and find that either they or their oral tissues require a transitional brushing motion. A brushing motion that lies somewhere between that which they are accustomed to when using a traditional manual brush and the full power of their new electric toothbrush.

Options related to electric toothbrush brush heads.

----- Brush head sizes.
The precise size and shape of an electric toothbrush's brush head will vary by brand and model. Obviously a full grown adult will be able to accommodate the use of a larger brush head than a young teenager. Additionally, those with braces will probably find that a generally smaller, more compact, brush head is easier to use than a larger one.

You simply need to evaluate what your or your family's needs are and then see what brush heads are available for the electric toothbrush you are considering. You may find that the model you have chosen does not come packaged with the size brush head you prefer but the better size brush head can be bought as an accessory.

----- Is more than one person going to use your electric toothbrush?
If more than one person will be using your new electric toothbrush you will need a way of identifying each individual person's brush head. Most manufacturers color code their brush heads so they can be easily identified. You will also have to consider where you are going to store these extra brush heads when they are not in use. With some electric toothbrush models the brush heads can be stored on the toothbrush's recharging base

----- Replacement brush heads.
Just as with manual toothbrushes, the bristles of electric toothbrush brush heads do wear out. We reviewed the websites of several electric toothbrush manufacturers and found that they typically recommend replacing brush heads somewhere between every 3 to 6 months. When choosing an electric toothbrush don't forget to figure in the cost and availability of replacement brush heads.

Electric toothbrush pressure sensors.
Previously in our text we discussed the typical amount of force people use when brushing their teeth, both with an electric toothbrush and a manual one. Our interpretation of the research was that the use of excessive pressure is usually not a problem when an electric toothbrush is used.

A few electric toothbrush manufacturers have incorporated pressure sensors into the design of their brushes as a safety feature. The idea is that if the brush user applies too much force the brush will automatically stop. If you find that brushing with excessive force has been a problem for you in the past this may be a feature that is important for your situation.

The recharging apparatus for the electric toothbrush.
Usually an electric toothbrush is a cordless device that utilizes rechargeable batteries as its power source. Some manufacturers have incorporated indicator gauges into the design of their toothbrushes so to help you evaluate the degree to which the battery's charge has been depleted so you'll know when to recharge it.

The particular design of the recharging base itself may hold features which are important to you. Possibly it is compact so it packs well for traveling. At the other extreme, possibly the base is large and can be used to store a number of brush heads such as those used by other family members.

Does the electric toothbrush have a money back guarantee trial period?
Some toothbrush manufacturers and/or vendors offer a trial period during which you can use and evaluate an electric toothbrush. This may be an important option to those who have never used an electric toothbrush before and are hesitant to go to the expense of buying one, not knowing if they will use it. As you have heard before, buyers beware. Make sure you have thoroughly evaluated the conditions of this type of offer so there are no surprises if you do decide you would like to take advantage of it.

Electric toothbrush warranties.
Don't over look the fact that electric toothbrushes are both electronic and mechanical in nature and even the best products can cease to function, even before their expected lifetime has been reached. Make sure you purchase your electric toothbrush from a manufacturer and/or vendor who you feel is reliable and available to you if you need to exercise the conditions of your warranty.