How to turn a geek into a dental health fanatic

There’s only one step to accomplishing this feat for this geek: buy him an electric toothbrush. I wonder how many of you think like me when it comes to electric toothbrushes. I’ve never really through about them outside of an opinion that they were just a luxury for people who had extra money to burn. Jessica said she and her family have had electric toothbrushes for years. Well, now I have one, and let me tell you: if you still think like I did about them, you might be in for a surprise.

Even though Jessica said she’d grew up with electric toothbrushes, it never crossed my mind that there might be a benefit to having one. Not until the other night when I was watching my favorite nap-inspiring, boredom-killer: How It’s Made This show is actually kind of crummy, rushing through how three or four different things are made in one 30-minute show. But it’s interesting to me, anyway. Well, in one particular episode, I got to see how Oral-B manufactures their electric toothbrushes. During this tidbit of enlightenment, the narrator mentioned how they are more effective at cleaning because they can pump out thousands of strokes more than a manual brush. Hmm… that’s gotta be good, right?

So I did some more homework (a.k.a. Googling) on electric toothbrushes and found that in pretty much all studies (sorry, can’t cite any, but it doesn’t matter), they are all proven to be MUCH more effective at cleaning than manual brushing. My reading also revealed the two types of brushes: plain ol’ electric, and ultrasonic.

Typical electric tooth brushes either have a vibrating, reciprocating/pulsating, or rotating head. They can perform about 3,000 to 7,000 strokes per minute, which is far ahead of the 100 or so strokes you can get with old-fashioned elbow grease. Ultrasonic toothbrushes are a LOT more effective, with vibrating heads that can offer about 30,000 to 40,000 strokes per minute. Plus, the ultrasonic energy can dissolve cruft from all around your teeth (think of the fancy jewelry cleaner in the mall), so it’s not just the brushing action that gets your teeth clean. On top of that, ultrasonic energy is fantastic for helping to remove stains, and it is also very therapeutic for your gums (again, I cannot cite sources, but just Google this stuff for yourself).

Armed with this information, I set out to find the one I want. Obviously, I’d be shopping for an ultrasonic one because if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right and get the most out of my investment. I determined that spending $200 on a toothbrush would not be unreasonable. Now you may be saying to yourself, “Woah! That kind of moolah on a toothbrush?” Yes, and happily so! I’m all about not over-spending, but price should not be a top factor when shopping for an electric toothbrush. Here’s why:

1. First and foremost: dental health is VERY important. Did you read my two most recent entries about my visits to the dentist? I brushed daily (and flossed and rinsed often) and still ended up with problems, but never had a clue until my exam.
2. After all of the reviews I read, the really good ones are built well, have long warranties, and will last three to five years. When you divide the cost of a $200 electric toothbrush over three years (including replacement heads), that comes to about $8 per month. If you buy a new toothbrush every month, aren’t you spending $6-8 anyway? (If you’re buying the $2 cheap-o’s, you really need to read item #1 above).
3. A good electric toothbrush is an investment, not a fashionable luxury toy.

And check this out: if you’re living with a spouse or significant other, you can share one! Sound gross? Wait! All of the higher-end electric toothbrushes have interchangeable heads, so it’s actually totally hygienic to share a handle and just attach your brush head when it’s your turn. Plus, many of the heads come with colored bands so you can easily and quickly identify your brush head, so its obvious that the manufacturer intends for you to share (if you want to). But even if the one you buy doesn’t have colored bands, a Sharpie mark will do the trick. I guess the only exception to this would be if it turned out to just be a hassle to share, but for Jessica and I, so far, it’s been no big deal to take turns.

So I bought one today, and aside from it having all of the high-end features I sought, it also has one more feature that distinguishes itself from the rest of the market. It’s the Sonicare FlexCare+ from Philips. This is the only ultrasonic toothbrush that has a UV sterilizer to keep your brush heads from harboring bacteria. Plus, the UV compartment holds TWO brush heads, so Jessica and I each have a sterile brush head ready to go when it’s time to brush! This is a no-brainer, and I really like the idea of having a virtually new brush head for every use!

Philips makes three different heads for this electric brush: a standard-size, a smaller one for more precise cleaning (especially in the back), and another one which uses the ultrasonic energy to direct toothpaste and water between teeth. The replacement heads only cost about $30 for three in a pack, and each one will last about three months. So, when the seasons change, so shall the brush head! And if that’s not easy enough to remember, they even have a blue band of brushes that will fade, and when they reach half-way, you know its time for a new one.

Like many electric toothbrushes, our FlexCare+ has a built-in two-minute timer. But on top of that, it also has a quadrant timer which divides up the recommended two-minute brushing time with an even 30 seconds for each quadrant of your mouth. While brushing, the FlexCare+ will emit a beep and pause the brushing for a split-second to indicate that it’s time to move on to another area. I really like knowing that I’m spending the proper amount of time in my mouth, and that it’s divided up evenly.

Our FlexCare+ also came with a hard travel case which will hold two brush heads. NICE! So when Jessica and I travel out of town, we just bring the one case. Plus, the battery will last 3 weeks on a charge (which comes to 42, 2-minute uses)! But if that’s not enough, it also came with a separate smaller charger for travel use, so you don’t have to try to pack the larger UV base. Jessica and I are never more than a few days away from home, so we won’t need any charger during those trips. I spent $160 on the entire thing, and I am extremely happy with my purchase.

So after my last two visits with the dentist, I’ve become VERY serious about my dental health. I don’t want to ever have to visit the dentist outside of the twice-a-year cleanings, and I want the hygienist to be impressed every time she sees me. I feel like I have a proper tool that will help me achieve that, and it was well worth the money. You can spend anywhere from $80 to $200 for a good electric toothbrush, but if you’re going to go for it, I highly recommend the FlexCare+ — it has consistently high reviews all over the Internet and seems to be a VERY worthwhile investment.

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