Electric toothbrushes have now replaced most of the original battery-operated brushes.
Electric toothbrushes are said to be more effective than manual toothbrushes in reducing plaque levels and improving oral hygiene.
However, it turns out that many people don’t know how to use it, because people are just realizing that the red light appearing on the brush doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be charged.
The red light on an electric toothbrush can sometimes be a warning of the speed and force with which a person is brushing their teeth.
This sparked an online debate after a user posted the comment on Reddit.
“My boyfriend didn’t realize the red light on his electric toothbrush meant he was brushing too hard until I mentioned it to him,” wrote a Reddit user.
Another Reddit user added a comment to the soft vs hard bristle discussion by saying how their friends were told by their dentists that to overcome hard brushing methods, they needed to use a soft brush for their toothbrushes.
The user highlighted confusion over the advice asking why they weren’t told to brush their teeth less.
Confusion regarding proper oral hygiene techniques further increased when another user highlighted how their dentist gave conflicting advice, saying: “My dentist always recommends that my family and I use a hard bristle brush.”
They added: “But never complied because I was bleeding a lot.”
The debate over hard bristles vs. soft bristles gave rise to another concurrent use adding: “The general recommendation for everyone is to use soft bristles.”
Soft bristle brushes are mostly recommended by dentists because they are less likely to produce blood when brushing and are also more effective in removing plaque.
“You should brush your teeth at a 45 degree angle to reach the tooth and gum line. Ideally you want to cover the entire surface of the tooth.
“We often recommend using electric toothbrushes because they clean and polish teeth to a high degree.
However, it is important not to use a setting that is too high as this can erode tooth enamel or damage gum tissue. Medium settings are best.
Brushing too hard is known to damage a person’s teeth and gums which can lead to tooth enamel damage, gum recession, or increased tooth sensitivity.
Aggressive brushing can also cause yellow teeth because tooth enamel is eroded, making dentin more visible, making teeth look yellower.
