Electric toothbrushes took the market by storm in the 90s. Since then, the quality, versatility and price of electric toothbrushes has only gotten better. Nowadays there are great options for everyone, especially individuals with specific oral care needs such as sensitive and receding gums.
If you have problems with your gums and are considering switching from a manual to an electric toothbrush, or simply upgrading your current electric model, read on for some pointers on picking the best electric toothbrush for sensitive and receding gums.
- Real time feedback with the Oral B app focuses brushing on your most important areas, tracks habits over time, motivates with...
- Made of different high tech materials like silicon. Cross Action round brush head with perfectly angled bristles for a...
- Clinically proven superior 3D cleaning oscillates, rotates and pulsates to break up and remove up to 100 percentage more...
- Removes up to 100% more plaque than an ordinary manual toothbrush
- Clinically proven superior 3d cleaning sweeps side to side and pulsates to break up and remove up to 100% more plaque than a...
- Rechargeable with 1 mode: daily clean
- More effective brushing and flossing in one convenient device
- Removes plaque and debris deep between teeth and below the gum line where brushing and traditional flossing can't reach
- High volume reservoir with 90+ seconds of water capacity and sonic toothbrush technology with 25 percent faster bristle speed...
- A gap between the handle and the brush head is expected the gap allows the BH room to move accordingly
- Removes up to 6x more plaque than a manual toothbrush; Includes 1 ProResults plaque control brush head
- Patented sonic technology: With up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute, dynamic fluid action helps clean between teeth and...
- Sonic fluid action gently pulses between the teeth and along the gum line while the brush strokes gently and effectively...
- Removes up to 2x more plaque than a manual toothbrush
- 2 minute timer helps ensure recommended brushing time
What are Sensitive and Receding Gums?
Gum recession occurs when the edge of the gum bordering the teeth is pushed back or wears away. This can expose the delicate root of the tooth leading to increased sensitivity and pain. Some causes include brushing too hard with stiff bristles, genetics, smoking, infection and poor oral care.
This video explains more:
Why You Should Go Electric
Correct brushing technique is vital to prevent tooth decay. If you have sensitive receding gums, brushing properly may be quite painful, so unfortunately you are at higher risk than the general population. Our mouths are full of bacteria that combine with mucus and other particles to form plaque and tartar on our teeth. (source)
Luckily an electric toothbrush can make the brushing process easier and more effective for those with sensitive and receding gums.
What the Studies Say
The Cochrane Oral Health Group reviewed existing studies on the benefits of using electric versus manual toothbrushes. There was a 21% reduction in plaque after three months of use. For those with gingivitis, there was an 11% reduction after three months of use. The evidence is undeniable that electric toothbrushes are the best option for keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
What Makes Electric Superior?
Electric toothbrushes work rapidly on each tooth, and they can remove up to twice as much plaque as a standard toothbrush. The Cochrane Oral Health Group discovered that the most effective electric toothbrushes were those with brush heads that rotated and oscillated. This means that the bristles rotate together in one direction and then switch to the opposite. Keep this in mind when selecting your electric toothbrush.
Electric toothbrushes promote healthy habits such as brushing for the full two minutes recommended by the American Dental Association. Still others are designed specifically with gum health in mind unlike manual brushes which tend to be limited in the amount of customisation possible.
Although they do cost significantly more than manual toothbrush, you must consider an electric toothbrush an investment in your health. Receding gums are painful and unsightly and will undoubtedly have an impact on your quality of life. At the end of the day, if your dental hygiene is lacking, you will end up spending more money in the dentist’s chair. For me, investing in an electric toothbrush is the obvious choice.
What Should I Look for If I Have Sensitive or Receding Gums?
When selecting the best electric toothbrush for sensitive and receding gums, you will find a multitude of options across a wide price range. Finding a toothbrush that will work with your sensitive and receding gums should be your top priority as the wrong brush can cause increased pain or further damage.
You will need a brush which either comes with or has the option to add on soft bristle brush heads. These will be gentle on the gums and hopefully avoid triggering pain and sensitivity.
A very useful feature is an alert which warns you when you are applying too much pressure to the teeth. It will usually stop oscillations at this point to prevent damage. Over time, the brush will help you perfect your cleaning technique.
Many brushes have a mode especially for sensitive teeth. This is extra gentle and ideal for receding gums.
Most models now have a built-in timer which counts down two minutes (the recommended brushing time). Some further divide this time into 30 second intervals, one for each quadrant of the mouth.
You will want a rotating, oscillating brush as described above, as this is the most effective at plaque removal.
Electric toothbrushes use either replaceable or rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable models tend to be more pricey but replacing batteries regularly is an ongoing cost too.
Accessories such as travel cases, extra brush heads and water jet flossers are a bonus but whether they are worth the extra cost depends on your own lifestyle and how much you will use them.
If you are still not sure about the type of toothbrush to choose, consult with your dentist or oral hygienist to get recommendations. Here are some brushes you may want to consider that are geared toward gum health:
Reviews
Oral-B
Oral-B BLACK 7000 SmartSeries This is a really high-tech toothbrush. The Oral-B Black 7000 is a first of its kind because it has built in Bluetooth communication to send data to your smartphone. You must be wondering what type of data your toothbrush would want to send to you? Well, it focuses on brushing the most important areas of your teeth; it tracks habits over time; it motivates with helpful oral care tips, and it senses when you brush too hard. Reviewing this data can actually help you learn to brush better and more evenly over time.
Centrum
Oral-B Pro 1000 The Oral-B Pro 1000 is one of the best selling electric toothbrushes on the market. It’s a great buy for consumers interested in gum care because a pressure sensor halts brushing if it is too vigorous. Oral-B’s “CrossAction” brush head angled at 16 degrees giving it the ability to break up and remove 300% more plaque along the gum line than manual toothbrushes. This brush has the most options for interchangeable brush heads including “Precision Clean”, which is included with the brush, “Floss Action”, “Pro White”, “Dual Clean”, and “Sensitive”. Each has a specific purpose and unique design to accomplish that purpose.
Waterpik
Waterpik Complete Care The Waterpik Complete Care Water Flosser and Sonic Toothbrush is a device that will brush and floss your teeth at the same time. This brush is designed to target gum issues and claims that it will give you healthier gums in just 14 days. How does it work? It combines water pressure with pulsation to gently remove the plaque between your teeth and beneath your gum lines.
Philips
Philips Sonicare 2 Series Sonicare is known for its powerful 31,000 brushstrokes-per-minute tooth brushing action. It’s actually the brush I use and I love it! It has a powerful brush action but is also gentle on the gum line and works well for people with gum sensitivity and recession.
Philips
Philips Sonicare Essence 5600 The Philips Sonicare Essence 5600 uses patented sonic technology – a dynamic cleaning action, propelling fluid between your teeth and along your gum line to gently remove plaque. This is also particularly important for those with sensitive gums and teeth because it cleans well at the gum line via the water pressure. 
our #1 rated
Pros
“Wireless SmartGuide” provides real-time data about brushing
“Cross Action”brush head with bristles angles for precision cleaning
Cons
Being the first of its kind, it’s still expensive
our #2 rated
Pros
Very affordable
3D action- rotates
oscillates
and pulsates
Cons
Not as quiet as other brands
Does not have a replaceable battery
our #3 rated
Pros
Affordable
Includes 5 jet tips for the flossing component
Cons
New users need to learn to correctly use the waterpik
It can easily spray water all over the bathroom if you are not careful.
our #4 rated
Pros
Removes up to 6x more plaque than a manual toothbrush
Comes with 1 ProResults plaque removing head
Cons
Replacement heads are expensive
No pressure sensor
our #5 rated
Pros
Includes a contoured brush head
an e-Series brush head
travel case
and charger base
2-minute timed brushing
Cons
Replacement heads are expensive
No pressure sensor
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong investing in any of the above electric toothbrushes however my choice for sensitive and receding gums would be the Oral-B BLACK 7000 SmartSeries Power Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush.
Although it’s the most expensive product on the list, you really are getting a lot for your money.
The “sensitive” cleaning mode, along with the alert which stops brushing when too much pressure is applied, will make it hard to do further damage to your gums. The high tech features will help you fine tune your brushing technique to achieve great health into the future. I hope you find the reviews useful and informative, happy brushing!
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