How to use an electric toothbrush - step-by-step instructions and recommendations

Oral-B electric toothbrushes produced by Braun are very in demand and popular. They effectively clean the oral cavity, are reliable and durable. In order for the brush to work properly for many years, you need to understand the rules for its use and find out when and how to charge the device correctly.

In this article

• Why is the Oral-B electric toothbrush so popular?
• Why charge the brush?
• How long does it take to charge a toothbrush?
• When should you charge your Oral-B toothbrush?
• Guidelines for safe charging of Braun electric brushes

How does it work?

Compared to regular toothbrushes, which require 3-5 minutes of brushing, electric products save time and effort. Their bristles vibrate with a motor built into the body. The bristles move up and down or age-rotational, eliminating plaque and food debris.

The procedure usually lasts two minutes, but can be repeated. According to the speed of the device, there are:

1. Sound. The vibration of the bristles is audible to the human ear. The products operate at a frequency of 200-400 Hz and perform 24,000-48,000 movements per minute. The rotating bristles have a large sweep, so they have a sweeping effect.
2. Ultrasonic. Such brushes remove plaque using acoustic vibrations in an environment with a frequency beyond human audibility. They operate at a frequency of 1.6 MHz and carry out up to 192 million movements per minute.

Today, devices with sound and ultrasonic technology are produced. The sound mode of the bristles “sweeps” food, and the vibrations destroy plaque, which protects the gums from bacteria. Before using this product, you should be familiar with how to use an electric toothbrush.

Not a brush, but a crown of engineering

After activating the selected cleaning mode, the brush begins to vibrate gently in your hand, and the head of the nozzle with bristles begins to rotate. Unlike previous generations of electric toothbrushes, Oral-B iO Series 9 vibrates finely, not pulsates . As a result, the nozzle irritates the gums less, and brushing your teeth becomes the most enjoyable procedure.

After just a few sessions you feel the effect of professional regular teeth cleaning every day.

Oral-B iO Series 9 was the first electric brush that I personally was able to use: all the others tickled my gums terribly and I personally could not endure this torture for two minutes. I recommend that if you have a delicate oral cavity, choose super sensitive cleaning , and you will be surprised at the absence of any discomfort.

The pressure sensor monitors while brushing so that you do not press the brush head too hard against your teeth. If you press on your teeth, the light ring on the body will light up as a warning red. When the pressure is correct, the ring lights up green.

Oral-B iO Series 9 has a smart motion control system that recognizes 3 types of tooth surfaces for more accurate recommendations in real time. That is, you brush your teeth every day and the brush remembers how you do it , so that after a while it can give you recommendations on how to do it correctly.

But to get these recommendations, the Oral-B iO Series 9 needs to be connected to the app. And that's a different story.

Choice

Before purchasing an electric toothbrush, it is advisable to visit your dentist. After examining the condition of your teeth, the doctor will help you decide which product to choose and how to use it.

When purchasing an electric toothbrush, you must rely on the following rules:

1. It is advisable to buy devices with a bowl-shaped or round head.
2. It is important to pay attention to the pressure indicator; this function will prevent strong pressure on the teeth and gums, which will protect against injury.
3. When choosing this device, you need to pay attention that the kit includes replaceable attachments that need to be changed periodically.
4. There are different attachments - for cleaning, whitening, sensitive gums, children's, for crowns or bridges. The greater their number, the more versatile the product.
5. The timer helps to evenly brush the upper and lower rows of teeth and protects against strong or insufficient exposure to a specific area.

Conclusion

Both brands supply their device models with various attachments and accessories, including those for children. Newer and more advanced brushes are synchronized with applications on the phone, controlling the process and quality of cleaning. Also, both models of brushes provide the same high quality of cleaning.

For the rest, we recommend that you proceed from your needs and preferences. If you need a gentler clean (for example, sensitive teeth and gums), choose Philips. Oral-B with reciprocating movements is well suited for combating hard plaque - the rotational movements of the round nozzle have a stronger mechanical effect.

Charge the toothbrush

How to use an electric toothbrush correctly? It is necessary to determine what type of device it is:

• battery operated;
• battery

In any situation, to use the product for its intended purpose, it must have sufficient charge. If the device runs on batteries, you need to change it as needed. This is easy to do if you have a spare AA battery.

The battery product must be charged first, and how this is done must be indicated in the instructions. Charging time is determined by the manufacturer and the specific model, but usually this procedure takes 12 hours. The completeness of charging is controlled by the indicator on the brush.

Devices manufactured by well-known companies (Braun, Oral-B) can be charged all the time, even when not in use, but this is usually inconvenient to do in the bathroom. It is advisable to charge the device once a week. The instructions for using an Oral-B electric toothbrush are the same as for other brands.

How much does it cost to maintain brushes like this?

Heads are one of the main elements of an electric toothbrush. It is recommended to change them every 3 months.

For the Oral-B Smart 4 4000 model, a package of two attachments will cost approximately 800 to 1000 rubles. The price depends on the type of nozzles. A package of two nozzles for the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4300 model will cost from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles, depending on the purpose of the nozzles.

Both brands produce several types of attachments: for daily cleaning, for sensitive teeth and gums, for tongue cleaning, whitening, gum massage, etc.

Wetting and applying paste

How to use an electric toothbrush once it is charged and ready to go? The villi should be moistened with water and the required amount of toothpaste should be applied. Its amount should be moderate. A pea-sized ball (5 mm in diameter) will be enough to cleanse the oral cavity.

If you use more paste, the device will generate abundant foam, which interferes with normal cleaning. If you use the product every day, dentists recommend choosing pastes with an abrasiveness index (RDA) of 40-50. However, many people do not know how often they can use an electric toothbrush. It can be used for regular care.

Is pressing required?

The cleaning process does not require special pressure, as this is harmful to the enamel. Even low power attachments operate at 4000 rpm. You just need to turn on the required mode: maximum or gentle cleaning.

Some modern models have sensors that control the pressure applied, as well as a timer that shows the time required to clean a segment of the dentition. Electronic “smart” devices are very convenient to use, but they are also expensive: the cost starts from 7-10 thousand rubles.

Not an app, but a whole journey into the world of healthy teeth

Ideally, you should use Oral-B iO Series 9 with your smartphone in front of you with the Oral-B app open, which can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play.

This is because the app shows in real time how effective the cleaning process is. The brush not only distinguishes between types of teeth, but also determines 16 zones, such as anterior, molar, lateral, and so on.

Did you clean the chewing or figure eights poorly? The brush will immediately show this on the smartphone screen and will not count this zone. Please, go through the uncleaned areas again.

Separately, I would like to note the various programs, ranging from healthy gums to fresh breath. There's even a "Date Prep" program where the app will insist on cleaning your tongue for fresh kisses.

The application also has a system of awards and medals: if you don’t miss morning and evening cleansing for several days in a row, get a medal. You follow all the recommendations - one more. You treat 100% of all teeth in a session, stick to the 2-minute timing, don’t press too hard on the brush - get even more rewards.

They can even be shared on social networks, although I personally find this feature controversial. I certainly wouldn't brag about brushing my teeth regularly. This is hygiene, not some kind of hobby.

Cleaning the Exterior

This is the first step of instructions on how to use an electric toothbrush. You can start with the upper jaw, or you can start with the lower jaw. It's not that important. The cleaning head of the brush should be moved slowly from one tooth to another, pausing for 1-2 seconds on each one.

No movements should be made as the brush head is programmed with the desired rotation method. The brush should be held at a 45 degree angle.

Brush position

When learning how to use an Oral Bee electric toothbrush, you should be aware of the following:

• horizontal – while cleaning the external, internal, chewing parts;
• vertical – when cleaning central teeth.

In simpler and less expensive products, the nozzle can rotate in only one direction. Expensive designs use modern 2 or 3D technologies. The last two types qualitatively clean teeth outside and inside, eliminating plaque, which no toothpastes can cope with.

Which brush to choose: Philips or Oral-B

So which brand should you choose? The main difference between Oral-B electric toothbrushes and Philips is their operating technology. Oral-B has intensive cleaning, Philips is more delicate. Both brushes effectively clean your teeth, so in this case the choice is a matter of your taste.

Contraindications

Who should not use an electric toothbrush? It should not be used if:

• weak gums, inflammation;
• acute inflammatory processes in the oral cavity;
• low density, increased abrasion of tooth enamel;
• the presence of wedge-shaped defects or white spots on the enamel;
• presence of dentures, crowns, implants;
• pregnancy and heart disease (in this case, caution must be exercised).

Before using the device, it is advisable to consult a dentist. Can children use an electric toothbrush? It is allowed to be used, but you need to choose an age-appropriate device. According to reviews, it is convenient to use for children and adults.

Even with regular use of the brush, it is necessary to periodically (at least 1-2 times a week) alternate it with the standard one. Dentists advise doing this to reduce the load on the enamel. Such devices significantly simplify the cleaning procedure, save time, and proper use significantly improves the appearance of teeth and increases their lifespan.