How to Make an Electric Toothbrush Quiet

You should always try your best to read reviews or test a prospective electric toothbrush first-hand before buying. However, this is far too often easier said than done, especially when you already own an expensive-but-noisy model.

In some cases, you could excuse the noise level as a trade-off for cleaning power, but in today's world of cutting-edge innovation, it's typically better to find an upgrade.

Sonic toothbrushes oscillate much faster than regular electric ones, and they make less noise. Having said this, we'll now be taking you through a closer look at your options and showing you how you can make an electric toothbrush quiet.

Tips on How to Make an Electric Toothbrush Quiet

Preliminary Checks

Before you go wrapping your toothbrush up, first check whether its batteries are still strong enough. As they weaken, your toothbrush's motor makes more noise. Failing that, the head of the motor could be at the point of needing replacement.

There is little point to replacing a motor unless you're tinkering with electronics for the joy of it. It is too costly and too time-consuming.

A cheap electric toothbrush that's in use twice-daily will typically need replacement within as few as three to four months — go get a new one. This is due to the head wearing down and becoming far noisier than it needs to be, but as mentioned, you'll need to buy a whole new unit. Go shopping for one that's quieter from the get-go and never underestimate the difference of a quality brand.

Check Your Batteries

If your unit features removable batteries, make sure that they're still staying secure with no room for vibration. Over time, the plastic housing and spring will eventually develop a little too much leeway allowing the battery or batteries to move around.

In this case, wedging them in place using something nonconductive like a piece of cardboard, a cut-out piece of plastic, or anything else that'll hold them fast is the best course of action. Another great way to make sure that they don't move around is to wrap the batteries in insulation tape until they press up against each other tightly once in the socket.

Wrap It Up

When all else fails, wrap up your electric toothbrush to keep it quiet. Resort to a facecloth, hand towel, T-shirt, or anything else that you can find that muffles the sound. The noise being made is far quieter than you realize but just incessantly annoying.

A little dampening goes a long way. Perhaps look toward a more permanent solution such as either making a cover or having a friend, or family member put something together for you. It's a cheap fix that'll sort out noise levels quickly.

A Quick Look at Sonic Technology

Sonic toothbrushes work in the exact same way as conventional electric toothbrushes. However, for a toothbrush to be classed as sonic, it needs to carry a vibration rate equal to 260Hz, which is approximately 31,000 brush strokes per minute.

At literally 10 times faster than a regular toothbrush, the silent operation is nothing but a lesser benefit paling in comparison to the powerful cleaning that you get. It looks the same, but it works far, far better at cleaning away unseen bacteria, plaque, and accumulated tartar.

If you do go for a sonic toothbrush, follow the same rule as when buying a regular one — always look for bristles that oscillate rather than those that simply go side to side.

An Ugly But Effective Solution

While far uglier than anything else, we can recommend, wrapping your toothbrush tightly and then taping it in place using something strong like duct tape is a good solution for the noise but totally ruins what your brush looks like. It also makes replacing the batteries very hard.

If you do resort to something so extreme, then it had better be on a rechargeable electric toothbrush. It's far better rather just to upgrade than to struggle with an eyesore.

When All Else Fails, Buy a New Electric Toothbrush

There's only so much you can do about the noise that any given electric toothbrush makes. When it is time to upgrade, switch to a sonic model, and you'll never have noise problems again. 

Shifting to a better product, as is almost always the case, means shifting to a better form of healthcare and good oral hygiene. Don't overlook your toothbrush — the fact that it's too noisy may just be a sign that you need a new, improved one.

Electric toothbrushes are both more affordable and more effective than ever, so use the event as a reason to invest in your health and hygiene.