As a parent of a teenager, and someone who has seen inside a lot of teenager’s mouths in my dental office, I can attest to the fact that tooth brushing may not be a high priority for teenagers. Unlike when they were little, we cannot brush their teeth for them every night.
So, how can you get a teenager to take better care of their teeth? One way is by upgrading their toothbrush to an electric model, which can be easier and more effective for them to use.
This article will help you find the best electric toothbrush for a teenager, and share some tips on helping a teenager with their oral health.
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Why Use an Electric Toothbrush?
Better Plaque Removal
The benefit of using an electric toothbrush is that it is better at removing plaque than a manual brush. That’s because the brush head of an electric toothbrush does the brushing motion for you. I think this is especially beneficial for teenagers, since they may not take the time to properly brush their teeth.
Timer
Another thing I like about electric toothbrushes is that they have a built in timer. That makes it easy to know exactly how long you need to brush your teeth. Of course you can use a manual toothbrush and set your own timer, but having it built into an electric brush makes it so much easier.
Easy to Use
Electric toothbrushes are easy to use, and I think that would increase the likelihood of a teenager using it. Because the toothbrush does the brushing motion for you, all you have to do is position the brush around your mouth.
Specialized Technology
Electric toothbrushes now come with all kinds of features to suit its user. This is beneficial for teens, especially if they have braces or retainers. You can get an electric toothbrush with a head specifically for cleaning around braces.
Many electric toothbrushes also have pressure sensors that alert you when you are brushing too hard. Also included in many electric toothbrushes are tracking technology that ensure you clean every part of your teeth. These features are especially helpful for teenagers.
Best Electric Toothbrush For a Teenager
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
Features
- Gentle and effective care made easy with sonic technology that removes up to 7x more plaque vs. a manual toothbrush
- Protect your teeth and gums with a pressure sensor that gently pulses to alert you when you’re brushing too hard
- Always know when to replace your brush head for an effective clean with the brush head replacement reminder
- 2 minute timer with QuadPacer helps ensure Dental Professional recommended brushing time and a consistent clean throughout your mouth
- Long lasting 14 days battery life. Battery indicator light lets you know when to recharge
The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush comes in 3 colors – black, white, and pink. Right away I thought that the pink color would appeal to teenage girls. This toothbrush removed 7 times more plaque than a manual toothbrush while also being safe to use on orthodontics.
If you’re worried about your teenager remembering to charge their electric toothbrush, this brush holds its charge for 14 days. A light pops on to remind the user to charge it, and when to change the brush head.
Overall, a high quality electric toothbrush for both teens and adults. It has great features and works really well.
Oral-B Vitality FlossAction Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush
Features
- Features Micro Pulse Bristles to clean deep between teeth for outstanding plaque removal
- Head rotates side to side in an oscillating manner, while penetrating hard-to-reach areas
- 2 Minute Timer: Signals after two minutes to help you brush for the recommended brushing time
- Compatible with the following replacement toothbrush heads: Cross Action, 3D White, Sensitive Clean, Precision Clean, Floss Action, Deep Sweep, Ortho, Power Tip, and Dual Clean
This is a really great, basic electric toothbrush. The bristles on the brush head rotate side to side in order to remove plaque all over the tooth’s surface. There are many different brush heads that are compatible with this toothbrush, so you can choose the one that fits your needs.
The Oral-B Vitality FlossAction Electric Toothbrush costs half as much as the Phillips Sonicare Brush. It doesn’t have some features, such as the pressure sensor, but it is still a really great, affordable electric toothbrush. If you want your teen to try using an electric toothbrush, but are not sure if they’ll use it, try this one first.
Fairywill Electric Toothbrush
Features
- ADA Accepted
- 5 Optional Brushing Modes – This electronic toothbrush is engineered with 5 high performance modes to give you all the oral care that you actually need.
- Ultrasonic toothbrush generates 40,000 micro brushes per minute.
- 4 Hours USB Fast Charge – One single charge of 4 hours lasts 30 days.
- 2 Minute Built -in Timer
- Dupont Nylon Made Brush Heads- “W” shaped brush heads to better suit teeth topography to achieve a thorough cleaning of gums and hard to reach areas.
The Fairywill Electric Toothbrush is highly rated because of it’s long battery life. Just one charge and your toothbrush will last for a whole month. This toothbrush uses sonic technology to clean plaque off your teeth and also has 5 different modes to choose from.
Other features are a built in 2 minute smart timer with interval timers that remind you when to switch quadrants. Also included are 3 brush heads with color reminding bristles, so you know when you need to change it.
I’d recommend this toothbrush to both teens and adults. It has great features for an affordable price. And you can’t beat the long battery life.
Tips for Using an Electric Toothbrush
- Brush your teeth for 2 minutes – 30 seconds for each quadrant.
- Start by cleaning the outside of your teeth. Be sure to go up to your gum line.
- Next, you should clean the inside surfaces of your teeth.
- Last, clean the top, or chewing surfaces of your teeth.
- Scrubbing is not necessary when using an electric toothbrush. Simply glide the brush along your teeth.
- Use just a pea sized amount of toothpaste.
- Replace your brush head every 3 – 4 months, or as soon as the bristles look worn or frayed.
Summary
An electric toothbrush is a great tool that can help teenagers with their oral health. The best electric toothbrush for a teenager is one that holds a long charge, has different brushing modes, and specialized brush heads for orthodontics, if necessary.
