Should i buy one of those electric toothbrushes?

I love my electric toothbrush but unfortunately it is not a substitute to flossing.

If you aren’t going to floss, you should at least vigorously rinse your teeth with mouthwash. That’s what my dentist told me to do. Make sure you swish it back and fourth very powerfully both in the front and on each side.

I also use a Sonicare and I love it. I use to not brush my teeth for two minutes because I would get distracted and forget how much time had passed.

So my recommendation is to get a Sonicare toothbrush and vigorous mouth rinsing (at least twice a day).

I use a Sonicare also – I think I bought it on ebay – after researching it thoroughly. BTW I thought the sonicare battery was supposed to only last a couple of years. Both our sonicare heads have lasted much longer.

I hated flossing and brushing my teeth. I particularly hated winding the string around my fingers, cutting off the circulation and then sticking them in my mouth

I LOVE my Sonicare. It is pricey, yes, but worth it if you like your teeth. I also use Dentek flossers. They are so cool and easy. I grab one every night and floss away. My dental health is superb…..much improved over the past year.

These are the kiddie kind, I think, but will give you the basic idea:
http://www.amazon.com/DenTek-Fun-Flossers-Fluoride-ct/dp/B001AIV1E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1219094684&sr=8–1

I also agree w/ Dandy….ANY toothbrush cannot get BETWEEN your teeth.

I use a regular toothbrush (the ones my dentist gives me) and I use Listerine daily. I floss about once a every 2 weeks. My dentist says I have clean, healthy teeth.

I second (or third) the SONICARE. An absolutely amazing gadget – it will really make you understand just how badly you were cleaning your teeth before! Expensive, but probably cheaper than having to get false teeth!

If your dentist says get a
Sonicare, get one. It’s set to stay on for a full 2 minutes and so when it turns off you know you’ve done enough.
And no, no kind of brushing will substitute for flossing.
Some people like flossing. I can’t imagine why. I can’t stand it. But if I don’t do it anyway,
my teeth are going to fall out – not from decay, my decay years are behind me (don’t know
why this happens) but from gum disease. Plus gum disease makes your mouth smell like dead animals.
My husband’s teeth did fall out, and the pain and inconvenience of having implants and other devices cannot be described, not to mention the expense.
I think it’s very counterintuitive to take care of our teeth unless they hurt. But you hafta.

I would recommend an Oral B oscillating pulsating toothbrush as in a meta analysis comparing toothbrushes they were found to be the most effective however it is important that you are using the correct technique with any toothbrush (electric or otherwise) to ensure that you are cleaning your teeth effectively and not causing any damage to the gums (particularly true where flossing is concerned).

I’ll further the vote for the Sonicare. I love mine. I’m kind of a toothbrushing junky though. I keep one in the bathroom and one in the car. You have to use it properly though. Don’t press too hard. Use it for the full two minutes. For flossing, I use the pre flossed picks that I buy in a bag at the drugstore. No shredding or finger twining.

I love my electric tooth brush (Oral B) but it doesn’t take the place of flossing. So I keep packages of floss next to TV, computer,in night table, in purse and in cupholder in car. At red lights or in traffic jams, I floss surreptitiously in the car, and with great abandon at home.

I am always shocked to see what the floss removes after a thorough brushing.

@gail. Well that brings up a curious question. I floss before. You floss after? This is in the same context as “dust or vacuum first?”, I think…...

I guess it depends. If you wait long enough, it can be either before or after. If I actually do it at the sink, it is after. Than a good swish of warm water.

I love electric toothbrushes and there are definitely dentists on each side of the Oral B vs. Sonicare camp. They get your teeth really clean and force you to brush longer.

You really should try and get into the habit of flossing, if not just for hygiene (you really don’t want food rotting and calcifying in between your teeth) and oral health reasons but for cardiac reasons as well. There are studies that show that a lack of flossing can contribute to cardiac problems.

Try those pre-loaded, disposable flossers to get you started and after a few weeks, what seems like a chore will become easy, second nature. Once you start flossing more often, you’ll be completely grossed out by what stays in your mouth when you don’t floss and no amount of swishing or mouthwash will cut it.

I hate to floss as well and my dentist recommended an old school Water Pik – the kind of thing that kids with braces use. I got a fairly inexpensive one a Bed, Bath and Beyond and my gums have much improved. I’ve used it about six months and it really makes a difference. I also favor a SonicCare toothbrush and both have made a big difference.