Will brushing with a sonic vibrating toothbrush or a manual toothbrush get your teeth cleaner?

People often ask the question above. The answer is actually simple: using the same brushing method, a sonic electric toothbrush delivers around 30,000 to 32,000 gentle sonic vibrations per minute, so to some extent it is more likely to remove more bacteria.

The advantages of a sonic electric toothbrush

Although both sonic electric toothbrushes and ordinary electric toothbrushes perform well compared with manual toothbrushes, there is no denying that a sonic electric toothbrush is more effective at cleaning teeth. An electric toothbrush usually has bristles that scrub back and forth or rotate with a mechanical motion. So while it does a lot of extra work for you, you still need to move the brush up and down across your teeth.

High-frequency vibration and dynamic cleaning

With a sonic electric toothbrush, you can rely on high-speed, high-frequency sound waves to remove plaque from the tooth surface. This toothbrush can even drive the liquid in your mouth through hard-to-reach places such as the gaps between teeth and the gum line. In the end, you only need to guide the brush along each surface of your teeth, and the brush does the rest of the work for you.

Supported by clinical research

Clinical studies conducted overseas have also shown that sonic electric toothbrushes outperform manual toothbrushes. Compared with a manual toothbrush, they remove more plaque in a single use. Some studies have also shown improved signs of gum disease, suggesting that using a sonic electric toothbrush may have an impact on those who currently have, or are at risk of, this condition.

Research method

After examining plaque (before brushing) and gingivitis, participants were randomly divided (for plaque and gingivitis) into two groups, each using one of the two study toothbrushes. Participants were instructed to brush for two minutes under supervision, using the assigned toothbrush and a commercially available toothpaste according to the manufacturer's instructions, after which plaque was assessed again (after brushing). Then, over the following 12 weeks, participants left the study site with the toothpaste and the toothbrush assigned to them and used it twice a day at home. They reported back to the study site after 4 weeks and 12 weeks of product use and underwent plaque and gingivitis assessments.

Research results

After 4 weeks and 12 weeks of using the sonic electric toothbrush, plaque and gingivitis index scores dropped significantly. Compared with a manual toothbrush, the sonic electric toothbrush also showed a statistically significant improvement in reducing plaque, gingivitis and gum bleeding.

Watch the comparison video

To learn more about the comparison between a sonic electric toothbrush and a manual toothbrush, watch the video below: