Manual or electric? Here’s how you can select the right toothbrush

This story first appeared in Healthy You - November 2025, The Gazette’s quarterly health publication.

One of the most important ways to take care of your teeth is daily brushing. But is a manual or electric toothbrush the way to go?

“There are so many options to choose from in regards to toothbrushes, and what is best for each person can vary. However, I always recommend an electric toothbrush over a manual brush,” said Andrea Meyer, a registered dental hygienist who has been with the Cedar Rapids Smile Center for just over nine years.

“Most people who use manual toothbrushes brush way too hard and aggressively and not for the recommended time of at least two minutes,” she added.

The two most important features that you want to look for in an electric toothbrush would be a pressure sensor and the two minute timer, Meyer said.

“Using an electric toothbrush takes a lot of the ‘work’ out of brushing,” she said. “A good electric brush will alert you with either a pulsating vibration or color change when you are using too much pressure. It will also alert you when you have spent the recommended amount of time brushing a certain area of your mouth, which indicates it is time to move to the next section.”

Some brushes even have a Bluetooth app that will give you feedback on your brushing, such as missing an area or not spending enough time there.

“This feature can really help you learn the feeling and muscle memory of correct and thorough brushing,” said Meyer.

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She noted that electric toothbrushes also have smaller heads which adapt to the teeth and gum line in a more precise way. This, in turn, provides better cleaning.

“It is often thought that a larger brush with medium or hard bristles will clean better, but that is not true at all. The larger heads do not adapt to the teeth, and you are likely to miss areas. Medium and hard bristles are too rough on your gums,” Meyer said.

She notes that some brands of electric toothbrushes have other accessory type heads that are useful for people with more difficult areas to brush.

“For patients with gum recession or more sensitive gums and teeth, we will often recommend an extra soft or sensitive head,” Meyer said.

Electric brushes vary in price — from $35 on the low end to $300 or more — so Meyer says there are options for many different consumers. But, if an electric toothbrush is not an option, Meyer recommends a manual brush that has soft or extra soft bristles and a head that is not too big.

No matter what option you go with, Meyer said proper brushing is key. A surprising number of people don’t know the correct brushing method, which can lead to frustration, bleeding gums and plaque accumulation.

“You want to angle the bristles of your brush (manual or electric) 45 degrees towards your gum line. This is to help disrupt and sweep away the bacteria that is just under the gums,” she said.

When using a manual brush, you can use small circular motions or gentle back and forth motions.

“If using an electric toothbrush, you do not need to do any scrubbing motions. Let the brush do the work. You only need to move it along the gum line and change the position as you are brushing,” she said.

“There are many products and procedures we as hygienists recommend for optimal oral health and disease prevention and treatment,” Meyer added. “Please talk with your hygienist about any concerns or troubles you are having with your oral health, because we are here to help and come up with a plan and routine to achieve your oral health goals.”