# Brushing Teeth - Substitute? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145 "2004-10-14T02:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/21 "2004-10-14T19:20:49Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Have you tried an electric toothbrush? I use, and recommend, the Oral B 3D. It has rotating bristles and a built-in two-minute timer to let you know when you’ve done enough. Other modern electrics have similar features. They tickle. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/22 "2004-10-14T19:21:48Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I know that you were asking **ninetypercent** , but as I have a similar “affliction” I figure I’ll chime in with my $0.02: I have an electric Oral-B toothbrush, but deliberately did not buy one with a built-in timer. The toothbrush shutting off would not make me feel like I was done brushing: I would wind up having to re-start it 2-3 times, which would just get on my nerves. FYI, the Oral-B 3D doesn’t shut off after two minutes. It briefly flicks off and on every two minutes, but keeps running, so you can easily mark two-minute intervals. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/23 "2004-10-14T19:36:20Z")
Sorry for the double post. Damn hamsters! ---
**Author:** ![bitwise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@bitwise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bitwise)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/24 "2004-10-14T19:53:15Z")
I once read a science fiction book (I forget the title and author) in which nano-machines were invented that could clean your teeth as you sleep. As I recall, you could choose minty fresh, strawberry, or no flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/25 "2004-10-15T19:00:28Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > FYI, the Oral-B 3D doesn’t shut off after two minutes. It briefly flicks off and on every two minutes, but keeps running, so you can easily mark two-minute intervals. [sarcasm] Oh, well _that_ doesn’t sound like it would be annoying at _all_… [/sarcasm] 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/26 "2004-10-15T19:18:42Z")
> [@bitwise](#): > > I once read a science fiction book (I forget the title and author) in which nano-machines were invented that could clean your teeth as you sleep. As I recall, you could choose minty fresh, strawberry, or no flavor. [Ka D’Argo]“_Never_ swallow the dentic.”[/D’Argo] ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/27 "2004-10-15T19:22:33Z")
> [@bitwise](#): > > I once read a science fiction book (I forget the title and author) in which nano-machines were invented that could clean your teeth as you sleep. As I recall, you could choose minty fresh, strawberry, or no flavor. That’d be _Steel Beach_ by John Varley. One of my favorites, not that anyone asked. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/28 "2004-10-15T21:42:18Z")
> [@Crandolph](#): > > toothbrush-cum-toothpaste Heh…I’m not putting THAT in my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/29 "2004-10-15T22:22:15Z")
> [@ninetypercent](#): > > In order to get my back teeth, I’ve got to open my mouth so wide my jaw locks up. The pain is intense. The same thing happens to my big toe, occasionally. Have you spoken to your dentist about this? You may have TMJ. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145/30 "2004-10-15T22:27:26Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > No, but the taste of soap that lingers in the mouth for an hour afterwards is pretty unpleasant. This is the reason I use toothpaste. Soap is not a good substitute. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-substitute/269145.md?page=1)