# Electric vs. non-electric toothbrushes...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-vs-non-electric-toothbrushes/517488>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 13, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-vs-non-electric-toothbrushes/517488 "2009-11-13T21:14:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-vs-non-electric-toothbrushes/517488/21 "2009-11-16T19:10:41Z")

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My dentist loves Sonicare so much that he gave me a Sonicare toothbrush (I think he gave it to me when I got my braces). He had his techs show me how to use it properly - they want me to basically hold the bristles at an angle up against my gumline and let the brush do all the work. When the 2 minutes are up, just do a quick manual brush of the tops of my teeth.

Like **Ring** said, it’s for the gums not the teeth.

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-vs-non-electric-toothbrushes/517488/22 "2009-11-16T21:05:20Z")

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> [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
>
> That said, the replacement brushes are horrifically expensive (over $9 each the last time I bought some). I never plan ahead far enough to do it, but I think I’ll be trolling online for the same brand-name brushes at a cheaper price. I’ve tried knock-off brands before and they never seem to fit quite right.  
> Roddy

I found a big pack of OralB brushes at CostCo for a reasonable price. Big - I’m set for years now.

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**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-vs-non-electric-toothbrushes/517488/23 "2009-11-17T00:09:43Z")

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> [@Ring](#):
>
> I have to disagree with some of the above posts. I’ve always flossed and brushed most diligently, and yet every couple of years I had to have one of those, 6 shots of novocaine, deep beneath the gums cleanings.
> 
> Ever since I started using the Sonicare electric, whenever my dentist sees me he marvels at what great shape my gums are in. They’re for the gums - not the teeth.

That. My dentist gave me the same song and dance when I got sent in for a deep gum cleaning. They told me to get an electric, I said fine and got one. Now my dentist only bugs me about brushing the right back molar since that’s the only remaining deep gum pocket, as opposed to the multitude that I had right after the cleaning job.

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