Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (2024)

Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (1)

Brushing your teeth is an important measure to control plaque, help with gum disease, prevent halitosis. and maintain tooth enamel. Importantly, not all toothbrushes are made the same, and factors like individual sensitivities and preferences will be the driving force in finding the best toothbrush for you and your needs. While two of the most glaringly different choices are between electric and manual toothbrushes, the customizability doesn’t end there, with different bristle lengths and firmnesses also serving a role in catering to individual demands such as tooth or gum sensitivity. Whichever option you choose, Cheryline Pezzullo, DDS, co-founder and co-faculty of NYU College of Dentistry Saturday Academy, explains that the key is using a toothbrush and a technique that is able to effectively clean the gum and tooth interface as this is where the most plaque is.

To find the best toothbrushes on the market for a wide range of needs, we tested over 60 electric and manual toothbrushes at home. We also had Marc Schlenoff, DDS, FAGD, and VP of Clinical Development at Tend, provide us with the testing guidance and criteria to follow. To narrow down our search, we evaluated the manual options based on comfort, ease of use, functionality, and value, while we focused on ease of use, design, functionality, quality, and value for the electric options.

What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know

  • Opt for soft bristles:Lauren Becker, DDS, PC, general and cosmetic dentist in New York City, explains that medium and hard bristles are moreaggressive on the teethand, as a result, are less flexible, which will lead to certain areas of the mouth being neglected. She recommends soft bristles which are more flexible and able to reach everywhere in your mouth while also being softer on your gums. Pezzullo echoes this sentiment, stating that most, if not all, people can benefit from soft bristles.
  • Look for varying bristle heights: According to Becker, toothbrushes that feature varying lengths of bristles are beneficial for cupping the teeth and reaching hard to target areas. When bristles are flat, she notes that this can lead to missing spots. A combination of bristle heights can potentially help to clean not only the surface of the tooth, but the areas that are more difficult to reach.
  • Get a comfortable grip: Pezzullo explains that ergonomic handles can promote a better grip and overall control for users during brushing. Additional features like rubber to prevent slipping can be useful for people who are seeking a better grip.
  • Electric may be the best option: Becker notes that electric toothbrushes clean stains and teeth more effectively than manual options. They will, however, be more expensive than their manual counterparts.

Our Top Picks

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Best Manual for Sensitive Gums:

Cocofloss Cocobrush Toothbrush at Amazon ($38)

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Best for Gums that Bleed Easily:

GUM 525E Toothbrush at Amazon ($8)

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In This Article

  • What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know

  • Our Picks

  • How We Tested the Toothbrushes

  • Our Experts

  • FAQ

  • Why Trust Verywell Health

Pros

  • Provides coaching

  • Alerts you when pressing too hard

  • Quadrant timer

Cons

  • Tips easily

Key Specs

Type: Electric | Features: Bluetooth, app, pressure sensor, timer

Why We Recommend It

A simple and intuitive design combined with highly effective cleaning and protective measures earned Oral-B’s Genius X Limited the top spot on our list. Our editor with receding gums appreciated the red light signal that let them know if they were pressing too hard. This model also vibrates every 30 seconds to let us know it’s time to move to the next quadrant of the mouth, ensuring complete mouth coverage.

The smaller head makes it easier for this model to reach the corners of our mouth, and it can be toggled between modes by simply pressing a button. Furthermore, we were able to adjust the modes that we wanted access to through the app, with daily clean, intense, sensitive, whiten, gum care, and tongue clean all being available. If it’s open during usage, the app lets us know when we’ve hit all the parts of our mouth or if we are falling short in coverage.

Keep In Mind

The base of this model tends to tip over easily.

Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (3)

Pros

  • Quadrant timer

  • Long lasting battery

  • 5 settings

Cons

  • Adapter box not included

  • No battery indicator

Key Specs

Type: Electric | Features: 5 settings, timer

Why We Recommend It

Voom Sonic’s Pro 5 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush offered us an impressive clean at a fraction of competitors’ prices. It demonstrated excellent power; during usage it even vibrated our lips, but without bothering our gum and teeth sensitivities in the process. It was also easy to switch settings between the five speeds (whitening, clean, sensitive, polish, and massage).

Like pricier models, this one features a 30-second timerto let us know when it is time to move onto the next quadrant of our mouths. We also found that itlasts longer between charges,with Voom stating that it has aneight-week battery life between charges.

Keep In Mind

While it comes with a USB cord and charging stand, it doesn’t include an adapter box to plug it into the wall and it also doesn’t feature a battery life indicator. We also found that the location of the settings on the handle lead to us accidentally changing them.

Pros

  • Pressure sensor

  • Gum care specific mode

  • Long lasting battery

Cons

  • Has to be off to switch settings

Key Specs

Type: Electric | Features: 3 intensity and 3 modes, timer

Why We Recommend It

During usage, we found that the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 provided us with a dentist-level clean feeling, effectively cleaning our teeth while protecting our editor’s sensitive gums. Thegum care modeprovides a lower brushing power to massage the gums, and it also has a built-in pressure sensor to further protect the gums.

Thebrush head proved to be a great size andcomfortable while still covering a substantial area. Additionally, changing between settings proved easy as well with a two button design—one for power and one to change settings and intensity during usage. Finally, a battery indicator let us know how much time we had before this toothbrush ran out, but fortunately, one charge lasted us for an entire month.

Keep In Mind

While we could change the intensity during usage, it had to be turned off to switch between the settings.

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (6)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (7)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (8)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (9)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (10)

Pros

  • Ultra soft bristles

  • Different length bristles

  • Easy to reach back of mouth

Cons

  • Small head may not work for everyone

Key Specs

Type: Manual | Features: Ultra Soft bristles

Why We Recommend It

Designed specifically with sensitive teeth in mind, we found Oral-B’s Gum Care Sensitive Toothbrush to be excellent for the teeth and sensitive gums of our editor. With a combination of ultra-soft and differently lengthed bristles for adequate cleaning, it worked to clean between our teeth whileimproving gum health effectively.

This toothbrush features a smaller head that makes it easy to navigate around the mouth, reaching the molars and back of the mouth with ease. The design also made it easy to clean our teeth in all directions.

Keep In Mind

Some people may find that the smaller head doesn’t accommodate their mouth’s demands that well.

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (12)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (13)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (14)

Pros

  • Durable

  • Dense without causing damage

  • Excellent grip

Cons

  • Pricier than other models

Key Specs

Type: Manual | Features: Soft bristles

Why We Recommend It

Curaprox’s 5460 Ultrasoft Toothbrush impressed us with its comfort during brushing. While labeled asultrasoft, we still found thebristles denseenough to provide excellent cleaning without causing pain or damage. The bristles also proved to bedurable,not fraying even when we brushed more aggressively.

This option proved to be highly maneuverable, angling well to hit every corner of our mouths. It features a thicker handle that is easy to hold and control, so while pricier, we felt this option went above and beyond the price.

If you’re not sold on the Curaprox 5460 Ultrasoft Toothbrush, another great option is the Radius Big Brush. It features an ergonomic grip, and thehandle and bristles are sustainable and plant-based.Unlike other manual options, the head on this option can be replaced. Our editor also has sensitive gums and found that this option didn’t cause gum irritation for them. However, keep in mind it’s not ambidextrous (you’ll need to choose left or right hand), and it’s more expensive than the Curaprox 5460 Ultrasoft Toothbrush, which is why it’s not our first choice.

Keep In Mind

While substantially cheaper than electric options, this option is pricier than other manual toothbrushes.

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (16)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (17)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (18)

Pros

  • Can’t overbrush

  • Bristles stay soft

  • Curved brush is easy to maneuver

Cons

  • Pricier than other models

Key Specs

Type: Manual | Features: Soft bristles

Why We Recommend It

Tested by someone who has had gum reconstruction surgery, Cocofloss’s Cocobrush is a great pick for the sensitively gummed. The bristles are so soft that they are comparable to a sponge, but without sacrificing any ability to clean in the process. The curved brush is also easy to maneuver, and we experienced no abrasion.

The angled brush head glided around our mouths, and we found that we couldn’t overbrush with this model, even when pushing hard, as the soft bristles stayed soft.

Keep In Mind

For a manual toothbrush, it’s more expensive than competitors.

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (20)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (21)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (22)

Pros

  • Bristles held up well

  • Prevents gum bleeding

  • Good for people with dental work

Cons

  • Not great for back of mouth

Key Specs

Type: Manual | Features: Great handle design

Why We Recommend It

The Gum Technique Sensitive Care Toothbrush proved to be particularly gentle for us, living up to the bristle’s description of ultrasoft. It worked for us to prevent gum aching or bleeding while still cleaning under the gumline. Our editor recommends this for other people who have had dental work, speaking from personal experience.

This option also has a nice handle that is designed to promote brushing at a 45° angle. We found it to be comfortable and importantly, none of the bristles came loose during testing.

Keep In Mind

It wasn’t as effective as other models for getting into the back of the mouth or under bridge work.

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (24)

  • Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (25)

How We Tested the Toothbrushes

To find the best toothbrushes available, we tested over 60 models, including both manual and electric options, with expert input during testing being provided by Schlenoff. For the manual options, our picks were based on comfort, ease of use, functionality, and value. For the electric options, we focussed on ease of use, design, functionality, quality and value.

Manual

  • Comfort: Our editors addressed factors like the softness of the bristles and how they felt against their teeth. They also noted the effectiveness of the bristles, how they held up after multiple uses, and how easy they were to clean under running water. Lastly, we noted whether our teeth or gums ever hurt after using the brush.
  • Ease of use: We paid attention to how easy the toothbrush was to operate around our mouths and how effectively it hit every quadrant. We also took this opportunity to address the grip of the handle and whether it slipped around, as well as how well we were able to brush the tougher-to-reach areas like the molars.
  • Functionality: We asked ourselves if the toothbrush required us to brush harder to get an adequate cleaning. We also addressed whether it felt okay against our gums, if we experienced discomfort, and if the toothbrush included any additional features like an indicator to let us know when it was time to change the head.
  • Value: Based on the median price for these toothbrushes, our editors noted whether they were worth the money or not, and if they would recommend it to other people.

Electric

  • Ease of Use: Slightly more involved than manual options, we addressed how easy the electric models were to set up, if they were intuitive, and whether we needed to refer to the instructions to use them. In the case of using the instruction manuals, we noted how easy to follow the instructions were. We also addressed whether the toothbrush came with all of the essential items for usage and charging or if it only came with a cord.
  • Design: We looked at the handle, noting how it felt and if it was too thick or too thin. During usage, we noted how maneuverable the toothbrush was, and how suited the brush head was to our mouths. We also noted if we could switch settings during brushing or if we would have to turn the toothbrush off for that. Lastly, we examined how easy it was to clean under running water.
  • Functionality: We considered details like a built-in timer to let us know we had brushed for a full two minutes and if the brushes had different settings for things like gentle brushing or deep cleaning. We also paid attention to how visible the battery life indicator was, and noted if there was a built in sensor to let us know we were pressing too hard against our gums.
  • Quality: We noted how our teeth felt after cleaning and if we felt that the toothbrush did the bulk of the work for us.
  • Value: Accounting for the features and overall performance, we noted if we would pay the full price for it.

Our Experts

In making our choices we were fortunate to have expert insight every step of the way. We spoke with dentists to help inform our testing and to supplement our understanding of what people should seek from toothbrushes.

  • Marc Schlenoff, DDS, FAGD, VP of Clinical Development at Tend
  • Cheryline Pezzullo, DDS, co-founder and co-faculty of NYU College of Dentistry Saturday Academy
  • Lauren Becker, DDS, PC, general and cosmetic dentist in New York City

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How often should you change your toothbrush?

    According to Becker, you should replace your toothbrush or brush head every three months. She notes that if you’re sick or you see that your bristles are wearing down before that, you should change it earlier.

Why Trust Verywell Health

Jack Byram is a freelance writer who has been contributing to Verywell Health since 2023. He focuses in the health and wellness sphere. Jack has spoken with numerous dental professionals and has tried many different manual and electric brushes over his lifetime to find the best oral care for himself.

Manual vs. Electric? Dentists Weigh-In on the Best Toothbrushes, Then We Tested Their Top Picks (2024)
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