Life
The 3 Best Electric Toothbrushes For Receding Gums
Have receding gums? You're not alone. According to Dr. Christopher Rouse, a dentist at Flatrock Family Dentistry in Greenville, South Carolina, gum recession is a common dental problem. While some gum recession may be caused by issues with a patient's bite, more often, it stems from people brushing too hard with their toothbrush, Dr. Rouse tells Bustle. For this reason, utilizing one of the best electric toothbrushes for receding gums can help. But first, some background.
What causes gum recession?
"Many people are either heavy-handed when brushing or do not use a soft-bristled toothbrush. A sure sign that you are brushing too hard is if your toothbrush bristles are frayed out to the sides after a bit of use," Dr. Rouse tells Bustle.
Dr. Rouse adds: "At Flatrock Family Dentistry, we often prescribe an electric toothbrush for people who have recession or who want to prevent recession of their gums. Electric toothbrushes do much of the work for you so you are able to clean your teeth with excellence without having to press hard."
The best electric toothbrushes for receding gums have soft-bristle brush heads made especially for gum care. Some even have built-in sensors that give you feedback to let you know if you are pressing too hard on your gums with your brush, as well as a gum care setting that offer lower levels of vibrations for sensitive gums.
Take a look below for more details on the three best electric toothbrushes for receding gums you can buy.
1The Overall Best: Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush
If you want to achieve optimal gum health, this Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean rechargeable gum health toothbrush offers a lot of value for the price. Not only does it boast three different cleaning modes, including a specific gum-care mode, it also has a pressure sensor that pulses to notify you when you use too much pressure on your gums. This feature can help prevent further gum recession by ensuring your brushing isn't too harsh.
This toothbrush comes with one brush head, a charger, and a travel case, and has a beeping feature that lets you when it’s time to replace the brush head. Plus, its built-in two-minute timer also ensures that you're brushing for the optimal amount of time each day.
What fans say: “It cleans my teeth well, has a pressure sensor to keep my gums from recessing too much, and times two minutes on its own. It’s the best toothbrush I ever wanted.”
2The Runner Up: Oral-B Gum & Sensitive Care Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
For a truly smart electric toothbrush, look no further than this Oral-B gum and sensitive care rechargeable electric one. It may cost a bit more, but this Oral-B electric toothbrush offers Bluetooth connectivity that lets you connect your toothbrush to the Oral-B app in order to monitor your daily brushing habits. In addition, it's designed with three different cleaning modes, including a gum-care mode, and contains a pressure sensor that visibly lights up when you use too much pressure on your gums just like the first pick. With a two-minute timer and two included brush heads as well as a charger and a travel case, this electric toothbrush is a great investment for good gum health.
What fans say: “My teeth normally only feel this clean after a dentist appointment. This toothbrush is awesome. I have sensitive gums and the bristles are gentle, even on the strongest setting. No bleeding. No irritated gums. The timer is a helpful reminder to continue to keep brushing. The light pulses on when too much pressure is applied. Nice features!”
3The Most Affordable: Oral-B Pro 500 Sensitive Gum Care Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
Don't want to spend a ton of money on an electric toothbrush? This Oral-B Pro 500 Gum Care rechargeable electric toothbrush is a great option at a very affordable price. Although it lacks the bells and whistles of the other toothbrushes on this list, it boasts the essentials for good gum health: a soft-bristle brush head designed for sensitive gums, a charger, and a built-in two-minute timer that lets you know when to stop brushing so you don't over-do it.
What fans say: “Per my dentist’s instructions, I bought the Oral B Pro 500 rechargeable toothbrush. It deep cleans and polishes without causing gum pain. It is lightweight, and the brush head is replaceable. When powered on, it is very quiet. It doesn’t hold a charge as long as expected, but if you keep on the base, it keeps charging. My teeth feel cleaner, and I’m glad I bought it.”
Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently of Bustle's editorial and sales departments.
