I keep hearing totally different things from our pediatric dentist and from other parents. Some swear by electric brushes for their kids, but mine just want to play with them like toys. Manual seems simpler, but maybe less effective? Anyone notice a real difference with their kids’ teeth?
Electric brushes are like the forbidden fruit in our house—my daughter just wants to push the button and giggle at the noise, but actual brushing? Not so much. I get what you mean about them turning into toys. I tried the manual route thinking it would be less distracting, but then it’s a battle of “Did you even get your molars?” versus “But my hand is tired.” I honestly can’t say I’ve noticed a dramatic difference in her teeth between the two types, but maybe that’s because she spends more time pretending to brush than actually brushing.
Does anyone else’s kid just chew on the brush, electric or manual? I sometimes wonder if the real secret is just getting them to keep anything in their mouth for two minutes. Has anyone found a trick that makes either kind actually effective, or is it just a phase we have to survive?
I sometimes wonder if the real secret is just getting them to keep anything in their mouth for two minutes.
This hits home. My son is a brush chewer too—he’ll gnaw on the bristles for ages but as soon as I try to get him to actually brush, he acts like I’m torturing him. Electric or manual, it’s all the same. The only difference is the electric one makes more noise and occasionally flings toothpaste everywhere if he gets too excited.
I’ve worried a lot about whether he’s really cleaning his teeth, and honestly, I haven’t noticed much difference between the two types either. I keep reading that electrics are “better,” but that’s assuming they’re being used properly, which… yeah, not happening in our house. I do feel a little guilty sometimes when I see those perfect “how to brush your kid’s teeth” videos and think, are we just failing? But then I talk to other parents and apparently, this is super common.
One thing that’s helped a tiny bit is letting him pick a new toothbrush with his favorite character every now and then. He gets a little more excited about brushing for a few days at least. We also tried making up silly songs—sometimes it works, sometimes he just laughs and runs off.
I keep telling myself it’s a phase, but it’s hard not to stress out about cavities and all that. I guess if we’re getting any toothpaste in there and keeping up with dentist visits, we’re probably doing okay? At least that’s what I’m hoping. If anyone ever figures out the magic trick, let me know... but for now, I’m just surviving like you.
The only difference is the electric one makes more noise and occasionally flings toothpaste everywhere if he gets too excited.
Haha, this is exactly my life. I swear my daughter thinks brushing is a competitive sport—half the time, more toothpaste ends up on her pajamas than in her mouth. Honestly, I’ve tried both types too, and the only real “winner” so far is the dog, who gets to lick up the mess. At this point, as long as she’s not screaming and we get a quick swipe in, I’m calling it a win. Those picture-perfect brushing videos are pure fantasy over here.
I get where you’re coming from—my son was more interested in using the electric toothbrush as a spaceship than for actual brushing when we first tried it. We’ve ended up switching back and forth, honestly. From what my orthodontist told me, technique matters more than the brush itself, especially for kids. If they’re not brushing long enough or hitting all the teeth, even the fanciest brush won’t help much. We did notice fewer “missed spots” with the electric one, but only when he actually used it properly (which isn’t every night). At this age, I think supervision and consistency are bigger factors than brush type.