My son was the same way with his electric brush—he’d just let it buzz around in his mouth and call it a day. I thought the novelty would help, but he honestly did better with a manual one because he had to pay attention. That said, my niece is the total opposite—she loves her electric brush and actually spends more time brushing now. Guess it really does depend on the kid’s vibe and how much they care about “doing it right” (which changes daily for us).
I totally get this. My kiddo was *way* more into the electric brush at first, but then it turned into “let’s see how many seconds I can stand here with my mouth open and the brush doing all the work.” Not exactly dentist-approved, I’m guessing.
“he’d just let it buzz around in his mouth and call it a day”
That part is basically my house every morning. What’s worked for us (and it’s not foolproof, I’ll be honest) is a step-by-step routine: first, I let him use the electric brush on his own, and then I swoop in for a quick “bonus round” with a manual one. It’s like a team sport, except the prize is fewer cavities and maybe a sticker if I remember.
There’s definitely no one-size-fits-all. Some days he’s super into the electric one because it feels like a robot, other days he wants the “grown up” manual brush because apparently, my brushing skills are something to aspire to? Kids are weird. Anyway, I figure as long as he’s actually brushing, we’re winning.
This is basically my life right now. My daughter was obsessed with her electric brush for like two weeks—she’d sing and brush and the whole thing felt like a win. Then suddenly it turned into “I’ll just stand here and let it buzz while I daydream about literally anything else.” I get anxious about whether she’s actually cleaning her teeth, but I guess it’s better than nothing?
I’ve started doing the same tag-team thing—she gets her turn, then I do a quick once-over. Some mornings she protests, other times she thinks it’s hilarious. Honestly, I never thought brushing teeth would be this complicated.
I do worry sometimes that the electric brush makes her lazy, but at least it’s kind of fun for her. Manual brushing is more work but she copies me, so maybe that’s a plus? I’m still figuring it out and just hoping for no cavities at the next checkup.
I’m still figuring it out and just hoping for no cavities at the next checkup.
I totally get the worry—my son went through a phase where he’d just stare off while the brush did its thing. That tag-team method you mentioned is gold. Honestly, I think mixing it up helps. Electric for fun, manual for learning good habits. I wouldn’t stress too much about the “lazy” part; as long as you’re getting in there for a quick check, you’re ahead of the game. Kids are unpredictable with routines anyway.
Mixing it up makes sense, but I actually lean toward electric most days—less room for error, especially with distracted kids. That said, I wonder if anyone’s noticed a difference in how long their kids actually brush with each type? My youngest rushes through with a manual but zones out (sometimes too much) with the electric.
