the electric just gets better results for us
Interesting, we actually tried electric for my daughter and she found the vibration a bit overwhelming at first. Took a few weeks before she stopped complaining. I will say, her checkups did improve—less plaque, fewer “missed spots” like you mentioned. Still, I sometimes wonder if the novelty wears off or if she’s just brushing longer because it feels different.
We had almost the exact same thing happen with my son—he acted like the electric brush was some kind of medieval torture device at first. There was a lot of dramatic sighing and “it tickles too much!” complaints. He eventually got used to it, but it was definitely a process. I do think his teeth look cleaner now, though, and our dentist stopped giving us that “maybe try a little harder at home” look, which is a win in my book.
I’m with you on the novelty question. My kid seemed way more interested in brushing when we first switched, but now it’s back to the usual negotiations about how long he needs to brush. I sometimes wonder if it’s just easier for him to get lazy with the electric since it “does the work” for you, or if I’m just overthinking it. Has anyone tried those little plaque-disclosing tablets with their kids? I’m tempted, but also slightly terrified of the mess...
I sometimes wonder if it’s just easier for him to get lazy with the electric since it “does the work” for you, or if I’m just overthinking it.
Honestly, I’ve wondered the same thing. My daughter seemed to zone out and rush more with the electric than when she had to actually move the brush herself. Did anyone else find manual brushes made their kids focus a bit more? Also, those plaque tablets are tempting but yeah…the mess is real. I tried them once and the bathroom looked like a crime scene.
I get where you're coming from. My son actually brushes better with the manual, too—he seems to zone out and just let the electric spin around, barely moving it. When he uses manual, he’s a bit more focused, probably because he knows he has to do the work. The plaque tablets…ugh, same here. They do help but the cleanup is such a headache. I guess it’s a tradeoff: convenience vs. making sure they’re actually brushing well.
I guess it’s a tradeoff: convenience vs. making sure they’re actually brushing well.
That’s exactly the dilemma I keep running into. My daughter begged for an electric toothbrush because her friends had them, but after a few weeks, I noticed she just sort of let it do its thing—barely any effort on her part. With the manual, she slows down and pays more attention, maybe because she knows it’s all on her.
From a budget angle, I’ll admit the manual is easier on the wallet too. The electric ones need new heads every few months and batteries or charging...it adds up, especially if you have more than one kid. And those plaque tablets? Yeah, they work wonders but the mess is unreal. I found purple stains all over the sink and counter for days after we tried them.
I wish there was a middle ground—something affordable that actually keeps them engaged. For now, we’re sticking to manual and just supervising a bit more closely. It’s not perfect, but at least I don’t feel like I’m throwing money away on gadgets that aren’t really helping.