Now it’s back to the usual negotiations every night... Maybe it just buys you a little time before the novelty fades.
That’s been our experience, too. We started with a basic electric brush—no frills, just a simple timer. The first couple months were smooth sailing, but after the initial excitement wore off, we were right back to the nightly stalling tactics. I do think the timer helped my son brush longer at first, but I’m not convinced it made a lasting difference in technique or enthusiasm.
About the charging port—definitely a weak spot. Even with wiping it down every few days, toothpaste seems to find its way in. It still works, but I’m not sure how long it’ll last before something gives out. If you’re diligent about cleaning, it probably buys you some time, but it’s not foolproof.
Honestly, I’m torn. The electric option made things easier for a bit, but the maintenance and eventual boredom kind of cancel out the benefits. Manual brushes are less hassle, but getting kids to use them properly is another battle...
Yeah, I hear you. My kid lost interest in the electric brush after a few weeks too—now it’s just another thing to argue about at bedtime. I also noticed the charging port gets gross pretty fast. With braces, though, the electric one does seem to get in around the brackets better, but honestly, it’s still a hassle either way. Manual brushes are easier to clean but trickier for technique, especially with all the wires and rubber bands... Not sure there’s a perfect answer here.
I totally relate to the “just another thing to argue about” part—honestly, the electric brush was supposed to make things easier for us, but my son treated it like a toy for about two weeks, then went back to hiding under his blanket when it was time to brush. I do agree that the electric one gets around braces better, but cleaning the brush itself is a pain (and those replacement heads aren’t exactly cheap). At this point, I’m just happy if he uses anything at all and doesn’t pretend to brush by running water over it...
At this point, I’m just happy if he uses anything at all and doesn’t pretend to brush by running water over it...
Yeah, been there. My daughter tried that trick too. I honestly switched back to manual because the replacement heads were adding up, and she didn’t see any difference anyway. At least with manual, I don’t stress about batteries dying or cleaning those tiny crevices.
I totally get the hassle with electric toothbrushes—those little heads are weirdly pricey, and I’ve definitely had to fish out gunk from the crevices more times than I’d like. But I’ve noticed with some kids, the novelty of the electric one actually gets them brushing longer (or at all). My niece thought hers was “fun” for a while, which honestly bought us some time before she tried the old water-only trick... Manual’s simpler, but sometimes the gadget factor works in your favor. Just depends on the kid, I guess.
