I get the whole “manual is less distracting” angle, but honestly, my youngest was a total master at faking it with the regular brush. She’d stand there, mouth closed, just kind of waving the brush in front of her teeth like she was painting a fence. No buzzing to play with, but somehow even less brushing happening.
We actually stuck with the electric ones—mainly because I scored a two-pack on sale and I’m stubborn about getting my money’s worth. The trick for us was letting her pick out a goofy toothbrush head (unicorns, obviously) and making it part of her bedtime “robot routine.” Yeah, she still gets distracted by the vibrations sometimes, but at least I can hear if she’s actually brushing or just goofing off. Plus, she thinks it’s hilarious to “buzz” her tongue.
Honestly, I think both types have their pitfalls. For us, the novelty wore off and now she just does it because she wants the sticker after. If only they made brushes that spit out quarters or something...
My kid was the exact same with manual brushes—she’d just kind of “mime” brushing, and then act like she’d done a marathon. I swear, if there was an Olympic event for pretending to brush, she’d medal. We switched to electric too, mostly out of desperation and because those themed heads are genius marketing. Ours is a dinosaur, which apparently makes brushing “fierce.”
I get what you mean about the novelty wearing off though. At first it was all giggles and robot noises, but now it’s down to “can I have my sticker?” and a quick buzz around the mouth. I do think the vibrations help a bit—at least I can hear when she’s actually brushing versus just zoning out.
If someone invents a brush that spits out quarters, I’m in. Until then, we’re sticking with whatever gets the job done…even if it’s just for the promise of another glittery sticker.
If someone invents a brush that spits out quarters, I’m in.
That gave me a chuckle. I remember those days with my grandkids—brushing time was basically a stand-up comedy routine, and the only thing getting cleaned was the bathroom mirror from all the giggling. I totally hear you on the “miming” thing too. With manual brushes, it’s like they think waving it around is close enough.
We switched to electric for the same reason you did. The themed heads are clever marketing, for sure. Ours was a princess at first, then a shark. I think the vibrations do help a bit, especially for those half-awake mornings before school. But you’re right—after a while, the novelty fades and you’re back to bribery. Stickers, quarters... I’ve tried it all.
Honestly, I still brush with a manual myself, but if I had these gadgets as a kid, maybe I’d have had fewer fillings. At the end of the day, whatever keeps them brushing—even if it’s just for another sticker—is good enough in my book.
At the end of the day, whatever keeps them brushing—even if it’s just for another sticker—is good enough in my book.
That’s the spirit. I’ve lost count how many times I tried to “outsmart” my grandkids with some new trick—one week it’s stickers, next week it’s a silly song. Electric brushes do seem to help, but you’re right, nothing beats good old-fashioned persistence (and maybe a little bribery). I still stick with my trusty manual brush too... never had all these bells and whistles growing up, but hey, we survived.
Electric brushes do seem to help, but you’re right, nothing beats good old-fashioned persistence (and maybe a little bribery).
I agree—motivation is half the battle. We tried electric with our youngest and honestly, the built-in timer helped more than I expected. She actually brushes longer now. Still, I get what you mean about manual brushes working fine; sometimes simple tools plus routine are all you need. Bribery definitely doesn’t hurt either...
