Electric Toothbrush versus Manual Toothbrush: Which is More Effective at Removing Plaque?

Pedro Guimarães Sampaio Trajano Dos Santos; Rosana Maria Coelho Travassos; Priscila Prosini; Tereza Augusta Maciel; Verônica Maria de Sá Rodrigues; Vânia Cavalcanti Ribeiro da Silva; Josué Alves; William Jose Lopes de Freitas; Maria Regina Almeida de Menezes; Viviane Ferreira Guimarães Xavier; Carlos Fernando Rodrigues Guaraná; Eliana Santos Lyra da Paz; Vanessa Lessa Cavalcanti de Araújo; Rodolfo Scavuzzi Carneiro Cunha; Luciano Barreto Silva

doi:10.54899/dcs.v22i79.134

Keywords:

Oral Hygiene; Dental and Oral Hygiene Products; Dental Plaque.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this narrative review article is to address the traditional and electric toothbrushes, aiming to identify which is more effective in removing bacterial plaque. Methodology: This article is a narrative literature review, for this reason, it was necessary to use a study that explains how a narrative review is done, what its approach is, what things need to be included in the article and what characteristics need to be present, thus, the study by Rother (2007) was the study selected to serve as a guide during the creation of this narrative review. In addition, to acquire the maximum amount of rich and scientifically based information, current articles and research, doctoral and master's theses were used, aiming to bring the maximum amount of content related to the topic addressed. Results: Both the traditional and electric toothbrushes demonstrated similar efficacy in removing bacterial plaque, with performance dependent on correct use and user individualities. Conclusion: Based on the analysis of the information obtained, it was seen that both traditional and electric toothbrushes are effective in removing plaque. In fact, correct use in conjunction with specific movements are factors that will result in good plaque removal or not. In addition, it was concluded that the type of toothbrush should be used depending on the user and their limitations, and that a dentist must indicate which is the best option in each case.
References
1. Adam, R., et al. (2020). Randomized controlled trial assessing plaque removal of an oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush with micro-vibrations. International Dental Journal, 70(1), 22-27.
2. Andrade, L. A., et al. (1991). Monobloco - avaliação clínica comparativa de uma escova dental destinada a programas de saúde coletiva (Monografia, 43f). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo.
3. Barros, O. B., Pernambuco, R. de A., & Tomita, N. E. (2001). Escovas dentais. Pós-Graduação Revista da Faculdade de Odontologia de São José dos Campos, 4(1), 33–38.
4. Costa, C. C. da, Costa Filho, L. C. da, Sória, M. L., & Mainardi, A. P. R. (2001). Plaque removal by manual and electric toothbrushing among children. Pesquisas Odontológicas Brasileiras, 15(4), 296–301.
5. Delgado, A. H. S., Fernandes, R. M., & Mascarenhas, P. (2017). Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health. Acta Pediátrica Portuguesa, 48, 192-195.
6. Garfin, L. A. (1964). Tooth picks and tooth brushes. Dental Survey, 40, 102–108.
7. Glenny, A. M., Walsh, T., Worthington, H. V., & Clarkson, J. E. (2011). Electric versus manual toothbrushes for oral health. Cochrane Oral Health Group, 2011(12), 1–14.
8. Grilo, G. R. M. M. (2022). Eficácia da remoção de placa bacteriana, qual a melhor escova? – Revisão sistemática [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Católica Portuguesa].
9. Hogan, L. M. E., Daly, C. G., & Curtis, B. H. (2007). Comparison of new and 3-month-old brush heads in the removal of plaque using a powered toothbrush. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 34(2), 130–136.
10. Maccauley, H. B. (1946). Toothbrush material and design. Journal of the American Dental Association, 5, 283–293.
11. Marmelo, C. F. D. (2016). Controlo da placa bacteriana em reabilitações implanto-suportadas: Revisão da literatura [Dissertação de Mestrado, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra].
12. Nobre, C. V. C. (2009). Avaliação dos hábitos de higiene bucal e da eficácia da utilização de escovas convencional e elétrica por idosos de centros de convivência de Vitória-ES [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo].
13. Ribeiro, C. M. (2024). Comparação da eficácia de remoção de placa bacteriana com a utilização de escova manual ou elétrica [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina Dentária].
14. Ribeiro, M. A. (2020). Métodos e meios de higiene oral – uma revisão narrativa. Universidade Católica de Viseu.
15. Rother, E. T. (2007). Revisão sistemática x revisão narrativa. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 20(2).
16. Slot, D. E., Dörfer, C. E., & van der Weijden, G. A. (2012). The efficacy of interdental brushes on plaque and parameters of periodontal inflammation: A systematic review. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 10(3), 160–176.
17. Van der Sluijs, E., van der Weijden, F., Slot, D. E., & Rosema, N. A. M. (2016). The efficacy of manual and powered toothbrushes in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 14(3), 185–194.
18. Van der Weijden, G. A., & Slot, D. E. (2015). Efficacy of home-care regimens for mechanical plaque removal in managing gingivitis: A meta-review. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(Suppl 16), S77–S91.
19. Yaacob, M., Worthington, H. V., Deacon, S. A., Deery, C., Walmsley, A. D., Robinson, P. G., & Glenny, A. M. (2014). Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(6), CD002281.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Guimarães Sampaio Trajano Dos Santos, P., Travassos, R. M. C., Prosini, P., Augusta Maciel , T., de Sá Rodrigues, V. M., Cavalcanti Ribeiro da Silva , V., … Barreto Silva, L. (2025). Electric Toothbrush versus Manual Toothbrush: Which is More Effective at Removing Plaque?. Derecho Y Cambio Social, 22(79). https://doi.org/10.54899/dcs.v22i79.134

[1] Adam, R., et al. (2020). Randomized controlled trial assessing plaque removal of an oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush with micro-vibrations. International Dental Journal, 70(1), 22-27.

[2] Andrade, L. A., et al. (1991). Monobloco - avaliação clínica comparativa de uma escova dental destinada a programas de saúde coletiva (Monografia, 43f). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo.

[3] Barros, O. B., Pernambuco, R. de A., & Tomita, N. E. (2001). Escovas dentais. Pós-Graduação Revista da Faculdade de Odontologia de São José dos Campos, 4(1), 33–38.

[4] Costa, C. C. da, Costa Filho, L. C. da, Sória, M. L., & Mainardi, A. P. R. (2001). Plaque removal by manual and electric toothbrushing among children. Pesquisas Odontológicas Brasileiras, 15(4), 296–301.

[5] Delgado, A. H. S., Fernandes, R. M., & Mascarenhas, P. (2017). Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health. Acta Pediátrica Portuguesa, 48, 192-195.

[6] Garfin, L. A. (1964). Tooth picks and tooth brushes. Dental Survey, 40, 102–108.

[7] Glenny, A. M., Walsh, T., Worthington, H. V., & Clarkson, J. E. (2011). Electric versus manual toothbrushes for oral health. Cochrane Oral Health Group, 2011(12), 1–14.

[8] Grilo, G. R. M. M. (2022). Eficácia da remoção de placa bacteriana, qual a melhor escova? – Revisão sistemática [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Católica Portuguesa].

[9] Hogan, L. M. E., Daly, C. G., & Curtis, B. H. (2007). Comparison of new and 3-month-old brush heads in the removal of plaque using a powered toothbrush. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 34(2), 130–136.

[10] Maccauley, H. B. (1946). Toothbrush material and design. Journal of the American Dental Association, 5, 283–293.

[11] Marmelo, C. F. D. (2016). Controlo da placa bacteriana em reabilitações implanto-suportadas: Revisão da literatura [Dissertação de Mestrado, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra].

[12] Nobre, C. V. C. (2009). Avaliação dos hábitos de higiene bucal e da eficácia da utilização de escovas convencional e elétrica por idosos de centros de convivência de Vitória-ES [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo].

[13] Ribeiro, C. M. (2024). Comparação da eficácia de remoção de placa bacteriana com a utilização de escova manual ou elétrica [Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina Dentária].

[14] Ribeiro, M. A. (2020). Métodos e meios de higiene oral – uma revisão narrativa. Universidade Católica de Viseu.

[15] Rother, E. T. (2007). Revisão sistemática x revisão narrativa. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 20(2).

[16] Slot, D. E., Dörfer, C. E., & van der Weijden, G. A. (2012). The efficacy of interdental brushes on plaque and parameters of periodontal inflammation: A systematic review. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 10(3), 160–176.

[17] Van der Sluijs, E., van der Weijden, F., Slot, D. E., & Rosema, N. A. M. (2016). The efficacy of manual and powered toothbrushes in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 14(3), 185–194.

[18] Van der Weijden, G. A., & Slot, D. E. (2015). Efficacy of home-care regimens for mechanical plaque removal in managing gingivitis: A meta-review. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(Suppl 16), S77–S91.

[19] Yaacob, M., Worthington, H. V., Deacon, S. A., Deery, C., Walmsley, A. D., Robinson, P. G., & Glenny, A. M. (2014). Powered versus manual toothbrushing for oral health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(6), CD002281.

Abstract

References

How to cite