U-Shaped toothbrushes are all over social media and I can definitely see the appeal for young children. With their flashing lights, cute characters, and promise to simplify your daily toothbrushing routine, U-Shaped toothbrushes seem like a natural fit. Though they may be helpful in encouraging your child to brush regularly, most independent studies have shown that U-Shaped toothbrushes are less effective at removing plaque than manual or traditional electric toothbrushes.
For those who aren’t familiar with them, U-Shaped toothbrushes use a u-shaped tray – similar to a traditional mouth guard – filled with bristles. An attached motor vibrates the unit to create a brushing sensation on the teeth. With U-Shaped toothbrushes, the individual bristles don’t move, the whole unit simply shakes. Unfortunately, this isn’t particularly effective for cleaning teeth as it doesn’t mimic the circular motions of true toothbrushing.
One challenge with this design is that U-Shaped toothbrushes come in standard sizes and are less likely to conform well to an individual child’s teeth and jaws. In most cases, the bristles can’t reach along the gumline or in the angles between teeth, leaving plaque behind. They also typically use silicone bristles. Silicone bristles are less effective at removing plaque than the nylon bristles used in manual or traditional electric toothbrushes. Finally, there’s a risk that children don’t learn good brushing skills at an early age, making their brushing less effective when they ultimately transition to regular toothbrushes.
The biggest advantage of a U-Shaped toothbrush is that it can help make brushing fun for young children. The novelty factor can help engage squirmy and reluctant children who are still getting used to brushing and will encourage them to develop a consistent brushing routine. For those kids, I would suggest using a U-Shaped toothbrush as a jumpstart toothbrush and then have an adult finish with a manual toothbrush at least once a day. U-Shaped toothbrushes can also be beneficial for children with developmental disabilities or other dexterity issues.
For young children, consider using an automatic U-Shaped toothbrush until the habit of brushing 2 times a day becomes routine, then slowly transition to a regular or electric toothbrush. As these U-Shaped toothbrushes evolve in design, I anticipate that their efficacy will improve. For now, I recommend that families stick with a manual or traditional electric toothbrush for the best plaque removal.
Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste twice daily is still the single most effective thing we can do to prevent cavities. And having an adult help a child with brushing until about age 8, when they develop the physical dexterity to brush by themselves, is important for the best plaque removal.
Opmerkingen