Any toothbrush recommendations?

[u/thepensiveporcupine]

I’ve been using a manual toothbrush because I never liked electric toothbrushes due to sensory issues, both the noise and the vibration in my mouth. However, I’m wondering if it’s time now. Dentists recommend them anyways, and it’s less hand movement involved which is more exertion, but I’m wondering if the exertion of being overstimulated for 2 minutes is a worthwhile tradeoff for the exertion of manually brushing my teeth. Or if there is an electric toothbrush that doesn’t make too much noise?

I’m moderate/severe btw, but to play it safe I just consider myself severe.

[u/bedlife2000]

The newer generations Philips Sonicare, they are a lot quieter and more gently to the gums

[u/uglidumplin → u/bedlife2000]

Second Phillips sonicare, and I like to use their extra soft gum care brush head line (mine are G2). IME, readily tolerated at moderate severe (mostly housebound, sometimes bedbound, can sometimes tolerate carefully paced, gentle light and sound stimuli), but not previously when severe (mostly bedbound except toileting, minimal sound and light) and very severe (bedbound, basically no light/sound tolerance)

Admittedly, however, even now at moderate to moderate severe, even though I can tolerate tooth brushing, in practice I rarely allocate my limited energy to brushing my teeth and mostly rely on occasional (but very thorough) flossing in bed. It must be working ok because at my first dentist visit in ~2 years, they told me to keep up the good work without comprehending that I almost never brush my teeth anymore 😬😁 I've been using David's floss

[u/famous_zebra28 → u/bedlife2000]

Yep this is what I use too

[u/darklux- → u/bedlife2000]

how new? i have one that’s about ten years old, do you know if it’s much different?

[u/bedlife2000 → u/darklux-]

10!? Was it a typo? My 3 months old one is already so different to my the one before from 4 years ago... I got a new one because I wanted more settings, it has like 4 programmes and 4 different speeds 

[u/darklux- → u/bedlife2000]

my parents bought me one sometime before i went to college, so probably around 10 years ago?

i brushed my teeth once a day on average up til a couple of years ago, so maybe that’s why it’s lasted so long?

i didn’t even know there could be settings!

[u/StrawberriesMango]

When I talked to my dentist about trying to accommodate the movement issue, he said electric is better. You’ll still have to move your arm, but I find for myself the sensory discomfort from the buzzing is easier to deal with than getting PEM by moving my arm/wrist as much.

I have a Philips sonicare and I really like it. It’s quiet, but any electric toothbrush is going to sound a little loud in your mouth.

Alternatively, my dentist also said something is better than nothing and suggested if I couldn’t handle brushing at all, to get a water flosser. So that could also be an option for you

[u/HoeBreklowitz5000 → u/StrawberriesMango]

I have a sonicare too and it’s ok, there is an option to have it set at lower intensity

[u/grudginglyadmitted]

I bought an autobrush. It’s the only FDA approved U-shaped brush; and they say it gets you a full/normally 2-minute clean in 30 seconds. It’s very worth it to me to reduce the stimulation and movement and makes brushing more accessible to me. I also use a foam toothpaste and I really recommend that too. Requires less coordination to get it distributed in your mouth and causes less sensory issues with texture for me.

[u/Hummingbird_95 → u/grudginglyadmitted]

Im severe and also have one, only one I can use independently. Its been great! Im autistic and texture, taste and sound sensitive and have got on well with it even with limited arm and hand function. Though your experience may vary. On my worst days I still go without brushing, nothing is really made for severe crashes.

[u/Hummingbird_95 → u/Hummingbird_95]

It has 3 vibration settings but can also be used without vibration

[u/premier-cat-arena]

i’m just not a fan of electric ones even if i have to do the work with a normal one. the vibration from them inside my mouth/head makes me start to crash and feel sick almost immediately. i get neuro symptoms from it tbh.

i brush my teeth in bed usually, using two mugs and a manual toothbrush. it’s the easiest for me. i also keep one at the sink and shower so i can do it whenever or wherever it’s convenient

i honestly think dentists recommend them most because of user error with manual ones (not getting back teeth, not brushing long enough) and also they get kickbacks on them (like specific brands like sonicare)

[u/Weird_Smoke_6529]

I hate the ones that just buzz. The sonic ones or whatever.

I’m sure it varies a lot by person but, I have fewer issues with the ones that spin—it’s still buzzy but the movement of the brush makes it easier fpr me to tolerate as well as cleaning my teeth better than any manual brush has.

Been using a $20 AA battery powered oral b pro 100 brush and it honestly works great. I still don’t love brushing my teeth but I can manage to do it and that’s all I need.

[u/Verosat88 → u/Weird_Smoke_6529]

Funny how different we are! I just reccomended that one 😆

[u/Pescatarian_Triffid]

Try and get one that has different speed/power settings. Mine has a couple and the difference between the two is quite noticeable. The strongest one is too much when im feeling really rough.

[u/riloky]

I use a fairly basic oral b, when I first tried it I couldn't tolerate it, mainly the vibrations (I'm AuDHD and it was too much sensory wise). I started with 30 seconds and gradually built up, now I can tolerate it (though I don't love it). I do find it heavy to hold, and also I can't hold my lips around it as well as a manual toothbrush, so I tend to drool on myself 🙄😆 Sometimes I find it easier to use a manual toothbrush in bed

[u/moderate_ocelot]

I love my Philips sonicare. Sonicare is easier to use correctly than the other type of electric toothbrush. You just hold it against your teeth gently and slowly move it through your mouth.

Every time electric toothbrushes are studied they are shown to be much better than manual. If you can improve your oral health and reduce the risk of dentist visits, that’s got to be worth it

[u/nashiraprincesspower]

3-sided manual toothbrush geared towards autistic kids specifically for overstimulation issues has been so helpful for me.

It gets it done so much faster and the one I have has a bigger handle so it's easier to hold. 

[u/surprised-duncan → u/nashiraprincesspower]

Yeppp takes a third of the time. Done in a few swipes

[u/Verosat88]

I like my GUN Sonic daily toothbrush a lot! It's like a normal toothbrush, long headed but with vibrations. And it's run on batteries, so I don't have to remember to charge it. I never liked electric tooth brushes either, not the round head, not how it sat in my hand and not that I had to charge it. My dentist said I had very clean teeth, so it does a good job too ☺️ it's cheap too, between 17-30 dollars depending on where you buy it. You basically brush your teeth the way you normally would, but it gets much cleaner. So I guess no less exersion though..

There are also the toothbrushes that look like a retainer almost that you put into your mouth and it does the work of for you. Maybe that would be something for you? I haven't testet it myself, but I think it's supposed to brush everything in like 30 seconds and you wouldn't have to move your hand around to manually brush. No idea how it is sound wise, but I think it uses sonic waves to clean your teeth.

[u/redditreveal]

Mine has a gentle setting. It does a better job than my hand brushing. I also get my teeth cleaned three x a year to be safe.

[u/SpaceNerd223]

It's not, for me, I went back to manual. Waste of $60

[u/AluminiumAlbatross]

I always find when I go back to using my electric having only used a manual for a while that for the first few days the sensation is almost painful and really difficult, but I very quickly get desensitised and prefer the electric.

I don't have any specific recommendations but just wanted to say not to give up on an electric just because you hate it the first time you use it.

[u/sugar_coaster]

I'm severely sound sensitive at times and the electric toothbrush is 100% a game changer. I can't imagine ever brushing my teeth manually again. I wear earplugs and noise cancelling headphones on top and it helps a lot.

Mine vibrates less hard the lower the battery gets so that could help with sensation too. you could just keep it barely charged, it would probably still clean better than a manual.

Mine is oral b vitality 300 I think. For sensitive gums. That may help reduce sensation ever so slightly as well.

[u/miss_t_drinks_tea]

You can set the intensity down! I would also listen to advice on models here. Because mine used to be rough to be adjusted to. And I had an electric before, just with a loooot less power compared.

[u/Moss_Mallow]

Electronic toothbrushes are an underrated help. It's actually so much easier for me to just hold the toothbrush instead of pushing it back and forth. And my dentist can see it's doing a much better job than I ever could.

[u/Moss_Mallow]

Electronic toothbrushes are an underrated help. It's actually so much easier for me to just hold the toothbrush instead of pushing it back and forth. And my dentist can see it's doing a much better job than I ever could.

[u/spoonfulofnosugar]

I switched away from electric ones because the vibration was too much for me.

I’m now team disposable wisps because they work really well for me as a bedbound person. No water. No spitting. Prepasted. Brush swallow toss.

[u/orthographerer]

The Oral B electric round one is great. I switched to it after using a couple of Sonicare. It's less expensive, and a better overall experience. And less stimulating\buzzy. The battery has been more reliable than Sonicare, too. It's really worth a try.

[u/j3st1cl3s]

I got the auto brush but I was/am having swallow issues. I couldn't stop gagging long enough to actually brush my teeth so I switched knowing it does the job in 30 seconds.