GREENSBORO, N.C. — There's one thing every medical professional agrees on: You've got to brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice every day, to get rid of bacteria that cause plaque
But here's a bigger debate: Which one is better for cleaning teeth? The old school manual toothbrush or the electric one?
Consumer Reports looked at several studies. Researchers looked at 56 clinical trials of brushing by 5,000 adults and kids.
The people using electric brushes saw a 21% reduction in plaque. They also saw an 11% reduction after three or more months.
They also found that oscillating powered brushes performed slightly better than those that just vibrated from side to side.
But researchers emphasized if your dentist says you're doing fine and you use a manual toothbrush, keep using it.