Review (5/5): A great toothbrush at a frugal price
There's brushing, and then there's brushing. Brushing is the good one. Proper brushing removes stuff from your teeth that, if not regularly removed, can eventually lead to things like plaque build up to gingivitis and eventually even to things like pyorrhea. Pyorrhea is one of the most horrible things that I have ever seen. Proper brushing is an important part of your oral health regime (along with regular dental check-ups and flossing, etc.). I'm not a dentist, so I'm just reiterating what my dentist has told me every six months for the past 39 years.
As such, choosing a good toothbrush is a very important part of preventative maintenance. From a frugal living perspective, it always makes sense to practice preventative maintenance (especially with things like dentistry that is generally quite expensive - especially with major surgery). I have used Braun Oral-B electric toothbrushes for about five years or so and they were recommended to me by my dentist. I have been one of the `fortunate ones' who seems to have been born with good teeth (my teeth are straight and I have never worn braces, I have also only ever had one cavity and it happened way back when I was thirteen years old).
The toothbrush that I currently use is the Braun Oral-B Vitality Precision Clean electric toothbrush. There are a few important reasons why I love using it:
1. It feels great as you use it. It kind of tickles as it rotates upon your gums and it feels feels like it is giving them a really good massage (although I have never fallen asleep while brushing my teeth, I have nodded off a few times).
2. Your teeth feel really clean after you use it. It's not quite the `I just left the dentist's office' clean, but it gets you pretty close to it. It seems very effective at getting into those `hard to reach' areas. I can feel a significant difference between when I use this brush and when I use a manual one (which seems to be only when I go camping).
3. The toothbrush has a built-in timer. Apparently the optimal amount of time that you should be brushing is about two minutes. Many people do not brush anywhere near this amount of time. This brush makes it easy by including a built-in timer that gently pulsates the brush to let you know when two minutes are done.
The other factor to consider, cost-wise, is the cost of the replacement tips. I replace mine about every two to three months and the cost anywhere from between $3-$5 a piece depending on where you buy them and how many you buy in the package. I feel that, despite being more expensive than a regular manual toothbrush, this this ongoing cost is well worth it. I will never use a manual brush again (unless I am camping).
There are millions of different electric toothbrushes. I am not an electric toothbrush aficionado or a dentist or a dental hygienist. I am just a frugal thirty-nine year old, with his first child on the way any day now, that knows that brushing your teeth well is very important, that this brush is less expensive than many, and that I feel that it does a terrific job of cleaning my teeth and massaging my gums. Another frugal living idea brought to you by [...].