Sonic toothbrushes differ from conventional electric toothbrushes in the ten times higher frequency of their vibrations, the type of brush head movement and the resulting hydrodynamic cleaning effect. Interdental spaces (spaces between teeth) are more difficult to clean during home oral hygiene measures than the more easily accessible smooth and chewing surfaces of the teeth. As a result, there is a risk that food residues will adhere to these interdental spaces for longer. In particular, sugary food residues are the basis for the growth of biofilm (plaque, bacterial plaque) – microorganisms that contribute to the development of caries and periodontal disease (tooth decay and diseases of the periodontium). In the case of carriers of implants (artificial tooth roots), insufficient hygiene technique can lead to peri-implantitis (inflammation of the bony implant environment) and eventually to implant loss. One advantage of using sonic toothbrushes is that no special brushing technique needs to be learned. It is more important to “throw overboard” the usual – and often even tooth-damaging – brushing movements when “cross-scrubbing”. All that is required is to slide the brush head, whose elongated shape is reminiscent of a manual toothbrush, along the tooth. The mode of action of the sonic technology is based on the high frequency of about 30,000 oscillations per minute (500 Hz) with which the brush head is moved along the longitudinal axis, causing its fine bristles to vibrate rapidly. This produces what is known as a hydrodynamic effect: On the one hand, turbulence is generated, and on the other hand, the flow velocity of the toothpaste–saliva mixture is increased in such a way that the mixture is washed through the interdental spaces (interdental spaces between the teeth) without having to exert contact pressure on the tooth surfaces with the brush head for this purpose. This results in:
- Loosening, removal and destruction of bacterial biofilm even in niches that are not mechanically touched by the bristles of the brush head at all.
- Better penetration of the active ingredients of the toothpaste to the tooth or implant surfaces and into the biofilm.
- Better cleaning performance especially with limitations of hand motor skills.
- Gentler cleaning especially of exposed, possibly already hypersensitive tooth necks.
- Hydrodynamic effect up to the sulcus area of the gingival pockets, thereby preventing periodontal disease.
Water glass test
Not all sonic toothbrushes actually build a hydrodynamic effect. In the so-called water glass test, the bristles of the switched-on sonic toothbrush are dipped about 2 mm into an almost completely filled water glass. If air bubbles can also be observed flowing in the depth of the water, a hydrodynamic effect can be assumed.
Indications (areas of application)
- Interdental space cleaning
- Removal of food residues, plaque and discoloration.
- Gentle cleaning of exposed tooth necks
- Gentle and efficient cleaning of implants
- Reduction of gum injuries due to too intense contact pressure with incorrect conventional cleaning technique.
- Reduction of hypersensitive (hypersensitive) tooth necks.
- Tooth gaps
- Setting aside a habitually incorrect “scrubbing” brushing technique.
- Dental care during fixed-orthodontic treatment.
- Dental care independent of individual skill
- Suitable for children as young as four years
Contraindications
- Endocarditis history – increased bacteremia levels after single use compared to manual cleaning.
The procedure
Whether with the conventional manual toothbrush, whether with a conventional rotating electric toothbrush or but the sonic toothbrush – in principle, the following applies: all tooth surfaces must be cleaned, following a routine system, above and below, inside and outside from back to front for a sufficiently long time. Unlike with a manual toothbrush, no brushing movements need to be made with a sonic toothbrush. The brush head is placed at an angle of 45° to the gumline and is simply allowed to glide slowly along the outer, inner and upper tooth rows. For cleaning the inner surfaces of the anterior teeth, the brush is placed vertically on the inner side.With small rocking movements, the bristles glide slightly deeper into the interdental spaces. Due to the hydrodynamic effect of the high-frequency brush head movement, the toothpaste–saliva mixture is transported into and through the interdental spaces at a high flow rate. The pressure exerted by the brush’s own weight is completely sufficient. For even more intensive cleaning of the interdental spaces, some manufacturers offer additional single-tuft brushes, with the tuft tip of which all the interdental spaces are worked through in sequence.
Possible complications
- Contact of teeth with the base or handle of the brush head.
- Bacteremia
