Don't get me wrong...I'd rather you use a manual toothbrush than say....nothing. I once had a patient that didn't brush his teeth for 17 years! Yes, I said 17 years! At 30 years old he was going to lose all of his teeth and because of the massive bone loss from periodontal disease there was very little bone left in his mouth to even wear dentures. How anyone can forgo brushing for such an extended period of time is beyond me...less I digress. The reason why manual toothbrushes are less than ideal in my opinion is because most people use them as weapon in their mouth. All of their stress gets taken out on their teeth with the back and forth sawing motion of an angry person. I have news for you...your toothbrush should not look like the bristles got stuck in an electrical outlet. Relax folks! So many times people have a habit that they consistently miss the same areas over and over again. As long as you are properly placing the bristles of an electric toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and brush for a full 2 minutes you will do a much better job at plaque removal than using a manual brush and without digging a trench into your teeth. My number one recommendation will always be to get a good, quality, electric toothbrush. Invest the money in a decent one. Your teeth are worth the investment.
~Heather the Hygienist