Uses and Applications of the Manual Versus Electronic Toothbrush: A Literature Review

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the scientific literature on the use and applications of manual and electronic toothbrushes. Materials and Methods: An electronic search without date restriction was carried out in the PubMed and Scopus databases. The articles were selected, and their characteristics, objectives, and methods were analyzed using the following “manual toothbrush,” “electronic toothbrush,” “interdental brush,” “dental plaque,” “gingivitis,” “periodontitis” and “mechanical cleaning.” Ten relevant studies investigating the uses and applications of manual versus electronic toothbrushes were selected for this review. Results: The studies determined the efficacy of electronic and manual toothbrushes for the reduction of gingivitis and plaque, detailing the characteristics of the populations. Some studies evaluated the effectiveness of the two classes of brushes using different dental plaque indexes. One study determined plaque removal by comparing an interactive versus manual toothbrush, and two studies evaluated the effectiveness of the brushes in plaque reduction in a pediatric population. Based on the research articles, it was evident that some studies found no significant difference in biofilm removal in the use of electronic toothbrushes versus manual toothbrushes. Conclusion: In summary, it is not possible to give a conclusion because there is a discrepancy between the authors, and further studies are needed to corroborate and contrast the usefulness of manual and electronic toothbrushes.