Are U-Shaped Toothbrushes Safe For Children?

Posted on 6/21/2021 by Fariba Mutschler

It can be difficult for children to brush their teeth thoroughly since their manual dexterity is still developing. Your child might also have trouble brushing for the full two minutes recommended by the ADA. If your child struggles with brushing his or her teeth thoroughly, a U-shaped toothbrush could help.

What is a U-Shaped Toothbrush?

A U-shaped toothbrush, also known as a mouthpiece toothbrush or an auto-brush, is a type of electric toothbrush that is designed to clean all the teeth at once, in less time than manual brushing. The U-shaped silicone brush head fits in your child's mouth like a mouth guard, and features soft bristles that cover all the teeth. The head is attached to a battery-powered base that sends out sonic vibrations, causing the bristles to pulse and clean all of your children's teeth at once. Supposedly, brushing is completed in just ten to thirty seconds with a U-shaped electric toothbrush as opposed to two minutes with a manual toothbrush. Like a manual toothbrush head or a regular electric brush head, U-shaped brush heads should be replaced every three months.

U-Shaped Toothbrush Advantages

The biggest advantage of a U-shaped automatic toothbrush is that it can help make brushing fun for children who struggle with brushing their teeth thoroughly. Not only will children enjoy the pulsing bristles and having their hands free while cleaning their teeth, but many brands of U-shaped toothbrushes for children also come in fun colors and character designs, and some even feature stickers, lights, or music that plays during use. If a U-shaped toothbrush helps your child brush their teeth twice a day, then in turn it can also help prevent cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, and instill good oral hygiene habits in your child. U-shaped toothbrushes can also be very beneficial for children with developmental disabilities or dexterity issues. Plus, they can be rinsed like a normal toothbrush, making cleanup easy.

U-Shaped Toothbrush Disadvantages

While U-shaped brushes seem to be generally safe for children to use, there is not yet enough research to prove whether or not U-shaped toothbrushes actually clean children's teeth better than traditional toothbrushes. They are also expensive, and usually work best with a special kind of foaming toothpaste as opposed to regular toothpaste. If your child already does a good job brushing his or her teeth twice a day with a manual toothbrush, a U-shaped toothbrush is probably unnecessary. Contact our office to learn more about U-shaped toothbrushes.

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Dr. Fariba Mutschler & Dr. Mark Mutschler have created this informative blog to help educate the community. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please use the share it button to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
Great Grins for KIDS Portland, 13908 SE Stark Street, Ste C, Portland, OR 97233-2161; (971) 470-0054; portlandchildrensdentist.com; 9/7/2024; Related Terms: pediatric dentist Portland;