People just realising red light on electric toothbrushes is for

Electric toothbrushes have now replaced most original non-battery operated brushes.

Powered toothbrushes are said to be more effective than manual toothbrushes when it came to reducing plaque levels and improving oral hygiene.

But turns out, many don’t know how to use them with people only now realising the red light that appears on the brush doesn’t necessarily mean it needs charging.

The red light on electric toothbrushes can sometimes be a warning to the speed and force a person is using when brushing their teeth.

This sparked an online debate after the user posted the remark on Reddit.

“My boyfriend didn’t realise the red light on his electric toothbrush was indicating he was brushing too hard until I mentioned it to him,” wrote the Reddit user.

Another Reddit user added a comment regarding the soft vs hard bristle discussion saying how their friend was told by their dentist that in order to combat their hard brushing ways they need to use a soft brush for their toothbrush.

The user highlighted the confusion regarding the advice asking why wouldn’t they rather just be told to brush less hard.

The confusion relating to correct oral hygiene techniques raged on as another user highlighted how their dentist gave them the opposite advice saying: “My dentist always recommended me and my family use a hard bristle.”

They added: “But never obeyed because I’d bleed a lot.”

The hard vs soft bristle debate saw another use chime in adding: “The general recommendation for all people is to use a soft.”

Soft bristles are mostly recommended by dentists as they’re less likely to produce blood while brushing while also being more effective at removing plaque.

“You should brush at a 45 degree angle to reach the teeth and gum line. Ideally you want to reach all surfaces of the teeth.

“We do often recommend rather using an electric toothbrushes as they clean and polish the teeth to a high level.

“However, it is important not to use a very high setting as once again you can wear the teeth enamel or damage the gum tissue. Medium setting is best.”

Brushing teeth too hard is known to damage a person’s teeth and gums which could lead to tooth enamel damage, gum recession or increased teeth sensitivity.

Aggressive teeth brushing can also lead to yellow teeth as the tooth enamel is eroded away, dentin is more visible which gives the teeth a more yellow look.