What is a U-shaped electric toothbrush and should you buy one?

What is a U-shaped electric toothbrush?

A U-shaped, sometimes called a Y-shaped, brush is an electric toothbrush that’s shaped like a mouthguard, with nylon or a mix of nylon and silicone bristles inside. It’s attaches to a palm-sized handle containing a motor that creates sonic vibrations.

Instead of you moving a brush around your mouth and brushing teeth individually, it brushes all your teeth at once.

Some of the best-know brands and models include:

• Y-Brush NylonStart Sonic Electric toothbrush (from €72.90)
• Autobrush Sonic Pro (from £59.91)
• Smiley Clinic 360 Sonic Electric Toothbrush(from £37.99)

How do you use a U-shaped brush?

Add toothpaste to the bristles, just as you would a normal brush. Then, once the bristled section is in your mouth, bite down on the guard, switch the device on and move it back and forth for the brushing period.

What are the advantages of a U-shaped brush?

The key advantage is that brushing your teeth becomes a quick business. A U -shaped brush will brush your teeth in 10-30 seconds (depending on the brand and model you get), rather than the 2 minutes you should spend brushing your teeth in an ordinary session.

What are the disadvantages of a U-shaped brush?

The issue with brushes of this type is effectiveness. There’s little evidence to suggest that they’re as effective as using a manual brush, let alone a more conventional electric toothbrush.

In addition, if parts of them don’t match up well with your teeth, neglected areas will worsen over time.

Brands generally offer different sizes of brush head – at the very least a child’s and adult’s size. But if it doesn’t fit well, it could scrape your gums or fail to reach some parts of your mouth.

One brand, Autobrush, is approved by the ADA (American Dental Association) and its website cites a successful clinical study. However, if you read it, you’ll see that the subjects were a group of 5 to 8-year-olds.

The study tested whether they brushed their own teeth better using a manual brush or the Autobrush. The study has not been repeated with adult participants and only really proves that young children aren’t very good at brushing their teeth.

Should you buy a U-shaped electric toothbrush?

Overall, we’d say that anyone who can use a traditional brush should. We’d recommend an electric toothbrush over a manual brush and we have round-ups of the best electric toothbrushes, best cheap electric toothbrushes and best Oral-B brushes – with options for all needs and price points.

But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people for whom a U-shaped brush could be a useful buy:

• Children: If you struggle to get your children to brush their teeth for the recommended two minutes at a time, a U-shaped brush is a quick and easy alternative. Most brands have models specifically designed for children. But don’t forget that part of the reason to persevere with manual brushing is to get children into the habit of twice-daily brushing and teach them technique.
• People who struggle with routine: Those with ADHD and other executive function disorders may find it difficult to remember to brush regularly or stick to an effective brushing routine. Using a U-shaped brush is faster, simpler and much better than not brushing at all.
• People who travel regularly: Some U-shaped brushes, such as the Autobrush, have additional features, such as red light therapy for gum health, blue light to kill bacteria, and can be used with whitening gel. A kit like this will take up much less space in your travel bag and save time on dental care when you’re travelling.