Oral-B Pro 650 CrossAction
A practical electric toothbrush (oscillating-rotating) that helps you brush more effectively than a manual brush.
How to Use an Electric Toothbrush (Properly)
An electric toothbrush does the work for you, but only if you use it correctly - and the technique is different from a manual brush. Here's how to get the most from it.
Quick answer
Put a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the brush, guide it slowly along each tooth at the gumline, and let the brush do the work - don't scrub. Spend two minutes in total, tilt the head slightly towards the gums, and spit but don't rinse afterwards so the fluoride keeps working.
Step by step
1. Apply a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste. 2. Turn the brush on only once it's in your mouth, to avoid splatter. 3. Guide the head slowly tooth by tooth, holding it on each for a few seconds - it oscillates or vibrates, so you don't need to scrub. 4. Angle the head slightly towards the gumline, where plaque builds up. 5. Cover every surface: outside, inside and the biting surfaces. 6. Spit out the excess but don't rinse with water, so the fluoride stays on your teeth.
Common mistakes
The biggest one is scrubbing hard as you would with a manual brush - this can damage gums and enamel, and the electric brush already does the cleaning. Others include pressing too hard (use the pressure sensor if your brush has one), rushing under two minutes, and rinsing straight after, which washes away the protective fluoride.
Getting the timing right
Most electric toothbrushes have a built-in two-minute timer, often with 30-second pulses telling you to move to the next quarter of your mouth. Follow it. Brush twice a day, replace the head every three months or when the bristles splay, and see a dentist and hygienist regularly.
Our top picks
#1
#2 
Oral-B Pro 1
A practical electric toothbrush (oscillating-rotating) that helps you brush more effectively than a manual brush.
#3 
Philips ProtectiveClean 5300
A practical electric toothbrush that helps you brush more effectively than a manual brush.
Frequently asked questions
Do you scrub with an electric toothbrush?
No - let the brush do the work. Guide it slowly along each tooth at the gumline; scrubbing hard can harm your gums and enamel and isn't needed.
Should you rinse after using an electric toothbrush?
Spit out the excess but don't rinse with water. Leaving a little fluoride toothpaste on your teeth helps protect them; rinsing washes it away.
How long should you use an electric toothbrush?
Two minutes, twice a day. Most electric brushes have a timer that pulses every 30 seconds so you spend equal time on each quarter of your mouth.
Bottom line
Our top pick is the Oral-B Pro 650 CrossAction (our score 9.6/10) - A practical electric toothbrush (oscillating-rotating) that helps you brush more effectively than a manual brush..