Receding gums happen when the gum begins to wear away. It starts to expose more and more of the tooth and its root, increasing the risk of tooth decay, infection, and even gum loss. Part of the problem isn’t just your brushing technique but the brush itself. It’s linked to poor dental hygiene, aggressive brushing, and oral diseases. You may notice tooth sensitivity or the appearance of longer teeth initially.
Choosing the best electric toothbrush for receding gums is crucial. It helps improve your brushing action, giving your teeth a thorough clean without damaging the upper or lower gums. Everything from the bristle type to the mechanism of action can affect how you brush your teeth.
Practising good oral hygiene begins with selecting your electric or sonic toothbrush. But with more choices than ever, it’s hard to know where to begin. Join us as we examine the best electric toothbrushes for receding gums.
Understanding Gum Recession
To get the right toothbrush, you first have to understand a little about gum recession. It occurs when the gum begins to recede back along the teeth. This recession reveals the gaps and pockets in the teeth where bacteria can grow. Usually, your gums protect these areas.
If left untreated, gum recession will continue to worsen, leading to tooth decay and infection. You may even lose the tooth eventually.
Several factors that cause gum recession include gum disease, insufficient dental care, aggressive brushing, tobacco consumption, hormone changes, and grinding teeth. However, the biggest factor is always your brushing technique.
Rotating vs Sonic Electric Toothbrushes
Most people think of electric toothbrushes as one category. However, there are two kinds of electric toothbrush:
- The rotating-oscillating toothbrushis the most prominent, involving a rotating head. It has a more vigorous action, powered by a motor.
- The sonic toothbrushis gentler yet no less effective. It vibrates at a much higher rate than its counterpart, being more suitable for people with sensitive gums, teeth, or any other oral problem.
As a general rule, sonic electric toothbrushes are better for receding gums. The rotating action can exacerbate the gum recession in some individuals, especially if they have an aggressive brushing technique.
Best Electric Toothbrush for Receding Gums
- Best Overall: Oclean X Pro Elite Sonic Toothbrush
- Best with Timer: Voom Sonic Pro 5 Electronic Toothbrush
- Best for Travel: Oclean X Lite Sonic Toothbrush
- Best with App: Philips Sonicare 4100 Electric Toothbrush
- Best for Battery Life: Oclean Flow Sonic Toothbrush
- Best for Kids: Oclean Kids Sonic Toothbrush
Oclean X Pro Elite Sonic Toothbrush
What’s Good
The Oclean X Pro Elite Sonic Toothbrush is the gold standard for sonic toothbrushes. As Oclean’s premier model, it comes with some cutting-edge innovations. The toothbrush uses its patented maglev motor to achieve an impressive 84,00 movements per minute. That allows the brush to remove all plaque and debris without damaging the gum.
In fact, the toothbrush comes with a smart touchscreen which tells you know where you’ve cleaned. It monitors the brushing time for each part of your teeth, informing you when you need to spend more time on a particular area. This model has 4 modes and 32 intensities for clean mode. However, with ultra-quiet technology, even when it’s fully powered up, it won’t drown out the bathroom in its drone.
The DuPontTM diamond bristles protect gums and enamel. Made from FDA-approved materials, these bristles stand up to 115% cleaning power. Plus, there’s a delicate tongue cleaner on the back of the brush for a comprehensive oral clean.
Product Details
- Bristle type: Medium
- Battery life: Up to 35-day battery life
- Features: Smart screen, maglev motor, DuPontTMdiamond bristles, brush head replacement, brushing analysis, wireless charging
In the Box
You will find:
- Toothbrush Handle x 1
- Brush Head x 1
- Wireless Charging Panel x 1
- Charging Panel Silicone Cover x 1
- User Manual x 1
- Wall Mount x 1
Voom Sonic Pro 5 Electronic Toothbrush
What’s Good
The Voom Sonic Pro 5 Electronic Toothbrush is at the more affordable end of the market. Yet, despite its price tag, it still results in an effective clean. The toothbrush has an eight-week battery life and five cleaning modes. While it only achieves 40,000 movements per minute, it is perfect as a beginner toothbrush for those who aren’t used to sonic toothbrushes.
More importantly, it comes with a two-minute timer that pulses every 30 seconds. It won’t measure how effectively you’re cleaning each quadrant, but it does let you know when it’s time to move on. Plus, with soft bristles, it’s hard to apply enough pressure to cause any serious gum recession.
This model comes in five different colour options, allowing for some customisation. The device is also compact and waterproof if you’re looking for an affordable travel sonic toothbrush. Just be aware you won’t get the pressure sensors, app connectivity, and travel cases you find in more advanced models.
Product Details
- Bristle type: Soft
- Battery life: Up to 56 days battery life
- Features: 5 different speeds, timer and quadrant pacer, brush head replacements
In the Box
- Sonic toothbrush with mounted brush head x 1
- Spare brush head x 1
- USB charging base x 1
- USB cable x 1
- Manual x 1
Oclean X Lite Sonic Toothbrush
What’s Good
The Oclean X Lite Sonic Toothbrush contains all the same patented technology you’d expect from Oclean but in a more compact and affordable package. There’s the large smart screen display, which provides instant brushing feedback, the patented maglev technology (72,000 movements per minute), and the DuPontTM diamond brush heads.
With a battery life of 40 days and a Type-C charging option, it’s perfect for taking on holiday. The relatively compact design means it won’t take up a lot of space, and there are no complicated charging options. In fact, for most trips, you won’t even need to pack a charger. (Oh, and if you choose the S option, it comes with a handy travel case.)
Product Details
- Bristle type: Medium
- Battery life: Up to 40 days battery life
- Features: Smart screen, maglev motor, DuPontTMdiamond bristles, brush head replacement, brushing analysis
In the Box
- Toothbrush Handle x 1
- Brush Head x 1
- Type-C Charging Cable x 1
- Travel Case x 1
- User Manual x 1
Philips Sonicare 4100 Electric Toothbrush
What’s Good
The Philips Sonicare 4100 Electric Toothbrush isn’t just a regular sonic toothbrush. It comes with 4 brushing modes, 3 intensity levels, and pressure sensors, which feed their information back into an app. Here, you can gain insights and guidance into your brushing habits, optimising your oral hygiene. It’ll guide you through each brushing session.
This model is at the higher end of the price spectrum, retailing for almost $300. While it comes with all the features you’d expect from an advanced toothbrush, it fails to achieve the cleaning power you might expect. The advanced sonic technology delivers 62,000 movements per minute. Still, it’s a reliable sonic electric toothbrush guaranteed to help achieve a brighter smile.
Product Details
- Bristle type: Soft
- Battery life: Up to 56 days battery life
- Features: Battery timer, brushing timer, brushing app, brush head replacement indicator
In the Box
- 7900 Series sonic electric toothbrush x 1
- W2 Optimal White brush heads x 4
- USB charging travel case x 1
- Charger x 1
Oclean Flow Sonic Toothbrush
What’s Good
The Oclean Flow Sonic Toothbrush has by far the longest battery life of any toothbrush on this list. It lasts up to 180 days on a single charge – that’s almost half a year! This innovative toothbrush contains Oclean’s patented maglev motor, achieving an impressive 76,000 movements per minute.
The toothbrush is 100% waterproof perfect for brushing in the shower. It comes with 5 brushing modes. These range from morning and night to whitening and gentle. So, you can optimise your brushing to minimise gum recession.
There’s also the built-in 2-minute timer and 30-second reminder. It’s not the smart screen you might expect from other Oclean sonic toothbrushes, but it does save on power.
Product Details
- Bristle type: Medium
- Battery life: Up to 180 days battery life
- Features: Maglev motor, DuPontTMdiamond bristles, brush head replacement, brushing analysis
In the Box
- Toothbrush Handle x 1
- Brush Heads x 3
- Charging Cable x 1
- User Manual x 1
Oclean Kids Sonic Toothbrush
What’s Good
Gum recession can begin early. Even children’s gums are at risk if you choose the wrong toothbrush. The Oclean Kids Electric Toothbrush is designed to minimise any damage, giving your child the best dental start.
The cutting-edge technology combines an 80,000 movements per minute maglev motor with ultra-quiet technology. The result is an advanced sonic toothbrush that won’t damage your children’s ears. It’s perfect for gentle cleaning of the gums and teeth.
Built for children aged 6-12 years old, the toothbrush has the classic DuPontTM diamond bristles that deliver the best results. The bristles are fluoride-infused to support the developing teeth.
Available in blue and pink.
Product Details
- Bristle type: Medium
- Battery life: Up to 30 days battery life
- Features: Maglev motor, DuPontTMdiamond bristles, brush head replacement, brushing analysis, wireless charging
In the Box
- Brush Handle x 1
- Brush Heads x 2
- Wall Mount x 1
- USB Magnetic Charger x 1
- User Manual x 1
