How to Brush Your Teeth Properly with an Electric Toothbrush
By Made By Dentists - Professional Oral Care | Published: 2026-10-17
Category: How-to Guides
Learn the correct brushing technique for electric toothbrushes, including angles, timing, and common mistakes. Step-by-step guide for cleaner teeth and healthier gums.
Quick answer
Hold your electric toothbrush at a 45-degree angle toward the gumline, let the brush do the work, and spend two full minutes brushing. Focus on one tooth at a time, covering all surfaces—outer, inner, and chewing—without scrubbing back and forth.
Why Brushing Technique Matters More with Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes remove plaque through rapid bristle motion, not by force. Pressing too hard or using a sawing motion can actually reduce effectiveness and irritate gums. The key is to guide the brush head gently along each tooth surface and let the vibrations do the cleaning. This is especially important for children and tweens, who are still building habits—dentist-designed brushes like the “Bad To The Bone” Electric Toothbrush and the “We Run This” Electric Toothbrush include features like a 2-minute timer and gentle bristles to support proper technique from the start.
Step-by-Step: Proper Brushing with an Electric Toothbrush
- Step 1: Prepare and position: Wet the bristles and apply a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Place the brush head against your teeth at a 45-degree angle toward the gumline. Common mistake: holding the brush flat against the teeth. The 45-degree angle is critical for cleaning along the gumline where plaque hides.
- Step 2: Brush each tooth surface: Turn on the brush and gently guide it along the outer surfaces of one tooth at a time. Let the bristles do the work—do not scrub. Move systematically across the upper teeth, then repeat on the inner surfaces and chewing surfaces. Checkpoint: spend about 30 seconds per quadrant of your mouth. The 2-minute timer on many electric toothbrushes helps you pace this correctly.
- Step 3: Don't forget the tricky spots: Tilt the brush vertically to clean the inside of your front teeth. For braces or crowded teeth, angle the bristles to reach between brackets and wires. Use gentle pressure—electric brushes are effective without force. Common mistake: brushing too hard. If the bristles flatten against the teeth, you're pressing too much. Let the brush glide.
- Step 4: Finish and rinse: After two minutes, spit out excess toothpaste but do not rinse immediately—this lets fluoride stay on your teeth longer. Rinse your brush head and store it upright to air dry. Checkpoint: replace your brush head every 3 months or sooner if bristles are frayed. Most electric toothbrushes come with multiple heads to remind you.
Products That Support Proper Brushing
- “Bad To The Bone” Electric Toothbrush + 6 Heads: Dentist-designed electric toothbrush for tweens. Features easy-grip handle, gentle bristles, two cleaning modes, and 2-minute timer. Clinically proven to remove up to 8x more plaque and reduce gingivitis by 90% in just 2 weeks. Perfect for ages 7+. The easy-grip handle helps tweens maintain the correct brushing angle without slipping, and the timer ensures they brush for the full two minutes needed for thorough cleaning.
- “We Run This” Electric Toothbrush + 6 Heads: Dentist-designed electric toothbrush for tweens. Features easy-grip handle, gentle bristles, two cleaning modes, and 2-minute timer. Clinically proven to remove up to 8x more plaque and reduce gingivitis by 90% in just 2 weeks. Perfect for ages 7+. The two cleaning modes allow tweens to start with a gentler setting while they learn proper brushing angles, then switch to a deeper clean as their technique improves.
- Bulldog Electric Toothbrush + 6 Brush Heads: Dentist-designed electric toothbrush for kids ages 2+. Features kid-sized grip, gentle compact head, and 2-minute timer. Clinically proven to remove up to 8x more plaque and reduce gingivitis by 90% in just 2 weeks. The smaller brush head and kid-friendly grip make it easier for young children to reach all tooth surfaces and maintain the correct angle without discomfort.
