I've always been the type of person who believes in keeping things simple. I usually apply this to most aspects of my life - eating, working, sleeping, or relationships.
So you could probably guess how I felt about using an electric toothbrush - I didn't really think it was necessary.
Well, that was till my gums started bleeding – frequently.
I looked online and found people in dental forums saying that their bleeding gums and tooth problems had gone away after they switched to an electric toothbrush.
So, after a GOOD amount of research, I bought myself the Philips Sonicare 3100 Electric Toothbrush...and I have some thoughts.
This is what I found after using an electric toothbrush for a week.
Day 1
I got my toothbrush in the mail, a day after I'd ordered it. It came with a USB charger, which is EXTREMELY convenient. So I took the brush for a trial run.
I won't lie, the first few seconds of having a vibrating toothbrush in my mouth were a novel experience.
I've never tried an electric toothbrush in my life - and it's not like you can ask your friend to borrow theirs and try it out. About 30 seconds into using the Philips Sonicare 3100, I could LITERALLY feel my teeth being cleaner. And best of all, my gums weren't bleeding!
It felt different from my regular normal brushing, because I hardly had to do any work, and since I had an old wrist injury from boxing, this meant a LOT. This brush, despite it being just a small change to my life, was already helping.
What would day 2 bring?
Day 2
Well, I woke up on day 2, and I'd eaten a TON of chocolates at the end of day 1. I woke up, brewed coffee, and went to brush, and I swear that brush really put its work in that day.
It was on day 2 that I discovered the Sonicare 3100’s pressure sensor feature.
It turns out that despite all the "sensitive" toothpaste and toothbrushes I’d tried, my gums were bleeding because I was pressing down hard to clean the gaps and hard to reach parts of my teeth.
I pressed a little hard while I was brushing, and the toothbrush’s pressure sensor let off a little beep to warn me, like my own little smart android friend in my mouth.
The beep lets you know if you're treating your teeth with love or if you're treating them like they hurt you and you have to hurt them back.
As it turns out, human hands can only do a BARE minimum compared to machines. No pain, no discomfort, and I think this was when I really started to like the toothbrush.
Days 3 and 4
Days 3 and 4 were when I really started feeling the difference from the electric toothbrush. Any lingering bad breath or gum bleeding I was facing was gone. My teeth felt much cleaner.
So much so that I'd keep running my tongue over my teeth (No lies, I'm literally running my tongue over my teeth now because it feels so nice).
I thought my gum sensitivity had improved and maybe I was giving the Sonicare toothbrush too much credit. So, I tried a normal toothbrush again...
To put it politely, I was spitting blood less than 30 seconds into brushing with the normal toothbrush. My gums were actively bleeding.
No, thank you, normal brush.
Day 5
On day five, I upgraded from regular toothpaste to sensitive toothpaste. And, to put it politely, my mouth has never felt such delight.
It was like upgrading from washing your face with a bar of soap to washing your face with a deep-cleaning, exfoliating scrub that also massaged your skin, told you it loves you, and gave you the care you needed all your life.
The fancy futuristic looking Sonicare 3100 was now a part of me. I am it, and it is me. We are one for life.
But dramatic hyperbole aside, while a lot of other electric toothbrushes I've seen have rotating brush heads and are battery-operated, the Sonicare had outdone them in both regards. A USB charger + vibrating deep-cleaning technology that promised 3X plaque removal?
I was sold.
Day 6
I'd gone to stay at a friend's place at the end of day 5, and since I'd stayed over at their place, I didn't really have a toothbrush. So, I had to use my finger to brush my teeth. And it was...NOT adequate. 2/10 would not recommend.
Day 7
On the final day of my trial run - day 7 - was when I looked at the box of the Sonicare electric toothbrush properly. Turns out, I'd actually got myself one of the best electric toothbrushes in the market.
Apart from all the amazing things I'd found in the past week, the box said the brush had something called Easy Start technology which slowly increased the pressure the brush puts on your teeth, over the first 14 uses. That's 7 days for most people. 14 in my case.
So, even if you've never used an electric toothbrush, it would slowly let you get used to the new sensation.
And apparently, there is something else called a Quadpacer in this little brush, which reminds you to brush all parts of your teeth evenly. Because God knows it's disgusting to run your tongue over your teeth to find pieces of old food.
So Will I Use a Regular Toothbrush After the Sonicare 3100?
Never, ever again, thanks to this electric marvel of the 21st century. Don't just take my word for it, try it out yourself. You can buy it here.
After my week-long affair with the Sonicare 3100 electric toothbrush, I've decided I will commit to this relationship for life.
I'm a convert. I will stand by this electric toothbrush, guarding and defending it, like it guards and defends my teeth.
It remains a watchful guardian, defending the teeth, and asking for little in return, except maybe a little charging once or twice a month.
That's the truth. Sorry, regular brushes - truth hurts a little, but tooth hurts WAY more.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)