7 Best Effective Electric Toothbrushes With Extra Gum Protection for the Receding Gums

A very common myth that many people still believe is that ‘gum recession’ is a problem only for the older people.

If you are still fostering that belief, be warned that anybody can be a victim of receding gums regardless of their age. However, according to the California Dental Association (CDA), this problem is seen more in the adults aged over 40 than those who are at their teens.

Still wondering why should you care?

Well, receding gum is an indicator that you have a gum disease!

If you are affected by this disease, your gum line begins to pull back from the teeth, exposing more of each tooth.

If left untreated, receding gums will eventually expose the roots of your teeth making cavity where bacteria will grow and eat away your gum tissue. This will eventually lead to early loss of teeth.

This is where ‘electric toothbrush’ may come in handy as a fighting tool against such premature damage of teeth.

To counter the gum recession, most dentists’ first recommendation is an ‘Electric ToothBrush’ because it limits the brushing time within just two minutes and ensures no extra pressure is put on the gum by giving warning feedbacks.

Top 7 Electric Toothbrush for Receding Gum on The Market Today

ProductsModes BatteryPrice
Philips Sonicare 51003 modes2 weeks Check price
Philips Sonicare 3 Series3 intensities3 weeks Check price
Philips Sonicare 93004 modes, and 3 intensities2 weeks Check price
Waterpik WP-9002 speeds 14 days Check price
Oral-B Black 70006 modes10 days Check price
Philips Sonicare FlexCare+5 modes3 weeks Check price
Smilex AU-300E3 modes10 days Check price

Signs That Tell if you Have Gum Recession

Tender Gums– In the early stages of dental problems and gum disease, you might have only the slightest symptoms and no pain. As it advances, you’ll have tender gums that hurt when you touch them.

Brushing can be incredibly painful, which can often lead to people avoiding their gums completely when brushing. It’s better to use a softer brush and more advanced technology when trying to rectify the situation.

Inflammation & Bleeding – When you brush, the gums can become swollen and start to bleed. This is one of the biggest signs that there’s a problem and gums might be receding. They might appear red or purple at times, too. It might be tempting to avoid brushing when the gums swell, but it’s important to keep them clean.

Teeth Elongated – When gums recede, more of the tooth is exposed. If you notice that your teeth seem longer than they were normally, that’s a huge sign that gums are receding.

Elongated teeth can be a cause for serious concern since the roots of the tooth will be visible. Food and bacteria left on the root become plaque, which begins to eat away at the root. This is what often leads to tooth loss when gums recede.

Loose Teeth – Disease and bacteria can eat at the teeth around the gum line. This can make them very loose. The structure of the tooth is being attacked, which leads to tooth loss eventually.

As mentioned, the root can become exposed when the gums recede. Exposed roots are a problem because they can become sensitive and susceptible to damage.

A Quality Gum Receding Electric Toothbrush Should Have 4 Following Attributes

A quality toothbrush that is good for receding gums will have some of the same attributes. They’ll be focused on gum health and reducing plaque and bacteria with their features.

  • Pressure sensor

Pressure sensor

Aggressive brushing can lead to receding gums. While you’re trying to remove plaque, you’re actually hurting your gums by applying too much pressure. The sensor will alert you to pressure that’s too hard. It’ll retrain you to brush gently. Scrubbing isn’t what removes plaque from your teeth and gums. Gentle pressure works better.

  • Two-minute timer

Two-minute timer

Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for two minutes at least once per day. A timer on your toothbrush will help you keep track of the time spend on brushing. It’s important for gum health that you remove all the plaque and food. If you leave bacteria and plaque on the gums, you’ll end up with more problems like cavities as well as gum disease.

  • Gum mode

Gum mode

Sonic toothbrushes have a gum mode that works at massaging the gums to bring them back to good health. This certain mode addresses the problems you’ll have when your gums are receding. It’ll halt any gum disease before it can get worse. The massaging actually brings blood and oxygen to the surface of the gums to heal them. Once your teeth are as clean as possible, it’s important to work on reducing the swelling and other symptoms.

  • Specially designed brush head

Brush heads

Brush heads that focus on the gums will be designed for that area. It’ll help remove plaque while gently massaging the gums. They’ll be shaped in a way that provides equal pressure to the entire tooth and the gums surrounding them.

Top 7 Gum Receding Electric Toothbrush Reviews

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100

Receding gums can be an indication of too much pressure or the start of gum disease. It’s important to find a toothbrush like the Sonicare ProtectiveClean that will remove excess pressure. You don’t need to brush aggressively to clean your teeth and have healthy gums.

Key Features

QuadPacer and Smartimer – Each timer helps you clean the quadrants of your mouth efficiently. You should spend 2 minutes on your total brushing, so that means devoting 30 seconds to each of the 4 quadrants. The QuadPacer and Smartimer will alert you when the right amount of time has passed.

High-Quality Bristles – The bristles of this ProtectiveClean are soft and gentle yet they’ll provide a quality clean. The bristles are gentle, with a curved tip that will make it easy to reach the back of your mouth.

Philips Sonicare protectiveclean toothbrush

3 Modes of Cleaning – The cleaning modes are customizable to give you the exact type of clean you need. The Clean mode, White mode, and Gum Care mode will provide a great clean. The gum mode will massage your gums to make them healthier.

BrushSync Replacement Reminder – The Brush replacement reminder uses advanced technology to track how long you’ve been using the brush head. It’ll track the time you’ve used it and the pressure of your brushing. With all this information, it’ll automatically calculate the time you need a replacement.

Pressure Sensor – Gum recession often comes from hard, aggressive brushing to remove plaque. While you do want to remove plaque for greater gum health, you don’t want to damage your mouth. The pressure sensor will alert you to heavy brushing.

My Impression

To get healthier gums, this has sonic technology that will give you more cleaning per 2 minutes than you’d get from a manual toothbrush. That means you won’t have to scrub and dig at your gums to remove plaque or food from between the teeth. The gum line can be cleaned incredibly well without being aggressive with your brushing.

The toothbrush has a massaging mode that brings blood to the gums. When your improve the circulation to parts of your body that are damaged, the area will start to become healthier. Massaging the gums will heal and reduce the damage. It might actually reverse the effects of gum recession over time.

Many people who start to have issues with their gums or plaque will attack the area vigorously. This can actually lead to more damage. The ProtectiveClean brush heads have soft bristles that are packed tightly together to provide more cleaning without scrubbing.

Related article: Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean Toothbrush Review & Comparison

Philips Sonicare 3 Series

The Sonicare 3 Series is a sonic electric toothbrush that is meant to protect the gums. It comes with a special brush head that will be gentle on the gums. Although, this toothbrush doesn’t have a pressure alert, it won’t be a problem. The bristles are gentle and deliver quality cleaning.

Key Features

ProResults Brush Head – The included brush head is meant to focus on your gum health. It’s specially designed with soft bristles and a convex profile to ensure that won’t put pressure on the gums. The bristles feature wavy and radial designs for gentle brushing.

Philips Sonicare 3 Series

Reminder Bristles – The reminder bristles fade from blue to white when they need replacing. You won’t ever have to wonder if you’re ready for a new brush head.

Intensity Settings – With thousands of sonic vibrations per minute, you don’t have to brush aggressively with this toothbrush. There are 3 intensities that will deliver the ideal brushing intensity needed. You could start at the lowest and move up to the highest as time progresses.

Timers – The QuadPacer and the Smartimer help you stick with the 2 minutes recommended by dentists for daily brushing. The QuadPacer will alert you every 30 seconds to move to another section of your mouth. The Smartimer gives an alert after 2 minutes have elapsed.

Gentle Brush Heads – It’s vital to the health of your gums to have soft bristles. The bristles in this Sonicare 3 Series provide gentle cleaning with its convex shape. While it’s gentle, the brush heads will still remove 6x more plaque than a manual toothbrush.

My impression

The soft nature of the brush head will stop you from brushing aggressively. That’s one of the biggest reasons that people have receding gums. Your mouth will feel cleaner, so you won’t have to attack your gum line. The bristles are designed to work with your gums to provide massaging without damage. It’s a great toothbrush for when your dentist recommends more attention to your gums to reduce the risk of gingivitis.

The shape of the brush head and gentle bristles are what give this toothbrush a greater chance of reversing gum recession. It’s shaped like a cup, so you’ll end up with equal amounts of pressure surrounding the tooth as well as the space near the gums. You don’t need to press against the tooth to get a superior clean.

There are three intensities that you can use with your gentle brush head. They’ll remove 6x more plaque than a manual toothbrush. There’s a Quadpacer and Smartimer to ensure that you’re spending the required 2 minutes brushing your teeth every day that dentists recommend. Every 30 seconds, the pacer will alert you that it’s time to move on to another area. Read more here.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Electric 9300

The DiamondClean 9300 rechargeable toothbrush from Philips connects to an app. This provides support and tracks your oral hygiene habits. That’s an important feature for the person who is experiencing receding gums.

Key Features

4 Modes and 3 Intensities – The DiamondClean Smart has 4 modes. Each mode fixates on a certain cleaning. There’s the Clean mode, White + mode, Deep Clean + mode and Gum Health mode. The Clean and Deep Clean mode will remove more plaque for a healthier mouth. The whitening mode will brighten your smile. The Gum Health mode works to massage your gums. That’s the mode you’ll want for your receding gums. There are also 3 intensities; low, high, and medium. You can pick the intensity based on the sensitivity of your teeth and gums.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9300 toothbrush

Brushes Included – The brushes included are focused on the modes of cleaning. There’s a premium head for plaque control. There’s a gum care brush and a white brush head. These correspond to the modes available, too.

App Support – The app is free to download for your smartphone. It’ll synch with the toothbrush to track data that you can bring to your dentist. Together, you can figure out where your brushing is lacking and make corrections.

Pressure Sensor – The pressure sensor is perfect for people who have receding gum lines. It’ll give you an alert sound, so you can adjust the amount of pressure you’re using on your teeth.

Stylish Charging Glass – Instead of a bulky charging station sitting on the bathroom sink, you’ll have a functional glass. This glass is beautiful while holding the toothbrush, and it can also be used as a rinse glass. It’ll charge your toothbrush completely and only needs to be charged after 2 weeks of use.

My Impression

The premium gum care brush head is made specifically for those who have gum inflammation. The company promises that it’ll be reduced, and you’ll have healthier gums in just 2 weeks. Along with the app, that’s a strong argument for purchasing this toothbrush for your receding gums.

The Gum Health mode is the biggest draw to purchasing this toothbrush. It’ll provide you with a deep cleaning that will rid your mouth of plaque while being gentle. You don’t need to scrub to rid your mouth of food particles and bacteria.

Once you have tackled your gum problem, you’ll have a healthier mouth. You can also indulge in a few deep cleanings with this brush. Your entire mouth will be cleaner and fresher with this toothbrush. The toothbrush will continue to gently clean your gums while whitening your teeth. The modes and intensities are great even if you’ve tackled your receding gum problem.

The pressure sensor will help to retrain you in the right way to brush your teeth. It’ll alert you to increased pressure that will cause harm to your teeth and gums.

Waterpik WP-900

The Waterpik Complete Care has a water flosser and a sonic toothbrush in one convenient unit. Flossing is vital for gum health. It removes all the particles and debris along the gum line and from between teeth near the gums. After a few weeks of flossing, you’ll see a huge difference in the health of your gums and teeth. This is a great space saver, too. You’ll get your water flosser and sonic toothbrush in one unit that’ll fit on your bathroom shelf easily.

Key Features

Sonic Toothbrush – The sonic toothbrush has 25% faster bristle speed than some other sonic brushes. Sonic electric toothbrushes use an incredible amount of vibration to push bubbles and water between teeth. The sonic toothbrush results in cleaner teeth, less plaque, and healthier gums.

Waterpik WP-900

Various Tips – The flosser comes with tips for all sorts of dental problems. There are 2 classic jet tips, a plaque seeker, and orthodontic tip, and a pik pocket tip. The one that focuses on the gums is the plaque seeker tip. It’s more effective with the flosser than other options.

Huge Reservoir – The 90-second reservoir container ensures that you’ll spend enough time flosser between your teeth and at the gum line. The pacer will alert you when you’ve spend enough time on one area of the mouth, too.

Numerous Speeds – There are 10 speeds to the flosser. This is essential for anyone who has never used a water pick before. Start at the lowest speed with warm water or mouthwash in the reservoir to learn what speed you’ll need to start.

Rechargeable Toothbrush – You don’t have to sacrifice your oral health because you’re going on vacation or a work trip. This toothbrush can be charged for your trip and tossed into a case. It will last for weeks with normal use.

My impression

The water flosser and sonic toothbrush combination could be exactly what you need to have a cleaner mouth. It’ll definitely improve your gum health versus using a manual brush and traditional string floss. Advancements in oral hygiene can remove 99 percent more plaque from your teeth and gums. If you have receding gums, you’ll want to tackle that problem with a water flosser before you end up with gum disease.

This device will replace all the toothbrushes and flossing you’ve tried to use in the past. It’s a complete oral hygiene device that will give the cleanest mouth possible. It’ll be like going to the dentist for a cleaning every day without the huge dental bill. Your dentist will see a vast improvement in your mouth the next time you go to see him, too.

Oral-B Pro 7000

This toothbrush connects to your smartphone with an app and Bluetooth. You’ll be able to track your brushing habits over time. It’ll help motivate you to brush your teeth for longer, and it’ll alert you to when you’re brushing too hard. Aggressive brushing is what often leads to receding gums. It also has a massage mode in the gum care mode that will focus on healing your gums.

Key Features

5 Cleaning Modes – The toothbrush has 5 different cleaning modes. There’s the Whitening mode, Gum Care mode, Deep Clean mode, Sensitive mode, and Tongue Clean mode. The whitening mode will shine and whiten your teeth. The Deep Clean and Tongue Clean modes will both remove plaque and bacteria from the mouth. The Gum Care and Sensitive modes will work to gently clean teeth and gums when you need a softer touch.
Oral-B Pro 7000

3 Brush Heads Included – The ProWhite brush head, Sensitive, and CrossAction brush head work with each of the modes for this toothbrush. The ProWhite helps to remove plaque and stains. The CrossAction removes plaque, too, with its rounded head that surrounds the tooth as it oscillates. The Sensitive brush is perfect for sensitive mode as well as gum care mode.

Oral-B App – When you connect the toothbrush to your smartphone, you’re able to keep track of brushing habits. When you’re working on improving your gums, it helps to keep track of the pressure used as well as time spent on brushing itself. Tracking your brushing habits means you can share that data with your dentist.

Oscillating Cleaning – The 3D cleaning comes from the rotating, pulsing, and oscillating nature of the electric toothbrush. It performs all of those motions to break up and remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth. It’s proven to remove 100% more plaque than manual brushes.

Angled Head – The CrissCross bristles of the CrossAction brush head provide more cleaning for each tooth. The angle of the bristles is 16 degrees, which reaches deep between teeth to remove plaque. It gets incredibly close to the gums for cleaning, too.

My impression

This toothbrush from Oral-B has a brush head that was inspired by professional dental tools. The CrossAction brush is a round, oscillating head that will surround each tooth. It’ll give you a complete clean without you having to press down really hard on the tooth. This shape is the reason that the brush heads are so successful at reversing gum recession. They massage and distribute gentle pressure evenly.

When you are gentle on your gums, you can help healthy tissue regrow and stop the receding gums. There’s a pressure sensor that will alert you if you’re pressing down too hard. Over-brushing is one of the biggest reasons that your gums are receding. The alert will retrain you in the right amount of pressure for brushing.

One of the best features for the person with receding gums is the feedback you’ll get from the app. It connects through Bluetooth to your smartphone. It’ll capture all kinds of data that you can share with your dentist. Together, the two of you can decide where you need to change your habits.

Philips Sonicare FlexCare+ rechargeable electric toothbrush

According to the CDC, half of all Americans over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal disease. That’s a form of gum disease that will result in swollen gums and eventual tooth loss. https://www.perio.org/consumer/cdc-study.htm

This toothbrush is proven to improve gum health in 2 weeks. It has special brush heads and modes that focus directly on the health of your gums. It also has a UV sanitizer, so you don’t remove bacteria from your teeth and gums only to reapply it the next time you brush.

Key Features

Sonic Technology – The basics of sonic technology are important for gum health. The toothbrush vibrates at high speeds, which forces water and bubbles between teeth and along the gum line. That will remove more plaque and debris from your teeth than manual brushing.

Philips Sonicare FlexCare+

5 Brush Modes – There’s the Clean, Refresh, Sensitive, Massage, and Gum Care mode for this toothbrush. The Gum Care mode gives you two minutes of directed brushing that will improve the receding gum line, bleeding, and inflammation.

Special Brush Head – There’s a special brush head to be used with the Gum Care mode. The ProResults brush head will remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to gum disease. You’ll see an improvement in your gums almost immediately.

Easy-Start and Timers – The easy-start will allow you to use the brush at a reduced speed and intensity. The QuadPacer and Smartimer will make sure you follow the dentist recommended two minutes of brushing in each quadrant of the mouth.

Illuminated Display – When it’s not in use, the handle of the brush is a sleek, simple design. Only when you turn on the brush, that’s when you’ll see the 5 brushing modes. The one that you’ve chosen will be brightly lit.

My impression

This sonic toothbrush focuses directly on the problems that impact your gum health. The special brush head and Gum Care mode will result in reduced inflammation and less bleeding in the gums almost immediately. You’ll be using less pressure to clean your teeth and gums than a manual brush.

The easy-start is a great feature of this toothbrush – especially for people who have sensitive teeth and gums. If you have bleeding and inflammation, you might be a little afraid to use a sonic toothbrush at full speed. This will ease you into the world of sonic cleaning.

Smilex AU-300E

Unlike sonic technology, this is an ultrasonic toothbrush. It’s a method that was approved by the FDA in 1992 as an original from this company. They invented the first ultrasonic toothbrush to fight gum disease and remove plaque. The ultrasonic pulses penetrate ½ an inch below the gum line.

Key Features

Ultrasonic – The toothbrush reduces plaque by 97% on your first use even if you’ve brushed prior to using it. It’s meant to get below the gum line to remove plaque and bacteria that can contribute to gum disease.

Smilex AU-300E

Thousands of Pulses – The ultrasonic vibrations of this toothbrush provide the user with 18,000 pulses. That’s thousands of pulses that will shake up the plaque, tartar, bacteria, or food between teeth and near the gums.

Gum Massaging Head – Massaging the gums brings about healing and circulation. It’ll increase the health and wellness of your mouth. The gum massaging head focuses on reducing bleeding and inflamed gums.

Easy On/Off Button – There’s one easy on/off button that isn’t in the way of the brush’s handle like some other brands of electric toothbrush.

Long-Lasting Battery – The ultrasonic toothbrush features a battery that will last for a very long time. The Ni-HM is the same kind of battery that are used in hybrid vehicles.

My impression

This brand was the first to come up with ultrasonic technology for their customers. It’s a dual-frequency technology that penetrates below the gum line where most plaque can be found. This makes it incredibly effective at providing a cleaner mouth and healthier gums.

While it doesn’t have all the timers and pacers of other models, that’s not always a needed feature. In 30 days, you can reduce gingivitis by 28 percent and bleeding gums by 60 percent.

Main Reasons for Gum Receding

While there could be a number of culprits out there that are surreptitiously causing your gums to recede, here I have collected some of the major players of this vicious gum recession game.

Genetics –Your parents have given you the color of your eyes and your height. Genetics can also have an impact on your gum recession. If your parents have receding gums and other oral health problems, you’re far more likely to have the same risks.

Periodontal Diseases – Bacteria and plaque can cause diseases that destroy the health of your mouth. In fact, it’s the main cause of gum disease. Infections and gum disease are the main cause for your receding gums.

Aggressive Brushing – Removing plaque aggressively with tons of pressure is actually doing a ton of harm to your gums. You should brush your teeth and gums but never scrub. Brushing your teeth should never be painful.

Lack of Professional Dental Care – Those who don’t go to the dentist often or have questionable oral care are more prone to gum disease. They will find themselves with receding gums and problem areas that could result in more serious issues later.

Hormonal Change – A woman’s hormone levels can have an impact on their skin, which includes their gums. Puberty and pregnancy can have an impact, but also menopause can, too. It can make gums more sensitive and vulnerable to issues.

Smoking or Tobacco Use – Smoking or chewing tobacco can leave a residue on the teeth that is difficult to remove. This can lead to food particles being stuck to the teeth and gums. Eventually, it’ll lead to problems like gum recession.

Crooked Teeth – When teeth are misaligned, it’s difficult to get between the overlaps to ensure that plaque is removed. Lots of pressure and force is placed on the gums when teeth are crooked. This can cause recession over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doctors strongly recommend an electric toothbrush for gum receding?

Because ‘Electric toothbrush offers a special mode called ‘gum mode’ engineered for a better gum care. It facilitates cleaning in and around the gum line thoroughly but gently to eradicate problems like gum inflammation, bleeding and gum recession.

It also works great against stubborn plaques. It guarantees that you brush following some proper brushing techniques. Pressure sensor embedded in the brush ensures that you don’t put extra stress on your tender gum. Overall, electric toothbrush provides a very good all-in-one compact solution that every dentist looks out for.

Why should I use an electric toothbrush instead of a manual toothbrush?

As ‘Kimberly Harms’ from American Dental Association explains, it is possible to achieve desired results using manual tooth brushing but the problem is many of us don’t know how to use them the right way. It is also not possible to reach to every corner of the teeth and do effective plaque removal.

An electric toothbrush guarantees brushing for dentist-recommended full 2 minutes.

Manual toothbrush causes damage to the tender gum, whereas an electric one does not. It can cover a larger area faster, so you clean more surfaces in the same amount of time. By manual hand brushing, you make only 300 strokes per minute. But an electric brush can make thousands or in some cases tens of thousands of strokes per minute.

Is the use of electric toothbrush safe?

Some FDA warnings say ‘Maybe Not’. There are some “Spin Brush” models of electric toothbrush which are reported to be a safety hazard to you or your children. According to the FDA, this model of electric toothbrush can cause serious mouth and facial injuries. It is advised not to go for brushing without a thorough check of the brush heads, its bristles and the enclosures.

Final thought

As you can see, these are some of the best toothbrushes for receding gums. They focus on removing plaque along the gum line as well as below without causing damage. Manual brushing relies on scrubbing, which can cause serious issues and might be the cause of your gum damage. There are other reasons for receding gums like periodontal disease and hormonal changes, but they can be remedied with the right toothbrush and good dental care.

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