Patients asked me this question all the time: 'Which is the best toothbrush?' and 'Which toothbrush should I buy for my family?'

Here is what I tell them:

For adults - you absolutely don't need to spend two hundred pounds on an all-singing, all-dancing toothbrush. It will not make your teeth better. If you have a good diet and don't drink litres of fizzy drinks per day, then as long as you put fluoride toothpaste on your teeth twice a day with a toothbrush, you will be okay. If you have problematic teeth and think that buying an expensive toothbrush will fix the problem, it isn't true.

All that matters is that the brush is a) used twice a day b) used with a decent technique, that is to say, little circles at the gumline and round the tooth. DO NOT SCRUB back and forth! You will wear out your precious tooth enamel, which covers the teeth. 

If you use a manual brush, buy one with softer bristles. Your biceps will always win over your enamel, and 90% of patients with manual toothbrushes scrub way too hard. This gives them little wear facets on the roots of their teeth, making them yellow and sensitive. 

I have had some patients with two hundred pound toothbrushes who still damage their teeth because they scrub too hard. And equally, I have had patients with two pound toothbrushes who do a fantastic job.

Personally, as a dentist, I use an electric brush that is rechargeable (at the wall socket), and I often get the most basic model. These things never live forever, so no point investing for the long-term. It isn't an heirloom after all. I know that the vibration helps remove the sticky deposits on the teeth, so all I have to focus on is the gentle moving round the gum. 

Do not press hard on electric toothbrushes as you brush your teeth! It will exert too much pressure. And don't scrub extra hard either and go back and forth like crazy. The whole point of it being electric is that is saves you a bit of effort. 

For children - manual brushes are what you need in the beginning to get them used to something in their mouth. I'd say from the age of 4, if you want a novelty, you can get child specific battery powered 'electric' toothbrushes that buzz gently. It makes them feel grown up, and they look forward to brushing their teeth. Make you sure you go over the teeth though afterwards, as they can't clean the back teeth properly yet. I would not advise to use a 'real' electric toothbrush until at least 6. Using a manual toothbrush is also absolutely fine. If they are going to use an electric toothbrush, make sure they remember to charge it. Because when trying to brush with a dead electric toothbrush, the teeth really don't get cleaned.

I hope this advice helps!