We brush our teeth every morning and again before retiring for the night. It's one of the few rituals we are taught as toddlers that we continue to do through to old age. Bad breath and rotten teeth are the consequences of failing to brush one's teeth regularly.

If your gums are pulled away from the teeth or the roots are visible, your teeth may need scaling or if they are really advanced, gingival flap surgery or tissue graft may be necessary, check with your dental insurance provider to see if this would be covered.

The old established method of teeth-cleaning involved vertical brushing of the teeth, horizontal brushing across the top with constant attention to cleaning the gaps.

Are these new-fangled electric toothbrushes capable of cleaning and polishing our teeth as effectively as the old-fashioned manual ones? For many, the answer is yes, not because it is labour saving but because electric toothbrushes give a feeling similar to dentist-like cleaning.

The high speed of the electric toothbrush heads allows the bristles to give a deeper cleaning that is just not possible from manual brushing. All you have to do is to move the rotating bristles all round your mouth whilst applying a steady pressure; the actual brushing is done by the toothbrush. Those who are liable to tobacco and caffeine stains benefit greatly from the extra efficiency of electric toothbrushes.

Many electric toothbrush users say the smaller head of an electric toothbrush is able to reach where manual brushes do not.

Using an electric toothbrush ensures that teeth are brushed in the same systematic way each day and the round heads are designed to push the debris away from natural crevices where bacteria normally breed. The principal cause of bad breath is bacteria. Bacteria, if unchecked, will also manifest into gingivitis and periodontal diseases. A manual toothbrush exerts more pressure than an electric one; this has deleterious consequences especially round the gum line where plaque has to be eliminated. Too much pressure around the gum can lead to receding gums and is known as gum abrasion.

Brushing should be even and constant without too much pressure. The hotness and coldness of food is painfully evident when the enamel has been worn thin by excessive pressure.

For any arthritic person for whom holding the toothbrush is a problem, the electric toothbrush is particularly useful.

Never forget the over-riding importance of regular dental checkups and daily brushing whether you use a manual toothbrush or an electric one. Also try and think about private dental insurance and how this can help you to pay for treatments.

Look around for dental insurance quotes and contact your dentist today for a checkup and advice on receding gums.