Boondocking and oral hygiene

[path1]

Love my elec toothbrush but when boondocking it takes way to long to re-charge. Can't be running generator all day long and most of night to re-charge. Any ideas? Back of charger says...110-130V 50-60hz/1.3W "personal hygiene appliance" Takes me longer to re-charge elec toothbrush than RV batteries. ANY ideas??? How do others do it?
Would hate to really rough it and go back to manual brush.

[Naio]

I have a genetic problem that makes my teeth weak. I find the sonicare helps a lot with my already-high dental bills. I don't appreciate the superior attitude of people who don't need one.

I'm psyched to hear there is a battery version! And I am also wondering if there is something wrong with the OP's charging situation. Do those inductive chargers just take forever? I have never timed mine. If so, is there a non-inductive charger available?

[Sillybugs2]

Ours last several days on a charge. We recharge while runny the Benny to charge the batteries no big deal. Or use a manual while camping.

[down_home]

Find a sweet gum tree. Break off a smallest end of branch. Chew it a bit to form a brush and brush your teeth with t a baking soda, if you have the baking soda. If the Yanques had all followed the hygene of the Natives they wouldn't have lost all their teeth especially in places like Michigan farm country. Put the two dollars you save into a piggy bank. By the time you reach 100 you will have enough for good ice cream store. 🙂

[PRodacy]

I wish my biggest problem was how to charge a toothbrush.

By the way, did you know that the tooth brush was invented in Alabama? If it was invented anywhere else, it would have been called a teeth brush. (Hee, hee - a joke, my friends.)

[freewheel510]

I'm shocked at the "use a manual, you're camping" responses. C'mon, if we're not sleeping on the ground in a leaf bed, we are well down the slippery slope of using technology to enhance comfort. The OP asked for solutions, and those answers are nonresponsive.

I'm sure the dentist's answer is accurate, that if you do a good job with a manual, it works fine. But we have the technology: using an inverter or getting a AA powered brush are great suggestions. I'm going to look at the AA powered brushes.

[pnichols]

I use an electric toothbrush and electric razor all the time when boondocking. Our comfort level when boondocking is close to what it is when we are at home in our stick house ... except for short showers and use of paper plates/bowls/cups.

I charge the toothbrush, the shaver, the iPad, and the cell phones from our coach batteries with them plugged into a small inverter that is plugged into a 12 volt receptacle in the motorhome. There is no need to run the generator just for charging small items ... use it only to periodically charge the big coach batteries.

[Veebyes]

abc40kids wrote:
Never thought of brushing my teeth with a regular toothbrush to be that big of a deal.

Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmm.

[Harvey51]

I bought a $10 oral B with AA batteries for the RV. Then another one for home. Threw my rechargeable toothbrush away. I use rechargeable NMH batteries and they last a month! The oral B brushes often cost more than the whole machine when on sale, so I keep a spare or two.

I once had a Braun Waterpik water stream "flossed" that was very effective. But the cost is prohibitive so I never bought another one.

[Sailordive]

I also enjoy sailing. Not only do we use regular brush but the racers cut the handle off to save weight.

[sowego]

Buy a battery operated tooth brush and you'll never have to worry about that again.

[Jim_Shoe]

I just drop both plates in a cup, add water and an Efferdent tablet, and they're all clean the next morning. 🙂

[camperforlife]

Nutinelse2do wrote:
Hi all. Still working Dental Hygienist here.
What the doc said about Soft Piks is dead on. Value pack at Costco for $10 for 240 of them and they come with 3 great little cases. But sorry doctor, I must disagree that a manual is as good as an electric. Haven't heard a Dentist in the last 10-15 not recommend an electric. The Oral B which was already stated, stays charged for at least 1-2 weeks does a much better job. I have never seen a hand that can rotate 8000 rpms. Between that and a water pick, pretty much arrested my hubbys periodontal problems. And no, I am not a spokesperson for Oral B or Butler.
If your electric dies while boondocking, best to have a Oral B battery brush for backup. You can grab one for $10-15 at any store.
Periodontal disease is linked to heart disease, stoke, and diabetes. There have been many articles over the years in Time, Newsweek, etc because of the direct health link with periodontal pathogens.
One note to all those who are edentulous, please see your dentist at least once a year for an oral cancer screening!

Total agreement here. As someone who has been in the dental industry for years I can tell you that a good electric will make you feel like you didn't brush at all when you have to go back to a manual. Yes they are that much better. A good quality Braun or Oral B will hold a charge for 2 people about 10 days. You can also buy a second handle for backup on longer trips.

[tatest]

I'm with the dentist. Oral B 40, Glide floss, plastic picks. Something I can do in a few minutes, even while watching TV.

Have had a couple electric brushes, they were the fad gift when they came onto the market about 50 years ago, and each marketing innovation brings them back. I never cared for power brushing, first ones rattled my sinuses and tore up my gums, dentist said they were accelerating wear on the teeth and not doing that good a job cleaning teeth, tongue and inside of mouth.

[beemerphile1]

Too much, wayyy too much. :B

I've been using a manual brush for my entire life, still have all my own teeth and healthy gums.

True story;
Took my 10 year old grandson camping last year. He forgot his electric brush. I handed him a new manual toothbrush because we always keep some spares. Honest injun, he had no clue how to use a manual toothbrush. He had never used anything but electric.