“I recommend [the Arm & Hammer Spinbrush to my patients who want to try power before they commit to a higher-priced brush,” Doniger said. This brush features dual-action technology that the brand says combines a side-to-side bristle movement with a spinning movement. The brush head’s bristles fade in color over time to remind you to replace it, the brand says. You can purchase multiple different types of replacement brush heads for this electric toothbrush, which will typically cost you about $9 for a pack of two. “I like that this electric toothbrush has a circular spinning brush head so I can just hold it over my teeth instead of moving it side to side,” said Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz.
Sonicare toothbrushes, from the budget-level to the high-end models, have a similar sleek aesthetic with few extraneous details. They all look very sterile, and some models are available in multiple colors. They’re weighty, which contributes to the feeling of holding something built well. Another top-rated choice, the Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush, oral b braun toothbrush comes with most of the same features as the Series 7, though it doesn’t include replacement heads. The Oral-B Pro 500 brush head is round as dentists advise this is the best shape to clear all plaque from the areas around teeth and gums for a full, deep clean daily. This Oral-B toothbrush allows you to choose between Daily Clean mode and Sensitive mode.
Depending on the model you select, you may then be able to choose cosmetic features like color or sensor light shade to pick your ideal toothbrush. Though the ADA stops short of recommending electric over manual toothbrushes, a recent study found that electric toothbrush users benefit from healthier gums and less tooth decay than people who use manual brushes. Going electric can help prevent several oral hygiene issues, including dry mouth and bleeding gums, explains Dr. Jeffrey Sulitzer, DMD, Chief Clinical Officer at SmileDirectClub. The biggest benefit of electric toothbrushes is that they allow you to efficiently clean the hard-to-reach areas in the mouth, says Dr. Brian Harris, DDS, lead medical advisor at SNOW and Frost Oral Care. Around $150 puts you in the realm of Bluetooth brushes (and, generally, a dip in battery life). Also known as smart or connected toothbrushes, these brushes pair to companion apps and typically come with several brush heads, in addition to a charging travel case, and even more cleaning modes.
“If you brush really well with an [unconnected] toothbrush, you don’t need any of these devices,” said Wolff, who has provided dental care for people with various disabilities for longer than 40 years. Downloading the Oral B App onto your smartphone opens up new realms of possibility for the Oral-B 9000 and 8000. Both these toothbrushes can “talk” to your smartphone and register a whole raft of information on there. The Oral-B app alerts you if you are brushing too hard, sets up a system of rewards to make sure you brush 2 minutes twice a day and even records which days you have missed automatically. It is overall a great habit forming app and an advantage that Oral-B has over many of it’s competitors. Choosing the best electric toothbrush could make a tangible difference to your general health as well as giving you a better smile.
Philips Sonicare’s 9900 Prestige is the brand’s top-of-the-line smart toothbrush. It connects to your phone—to track your brushing habits—and has extraneous cleaning modes. The Philips Sonicare 2100, 5100, 5300, 6100, 6500, and 7500 all feature the same technology as the 4100 and 1100, with 31,000 bristle movements per minute. They differ in levels of intensity (for instance, the 2100 offers two levels while the 6100 offers three) and the number of cleaning modes (the 1100 and 2100 only offer one while the 6100 offers three). The pricier models also include accessories such as a travel case, which are nice but not necessary. Smart-toothbrush capabilities vary widely, but mainly these devices automate the process of tracking your brushing habits, typically by connecting to an app via Bluetooth.
These stands can not only charge the toothbrush, but they can also hold them up when they’re not in use. It’s recommended to change the brush head every three months, so be sure you have extras. Whether you want to freshen your breath, whiten your smile, or get a pat on the back from your dentist the next time you go in for cleaning, these Oral-B electric toothbrushes will help you do all that and more.
A few smaller, third-party manufacturers make Sonicare- or Oral-B-compatible brush heads, which usually sell for much less than the real deal. Philips and Oral-B will tell you that you’re not getting the same quality or clean from these cheaper heads, but in our tests some have been perfectly effective. Modes are increasingly a big deal, giving you different speeds and patterns optimised for whitening, deep cleaning or sensitive teeth and oral b toothbrush heads gums. It’s not clear that all of these make a huge amount of difference, but having a slower, gentler mode that you can switch to a faster, more intense mode can be useful when you’re getting used to a new brush. However, some toothbrushes drain their batteries faster than others, so if you haven’t got a convenient power socket in or near the bathroom, then you might want to look at a model that can handle a few weeks without a refuel.
The Oral-B Genius 6000 has Bluetooth connectivity and many of the in-app features of other models. But, especially for travel, we found the real-time light-up pressure guide a great (and instant) way to maintain uniform coverage daily, without needing to access a daily report card. If a simple dental-care routine is your thing, or you’re an electric toothbrush newcomer, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is a great option. Its less-is-more functionality combined with its accessible price point makes it a super place to enter the world of electric brushing. Don’t let the small round brush head fool you — it still managed to clean every part of our mouth because it can easily maneuver its way in and behind teeth, thus removing stubborn plaque and bacteria.