Purchased individually, the least expensive replacement heads cost $7, which is generally more than what most Oral-B heads cost but less than the price of many Philips Sonicare heads. Although you can adjust the intensity of the brush’s vibrations in each of the modes, in practice we found no appreciable differences between the intensity levels; they felt the same. When activated, the ultrasensitive pressure sensor alerts you with a beep that we found overly loud compared with alerts from the competition (fortunately, you can turn the pressure-sensing beeps off). Like the Pro 1000, the 4100 has a pressure sensor, lacks superfluous cleaning modes, and has earned the ADA Seal. Unlike the Pro 1000, with the 4100 you can choose from two vibration intensities (strong or stronger), which may be helpful when first getting used to this model’s powerful motor. Our testers have found that the higher intensity setting roughly matches the feel of the Pro 1000’s lone intensity setting.
Once it’s brushing time, there are three intensity levels that can easily be switched during brushing, and the brush automatically adapts in real time to your brushing style. There’s also a timer with a default setting of two minutes split into six intervals, but you can use the app to adjust the duration. While the app isn’t necessary, if you choose to use it, you can learn more about your brushing habits and play with more of the settings. The low intensity level felt soft enough for our sensitive teeth, and the brush itself also feels nice in hand, with a good weight, comfortable feel, and attractive smooth surface. We had a “fresh from the dentist” smooth feeling afterward and no discomfort, despite the sensitivity issues.
To test electric toothbrushes, we use them twice a day over a period of at least one week, making sure we get a feel for how they handle and perform when cleaning. During the test period, we will try any specific brush modes and attachments, and install any apps required to get the most out of built-in smart features. For at least one of those brushes, we will use plaque-disclosing tablets to check that all areas of the teeth are getting a proper clean (allowing for a little user error). To check battery life, we also leave the toothbrush running while standing up and time how long it takes for the battery to run down.
It has an oscillating brush head that breaks up plaque and you can purchase multiple different types of replacement brush heads, which will typically cost you about $31 for a pack of two. Updates editor Mili Godio also mentioned that this Oral-B model does not irritate her sensitive teeth or sensitive gums thanks to its gentle brush speed. Sadhana Daruvuri, Select social media editor, said she’s a fan of Foreo’s electric toothbrush. “The brush head is made out of medical-grade silicone, so it feels gentle on my teeth,” she explained. The brush head also has silicone ridges on its back, which acts as a tongue and cheek cleaner.
Now it’s easier than ever to brush like your dentist recommends for a superior clean, for healthier gums. Remember, proper oral hygiene is essential for maintaining long-lasting dental health, and using an electric toothbrush like the Oral B can help achieve this goal. The lights on your Oral-B electric toothbrush serve as indicators for various functions such as battery life, charging status, and mode selection. Oral B electric toothbrushes typically come with a charging indicator that helps users know when the toothbrush is fully charged. We often dismiss battery-operated toothbrushes for not being as effective as their chargeable counterparts, but Philips proved us wrong.
The light came on a couple of times for me, a little less often than when using my brush at home. The toothbrush will also alert you if it thinks you’re brushing too hard, and count down your clean with a two-minute timer. Oral-B claims the battery also has up to two weeks of charge, and you’ll also get one brush head, a travel case, and a two-pin UK plug charger in the box. Rather than a standard brush head on a handle, these devices include oral b genius toothbrush trays that look like mouthguards lined with bristles. In promotional materials (such as the Amabrush video that accompanied the company’s 2017 crowdfunding campaign), the companies claim their devices can simultaneously clean all of a person’s teeth in mere seconds. (Amabrush filed for bankruptcy in 2019.) Questions of efficacy aside, a single user could expect to pay hundreds of dollars for the starter kit for one of these devices.
To know when your toothbrush is fully charged, look for a battery indicator light or a display panel on your toothbrush handle. For this story, T+L editors tested more than 40 toothbrushes under the guidance of Dr. Marc Schlenoff, DDS, FAGD . Rena Behar compiled their findings and surveyed multiple additional dentists, including Dr. Guneet Alag DDS, FAGD. This sleek matte black option comes with carbon-coated bristles, designed to gently remove discolouration, which our testers found did just that.
Many felt it had “improved” their overall oral health with very little effort and helped them to feel “cleaner” every time they use it. However, the right toothbrush can help take a lot of the angst – and time – out of caring for your teeth properly. Bundled extras such as a travel case can also come in handy, particularly if it allows the brush to charge in situ via an adaptor or a USB cable. Some of us can’t get on with a brush that’s too chunky or too thin, and you might want something with more grip around the handle. I tested eight total toothbrushes in total, four of which didn’t make the cut. The app is both useful and encouraging, but I’ll admit that after a couple months, I found that I stopped using it consistently.
They’re weighty, which contributes to the feeling of holding something built well. It was no surprise, therefore, that before I had finished I was invited to stop brushing my teeth and see how I had scored. It’s a smart toothbrush—so smart, in fact, that with the help of a smartphone app it watches while you brush and tells you which bits could use a little more work. The brush handle contains gyroscopes, accelerometers and a Bluetooth connection to report its movement and oral b toothbrush heads orientation to the phone, which uses its camera to figure out where the brush head is in relation to your head. Jon is a leading voice on electric toothbrushes and has been quoted by mainstream media publications for his opinions and expertise. Known as enhanced position detection technology/tracking, the app installed on your smartphone uses the phones front-facing camera and sensors in the brush handle to accurately detect the position of the brush within the mouth.