Today’s all-singing, all-dancing electric toothbrushes come with a remarkable range of technology.
If you think that electric toothbrushes are simply a way of taking the effort out of brushing your teeth, think again. Today’s electric toothbrushes offer a wide range of features and functions and come with a dazzling array of technology. They also vary enormously in price, from around £4 to a couple of hundred pounds.
In addition to cleaning your teeth, electric toothbrushes can remove plaque, massage gums, clean tongue and cheeks, whiten teeth and even help remove debris from the gaps between the teeth.
They also have brush heads that can rotate, vibrate, oscillate and pulsate, and at least one electric toothbrush even uses wireless technology. Surveys suggest electric toothbrushes are more effective than the manual version when it comes to cleaning teeth, and they can be a boon for people who suffer from arthritis and other conditions that make it difficult to move the hand or wrist.
Top tips
- Decide what features you want. Paying for features you don’t use is a waste of money and will make your toothbrush more complicated than it needs to be
- Check how comfortable the brush is to hold and how easy it is to operate
- Some electric toothbrushes are battery-powered and look like manual toothbrushes; others have three parts: a hand grip (which houses the rechargeable battery and brushing mechanism), brush head and base station. The base station is used for charging the battery
- Battery-powered toothbrushes usually come with a built-in battery, but do check. On some models, the battery can be replaced when it’s exhausted, but with others, the toothbrush is discarded when the battery’s power is depleted
- Check how long the rechargeable battery lasts on a full charge
- If you want other members of the household to share an electric toothbrush, you may need to buy additional brush heads. Check how many heads are supplied with your model – and how much replacement or additional heads cost
- Timers are handy for ensuring you brush for the required length of time (around two minutes). Most timers beep or momentarily stop the brush head every 30 seconds
- Pressure sensors warn you if you are pressing too hard (and could damage your teeth), usually with a beep or a
warning light - Check what brushing action is used by the brush head (see Jargon buster for the various types), as some are more effective than others
- If you have sensitive teeth or gums, a toothbrush offering a sensitive mode (which uses a gentler action) is worth
considering.
What’s on the market
Aquafresh Interdental Action Buzz £4.39
This toothbrush has thin filaments between bristles which are claimed to penetrate up to 50 per cent deeper between teeth compared with an ordinary toothbrush. Its vibration action is designed to support the usual brushing motion, for a more thorough clean. (www.aquafreshproducts.co.uk)
Aquafresh 3-way Buzz £4.39
A vibrating toothbrush with three independently flexing parts, which are designed to adapt to the contours of your teeth and gum line, to sweep away plaque. It also has a flexible neck, which bends to absorb excess pressure from brushing. www.aquafreshproducts.co.uk
Colgate 360° MicroSonic £5.99
This model combines high-speed sonic vibrations with the 360º head that includes a cheek and tongue cleaner. Sonic vibrations in combination with tightly packed, multi-height bristles break up and dislodge plaque. Works both interdentally, as well as on tooth surfaces. Comes with a replaceable AAA battery. Tel: 00800 32132132
www.colgate.co.uk
IBP B091 £29.99
An ultrasonic toothbrush that operates at 30,000 strokes per minute. Its rechargeable battery can operate for up to five days on a full charge. It comes with two spare heads. Tel: 01942 819695 www.ibphealthcare.com
Oral-B Vitality Dual Clean £30
A rechargeable toothbrush with two moving brush heads, which are claimed to remove more plaque than a regular manual brush. Includes a timer to help users brush for two minutes. Tel: 0800 783 7010 www.oralb.com/en-uk
IBP B-291 £49.99
This offers similar features to the B091, but also includes two speeds and a two-minute timer, plus flosser and scraper.
Tel: 01942 819695 www.ibphealthcare.com
Oral-B Professional Care 3000 £100
A 3D cleaning system uses a head that pulsates, rotates and oscillates to remove plaque and debris. There are three cleaning modes: daily clean, sensitive and polishing. Other features include two interchangeable heads, a timer and a pressure sensor. Tel: 0800 783 7010 www.oralb.com/en-uk
Oral-B Professional Care 1000 £60
You get two brush heads, a rechargeable battery and several other useful features that include a pressure sensor to help protect teeth against harsh handling, plus a timer to ensure your teeth are cleaned for a sufficient length of time.
Tel: 0800 783 7010 www.oralb.com/en-uk
Oral-B Triumph 5000 £160
A top-of-the-range rechargeable toothbrush that has microchips embedded in the brush head and handle to monitor brushing activity. It analyses your brushing action and sends the data via Bluetooth technology to a digital display. The display guides you through your brushing technique, for example, informing you when are brushing too hard or not brushing for long enough. There are also four customised brushing modes, including massage and polish. Tel: 0800 783 7010 www.oralb.com/en-uk
Philips Sonicare Hydroclean £50
As the name suggests, this toothbrush uses sonic technology to remove plaque, both on and between teeth. It has a timer and is supplied with two replaceable AA batteries. Tel: 0800 331 6015 www.philips.co.uk
Philips Sonicare Healthy White £100
Designed to remove tea, coffee, tobacco and red wine stains, and also reduce gum disease, it has three operating modes: clean, sensitive, and clean and white. You also get a timer, travel charger and travel case. A version costing £20 less omits the sensitive mode and travel case. Tel: 0800 331 6015 www.philips.co.uk
Philips Sonicare Flexcare £179.99
In addition to offering three operating modes (clean, sensitive and massage), this high-end electric brush includes two cleaning routines. Max Care offers a full cleaning regime, while Go Care is for cleaning between regular brushes, such as after lunch. You get a choice of two heads, standard for everyday cleaning and mini for more precise cleaning. There’s also a built-in ultraviolet sanitiser which reduces the amount of germs that can linger on the toothbrush head. Tel: 0800 331 6015 www.philips.co.uk
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