Electric Toothbrushes: Reviews

Updated December 2011

Electric toothbrushes clean teeth better because we tend to brush longer and they tend to remove more plaque. Either way, you have a healthier mouth and body -- less risk of gingivitis and less risk of heart disease (mouth health has been linked to heart health). ConsumerSearch has scoured the latest dental research, as well as expert and user reviews to determine the best powered-toothbrushes.

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Best electric toothbrush

Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000

*Est. $100 Compare Prices

Reviewers praise the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 for its triple-action brush head (which oscillates, rotates and pulsates), as well as for its ease of use and long battery life. A microchip tracks battery… expandcharge, notifies users when their brush heads should be replaced and rewards you with a smiley face on the separate LCD display when you complete the recommended two-minute brush time. The strongest reviews, however, are based on the performance of the brush and not its feedback features. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org staffers test 10 electric toothbrushes, including the Oral-B Triumph (now the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000.) Each toothbrush is evaluated for comfort, convenience, ease of use and plaque removal.

Which? magazine: In a test at Britain's Which? magazine, the Oral-B Triumph 9900 and 9500 (now the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000) are given the highest marks.

Journal of Clinical Dentistry: In this clinical study, the Oral-B Triumph removes more plaque than the Sonicare Elite electric toothbrush.

Consumer magazine: Five staff members at New Zealand's Consumer magazine compare the Oral-B Triumph, which is similar to Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 in the U.S., with their own powered toothbrushes.

Amazon.com: About 150 owners at Amazon.com give the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 a high average score.

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for $99.99

Electric toothbrush for smaller mouths

Sonicare FlexCare

*Est. $115 Compare Prices

Although most reviewers give Oral-B a slight edge, we also found excellent reviews for the Sonicare FlexCare. Owners praise the lightweight Sonicare electric toothbrush for its excellent cleaning ability and ease of use.… expandUnlike the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000, the Sonicare FlexCare's brush head vibrates at a high rate of speed, and users say it works as well as Oral-B's oscillating/rotating brush. An easy-start option slowly increases the power of the brush over 14 uses to help you adjust to using a powered brush. A smaller brush head is available for hard-to-reach areas, which reviewers say is a good choice for users with small mouths. Overall, reviews for these Oral-B and Sonicare brushes are equally good, and local availability of replacement brush heads might be a deciding factor. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The Sonicare FlexCare is included in a test of 10 electric toothbrushes.

Journal of Clinical Dentistry: This study compares the stain removal efficacy of the Oral-B Pulsonic and Sonicare FlexCare.

Good Housekeeping: The Sonicare FlexCare is the top-rated electric toothbrush in this video review.

The Wall Street Journal: Reviewer Anjali Athavaley says the Sonicare FlexCare is easy to use and "gentle on the gums," especially when compared to the Oral-B Triumph.

Amazon.com: The Sonicare FlexCare gets good ratings from Amazon.com reviewers, who, for the most part, say that it is an improvement over the older Sonicare Elite.

Drugstore.com: The Sonicare FlexCare gets good reviews from the majority of users posting reviews to Drugstore.com.

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Basic electric toothbrush

Oral-B Vitality

*Est. $25 Compare Prices

The Oral-B Vitality costs less than other rechargeable electric toothbrushes because it's much simpler. Essentially, this is a rechargeable version of a battery-powered toothbrush. The dual brush heads only oscillate –… expandhey don't pulse or move from side-to-side (which experts say gets teeth cleaner). Still, users are fans of the Vitality, saying it's better than brushing manually. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Which? magazine: This U.K.-based product review publication thoroughly evaluates 16 electric toothbrushes on ease of use, battery life and overall cleaning ability.

Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice: This study compares the stain removal ability of the Oral-B Vitality toothbrush against that of a dental-office cleaning treatment in combination with manual brushing for two weeks.

Journal of Clinical Dentistry: In this clinical study of the Oral-B Vitality, the electric toothbrush removed 28.8 percent more plaque from the whole mouth than a manual toothbrush.

Good Housekeeping: In this video review, seven electric toothbrushes are tested by consumers and dentist Denis Vu.

Amazon.com: Several owners give the Oral-B Vitality electric toothbrush a high average score, with a few complaints about the battery eventually not taking a charge.

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