Electric Toothbrushes

Best electric toothbrushes

In the latest clinical testing, Oral-B electric toothbrushes, with their oscillating/rotating/pulsating action, are found to be most effective in removing plaque. Oral-B toothbrushes work by pulsation (in-and-out movement), rotation and oscillation (side-to-side movement). They also have a built-in pressure sensor that stops the bristle movement when it senses that you're brushing too hard, something not found in many competitors models. The Oral-B ProfessionalCare 7000 series toothbrushes feature two brushing speeds and a two-minute timer with a 30-second beep to signal when to clean another area. These models also offer a long-life battery charge of 12 days and Indicator Bristles that fade halfway when it's time to change the brush head. The 7000-series models include the ProfessionalCare 7400 (*est. $90) and the ProfessionalCare 7850 (*est. $85) ; some come with more or fewer replacement brushes or other perks, but all work in the same way.

The Oral-B ProfessionalCare 8000 series (est. $90 to $130) is a step up from the 7000 series above and offers five attachments, including a soft brush head, polisher, dual-action brush head with two brushing motions, a tongue freshener and an interdental cleaner to clean between teeth. (The attachments are also compatible with the 7000 series.) Some contributors to Amazon.com say the Oral-B 8000 series toothbrushes cleaned their teeth well enough, but that the extra attachments aren't as useful as they expected. According to Oral-B's website, the only mechanical difference between the two series is that the 7000 series has two speed modes, while the 8000 series only has one.

Braun Oral-B's Triumph ProfessionalCare 9400 (*est. $120) is claimed to be the first electric toothbrush to have "Smart Technology" with an LCD display on the handle. There are three brushing modes (clean, sensitive and polish). Microchip processors track the battery charge, notify different users when their brush head should be replaced, and even reward you with a smiley face when you complete the recommended two-minute brush time. In a review in Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper, Jack Kapica wonders (as did we) why a toothbrush needs a computer. Kapica says he was prepared to laugh at it. However, after using it, he admits that his teeth felt cleaner and adds that the Triumph helped him to brush properly when all his good intentions with a manual toothbrush had repeatedly failed.

The Triumph has received positive mention in a couple of recent reviews, as well as raves on Amazon.com. Another plus is that the Triumph electric toothbrush comes with a traveling case with room to hold extra brush heads, and it can hold its charge for up to two weeks, so it's easy to take on vacation. We did read a few complaints that it's bulky and heavy.

A related model, the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide ProfessionalCare 9900 (est. $140) builds on the oscillating-rotating technology by including a separate wireless display monitor that tracks brushing time, signals when you are brushing too hard, and tells you when it is time to change brush heads. The Triumph SmartGuide model also comes with four brushing modes (clean, sensitive, massage and polish) and a digital clock. We’re not sure why you’d really need an accessory monitor that displays brushing details, however.

Sonicare is the other major contender when it comes to electric toothbrushes. In the latest tests, Sonicare is edged out by Braun Oral-B, but in most reviews it’s a slim margin. The Sonicare Elite 9500 (*est. $120) wins good comments from dentists, testers and consumers who compare electric toothbrushes. In an article posted at iVillage.com, two dentists recommend the Sonicare toothbrush because it's effective in removing plaque and debris. Earlier this year, staffers at The Wall Street Journal preferred two Sonicare models -- the Elite and the Flexcare -- to the Triumph and the Ultreo. It is important to note that recent research indicates toothbrushes with rotating/oscillating/pulsating action (like the Oral-B) are slightly more effective in reducing plaque and gingivitis than the Sonicare. Still, Sonicare has legions of fans.

Users at Amazon.com and Epinions like the Sonicare Elite 9500. They praise it for excellent cleaning ability, ease of use (it’s very light) and great battery life. An Easy-start feature gently increases the power of the brush over 14 uses to help you adjust to using a powered brush. However, this feature can be deactivated. The Sonicare Elite 9500 includes a second smaller brush for harder-to-reach areas, but it is also ideal for those users with small mouths who find it difficult to get way back with a standard-sized toothbrush. There's a two-minute timer, and the Sonicare Elite 9500 signals you after each 30 seconds of use, so that each quadrant of your mouth gets equal time for maximum benefit. (The user can also deactivate this feature.)

You might also see the Sonicare Elite 9500 sold as the 9800 (*est. $145) -- the latter model is available exclusively from dentists, but it’s nearly identical to the Sonicare Elite 9500 available in retail stores.

The Sonicare Flexcare (*est. $180) is Sonicare’s latest release, featuring a brushhead that uses a broad sweeping motion as well as contour bristles for better tooth coverage. The Flexcare comes with a built-in UV sanitizer, which helps keep toothbrush heads clean. Vibrations are greatly reduced in this model, but users at Amazon.com still find it to be noisy compared to other powered toothbrushes. Even with the extra noise, however, users so far give the Sonicare Flexcare raves.

While owners seem generally happy with their electric toothbrushes, we found mixed reviews for one model. The Sonicare Crest i8300 IntelliClean System (*est. $115) is an electric toothbrush with integrated Crest liquid toothpaste. The IntelliClean System has two speeds, a regulator to maintain consistent brushing power, and an "Easy Start" feature that gradually increases brushing power over the first 14 uses. Contributors to Amazon.com note that the IntelliClean toothbrush does clean well and improves gum condition. However, many say that the liquid toothpaste is expensive (*est. $10 for a six-pack) and that the packets only last 10 to 14 days. A few people don't care for the taste of the toothpaste, and only a couple of flavors are available.

The main complaints we read for the Sonicare IntelliClean electric toothbrush are that the toothbrush itself is hard to keep clean. Several owners report that that water and toothpaste suds leak into the compartment where the toothpaste goes. If users aren't careful to rinse out the compartment, the accumulated water and toothpaste will eventually start to grow bacteria.

On the very low end of the price spectrum are non-rechargeable, battery-powered toothbrushes like the Crest SpinBrush Pro (*est. $7.50) , Oral-B CrossAction Power (*est. $6) and Colgate Motion (*est. $6) . Good Housekeeping compares these three powered brushes, giving the Colgate Motion first place for its comfortable handle. A panel of three dentists also found the Colgate to be effective compared to pricier brushes. Users at Epinions like this toothbrush; it has three types of bristles that clean thoroughly and comfortably. These battery-powered toothbrushes are similar, with replaceable brush heads, and all take AA batteries. The Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush only requires one battery, while the Crest and Colgate toothbrushes require two. Owners report that you should expect to change the batteries about every two months, or possibly every month, depending on how often and how long you brush. By the time you add up the cost of batteries over a year's time, you might be better off with an initially more expensive, rechargeable electric toothbrush.

An electric toothbrush such as the Braun Oral-B Vitality (*est. $20) is essentially the same as a battery-powered toothbrush, but with a rechargeable battery and stand. Unlike the more expensive Oral-B and Sonicare electric toothbrushes, the Oral-B Vitality’s brush heads spin, but they don’t pulsate or oscillate. If you’re tired of replacing batteries in a battery-operated toothbrush, the Braun Vitality appears to be a good choice. Although it doesn’t win any head-to-head clinical trials with more expensive electric toothbrushes, owners say it’s better than manual brushing, and it doesn’t cost much.

Important Features: Electric toothbrushes

Reviews say to look for the following when choosing a powered toothbrush:

• Since oral-health experts recommend brushing for two minutes, a timer that either signals or turns off the unit after the suggested two minutes is a plus. Some electric toothbrushes, such a the Sonicare and Braun Oral-B, come with a signal that beeps every 30 seconds, indicating that it's time to switch to a different quadrant of the mouth.

• A built-in, rechargeable battery is convenient and eliminates the cost of frequent battery changes. A brush should deliver enough power for at least one week of brushing on a full charge.

• Brush heads should be replaced every three to four months, so choose a brand and model that have replacement heads at a reasonable price. One handle can be used by the whole family, as long as each person uses their own brush head. (For example, the Braun Oral-B ProfessionalCare 7850 comes with extra brush heads, and its charger stores up to four heads.)

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

In the most recent research, experts say the pulsating/oscillating motion of the Braun Oral-B powered toothbrushes remove slightly more plaque than Sonicare models and manual toothbrushes. Owners still like the Sonicare models, however.

Inexpensive options (under $10), such as the Colgate Motion, Crest SpinBrush Pro and Oral-B CrossAction Power, don't have all the bells and whistles, but they do a good job of cleaning and may encourage brushing longer. We include the Colgate Motion in Fast Answers as an inexpensive, but still effective, option.