Electric Toothbrush Review: Comparing the Top Five

In 1965, Bob Dylan took the stage at the Newport Folk Festival and made music history by going electric. That’s right, the legendary folk singer was brandishing a guitar that was plugged into an amp and people didn’t know what to make of the experience (but they clearly loved it!).

Granted, switching from a manual toothbrush to an electric won’t change the course of history, but brushing your teeth is something we all do twice a day, everyday, and this represents a significant improvement. Electric toothbrushes have been popular for decades, but they still trail the run-of-the-mill drugstore toothbrush because of cost, quality and most importantly, lack of understanding the benefits they offer with respect to battling gum disease and overall oral care (think whiter teeth).

To help people make the move to electric in 2019 and beyond, we’ll review the five current best electric toothbrushes, what makes them great and potential drawbacks, if any. Additionally, you’ll be introduced to one brand that is perfect for people with all types of braces.

 

Regular Toothbrush vs. Electric Toothbrush

It might feel like all regular toothbrushes are the same but there are differences between popular brands. Choosing the right toothbrush means knowing what to look for.

Most dentists agree that the best toothbrushes feature:

• Soft bristles to remove plaque and other cavity-causing bacteria without being abrasive enough to harm your gums.
• Small-headed brushes to reach every millimetre and corner of your mouth, including your back teeth.
• Non-slip grip so you can control the toothbrush and ensure that you don’t brush too hard or miss a tooth.

The style of bristles—ripped, flat or trimmed—is up to you. There is no one style that lends itself to better oral health. Choose whatever you feel is most comfortable for you and won’t impede your ability to thoroughly brush your teeth.

One caveat for any manual toothbrush is that they need to be replaced as soon as they show signs of wear or at the three-month mark. In addition, you should discard a toothbrush after you’ve had a cold as bristles can collect germs and lead to infection.

An electric toothbrush is simply a toothbrush that has a battery-powered motor and often a removable head. The typical electric toothbrush uses a high-speed motor to create a back-and-forth motion that allows the user to clean the surface of teeth, removing stubborn plaque with little effort.

A manual toothbrush works if you understand proper technique and are able to commit to the way it must be used – technique and time required, to achieve proper daily oral health.

The electric requires the same knowledge and routine, but provides a more in-depth cleaning in a fraction of the time. This is the result of the vibrating bristles working in conjunction with the rotating head to create more movement during brushing.

One study suggests that electric toothbrushes successfully decrease plaque by 21% and gingivitis by 11% – pretty convincing numbers.

So, the question is, if you are to make the switch, which electric toothbrush would be right for you? After all there are hundreds of models on the market!

We’ve made it easy by compiling a list of the top 5 electric tooth brushes based on consumer ratings and dentist recommendations.

 

The Five Best Electric Toothbrushes

Here are five electric toothbrushes that are often recommended by dentists and popular among first-time users. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

Oliver James New Generation Sonic Electric Toothbrush

This electric toothbrush has a powerful, high-frequency motor that vibrates at 40,000 VPM. It can reach your back teeth and work the tight area in between teeth. This Oliver James oral care device features:

• A battery that with only 4 hours of charge will give you 30 days of use, which makes it perfect for travelling.
• Five modes: clean, white, sensitive, massage and gum care.
• Smart time and reminder that automatically turns the toothbrush off after two minutes to encourage the best teeth brushing habits.
• Superior quality and exceptional durability.
• Ergonomic design so it’s easy to hold and use.

You can purchase one for approximately $55.00. Replacement heads are available at an additional cost.

Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Electric Toothbrush

Phillips is a trusted name in electronics. Their Sonicare ProtectiveClean Toothbrush is sleek and adept at cleaning and whitening teeth. In fact, it’s clinically proven to whiten teeth in only one week.

This electric toothbrush features:

• Full customization with three modes, including:
  • Clean (standard)
  • White (perfect for stain removal)
  • Gum care (featuring an extra minute of reduced power brushing to promote gum health)
• Built-in pressure sensor
• Three levels of intensity, allowing you to find one to compliment your mode of choice.
• Safe and gentle for people with sensitive teeth or those who need to protect their orthodontic and dental work like braces, crowns and fillings.
• 90-day return policy (Walmart)

This device uses dynamic cleaning to deliver unparalleled oral care. The handle powers the brush to create 62,000 movements per minute. This turns toothpaste into cleaning bubbles that works deep between teeth and on the surface of gums.

This product costs $149.99 and comes with a travel case.

Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes

Oral-B has two top-of-the-line electric toothbrushes that are worth serious consideration.

The first one we’ll explore is the Power Genius 8000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush.

This one cleans your teeth as if you were in the dentist’s chair. You can even connect it via Bluetooth to the Oral-B app to gain insight into your brushing habits including position detection to make sure you aren’t missing a spot or overworking one area. Cool tech for the gadget lover!

In addition, this toothbrush features:

• Time coaching
• Pressure alert to ensure you don’t harm your gums.
• A round head that cups each tooth.
• Dynamic oscillation
• Rotating and pulsating movements
• 360 SmartRing with LED lights to deliver visual aid.
• 90-day return policy (Walmart)

This one is a bit pricier at roughly $240.00 but it is a powerful device that definitely provides superior cleaning.
The second Oral-B toothbrush is The Vitality. This line of electric toothbrushes is a great first step into the world of electric toothbrushes. Available in multiple types, depending on what your oral care focus is, including:

• Sensitive Clean
• Floss Action
• Pro-white
• Dual Clean
• Deep Sweep

The Vitality line of toothbrushes offer some advanced features:

• MicroPulse bristles that reach deep between teeth to thoroughly remove plaque.
• Brush heads that provide the same delicate comfort as professional dental equipment.
• For the floss model, flossing action loosens food or plaque from the tight area between teeth.
• Two-minute timer that lets you know when you have reached the recommended brushing time.
• Great consumer ratings
• 90-day return policy (Walmart)

The Vitality is an inexpensive option with most retailers selling it at under $30. It is compatible with several readily available replacement heads like CrossAction, 3D White, Sensitive Clean, Precision Clean, TriZone, among others.

Bestek Electric Sonic Toothbrush

The last electric toothbrush you should learn about is the Bestek Electronic Sonic Toothbrush. This product offers a nice middle ground between the Vitality and some of the more extravagant options. It uses ultrasonic technology with 31,000-48,000 VPM to remove 100% times more plaque than your average manual toothbrush.

It features:

• Five brush modes to meet different dental needs.
• Smart Timer that alerts you every 30 seconds to clean different teeth, and a two-minute auto-off timer.
• Wireless inductive charging technology. The lithium ion battery allows for six weeks of use per full charge.
• UV sanitizer that kills 99.9% of bacteria. Just put your brush heads into the UV chamber and close the cover.
• 90-day money back guarantee

Considering the features, it is well priced at $79.99 at most retailers.

Best Electric Toothbrush for People with Braces

People with braces tend to avoid electric brushes, thinking it will pose a hazard to their orthodontic work. There are some electric toothbrushes designed to clean braces, which is notoriously challenging.

The Orthodontic Electric Toothbrush was developed with special bristle configuration, including an extra row, that can reach around brackets. This device also massages the gums and cleans between teeth. You can remove stains with ease while caring for your braces with this inventive electric toothbrush.

It features:

• Special bristle configuration that cleans the teeth and gums, as well as around dental brackets
• Two speed selections
• Speed 1: 850-900 strokes per minute
• Speed 2: 1,100-1,200 strokes per minute
• Imitates the BASS brushing technique taught in dental schools
• Bite sensor
• Rechargable ni-cad battery (purposely avoiding li-ion battery use)

While an unconventional looking electric toothbrush, it claims to be the leader in being able to effectively clean teeth and orthodontics, which could be the perfect solution for all types of metal and ceramic braces. Priced at approx. $129.00 it’s affordable too.

 

Make the Switch to Electric Today!

Just because you’ve been manually brushing your teeth your entire life doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make a change. We recommend experimenting with a few different electric toothbrushes to find one that cleans the best and feels the most comfortable. This will help ensure you get professional-level cleanings every day and not just when you visit your dentist.

Of course, if you’re looking for whiter teeth, come in for a cleaning or teeth whitening session to keep your smile in style!

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