Electric Toothbrush Brush Heads Explained

Compared to other electric toothbrushes, the battery life on this model is pretty average at around 14 days—some other models last for 30 to 60 days or more. After extensively testing eight other electric toothbrushes over three weeks, I found that the Oral-B Pro 1000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush offers the best brushing experience for the price. This basic option doesn’t have as many gimmicks as a high-tech brush, but it struck the best balance between value and function. In fact, it performed just as well as other brushes twice or three times its price. It has a basic quadrant timer to make sure you’re cleaning all areas of your mouth, and a helpful pressure sensor to let you know if you’re brushing too hard. If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush to amp up your oral hygiene routine, the Oral-B Pro 1000 was one of the easiest to use—there are no brushing barriers here.

Testers also raved about the ‘glamorous feel’ to the design, with one saying their teeth were visibly whiter after use. The lab test found it to be ‘loud’ on our noise scale — but this didn’t deter our testers, with almost all wanting to keep using it after the trial. All items purchased at TAO Clean carry a 45-day no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. Authorized domestic returns within the 45 day guarantee period may be returned at no charge to you. To ensure that your return is processed quickly and accurately, please contact our TAO Clean Customer Care by emailing

You should see a smile icon varying between large and small indicating the deep clean and sensitive mode.See our example video below. In terms of features and functionality versus price, it really comes down to personal preference. Want to measure the effectiveness of your daily routine with all the latest AI, Bluetooth-enabled app features, and reports? A basic setup, like the Oral B Pro 1000, is probably the best option for you. Some brushes are more ergonomic than others, and you can consider their size, shape, weight and grip. Some brushes have rubberized or ridged areas on the back of the handle to make them easier to hold.

Though a regular toothbrush can certainly get the job done, an electric toothbrush makes it easier to get a good brushing. And while we feared the worst from the NiMH battery, it actually lasted a reasonable 43 minutes in our tests. We would like to see a pressure sensor and a charging indicator, but if you only have around £22 to spend on a toothbrush, this is as good as it gets. Any Sonicare head can be used with any Sonicare brush, but Oral B’s standard heads can only be used with its Pro-series brushes, while its iO heads only work with iO series brushes. They work with companion apps that time your brushes, keep a diary of your activity and provide oral hygiene tips or snippets of news.

The head won’t fall to pieces with the vibrations presenting you with the danger of swallowing small parts. They are, of course, the most expensive but can usually be found on special offer. A 73% reduction on one of our favorite electric toothbrushes (and a handy travel case), hum by Colgate, sees it coming down from the heights of $69.99 to $21.75 — a much more affordable option. This Prime Day deal is sure to be gone soon, so cash in while you still can and get a premium toothbrush for more than half the price. The ADA also says that both electric and manual toothbrushes effectively remove plaque, however there are key differences.

It has four brushing modes designed for cleaning, whiting, sensitive teeth and a gum massage, and a nice, slim handle with a grippy, rubber feel. It switches itself off when the usual two-minute brush is done, and pulses oral b toothbrush heads every 30 seconds during use to remind you to brush another quarter of your mouth. Battery life, meanwhile, is brilliant, with enough charge to get you through a good month of brushing before recharging via USB.

These toothbrushes combine this with a pulsating action, designed to break up plaque along the gum line, making it easier to brush away. All of our brush heads deliver the oscillating/rotating power that makes Oral-B the #1 dentist-recommended brand, but there are a few key differences that make each one unique. And, since all of our brush heads fit all of our electric toothbrush handles, it’s easy to find the perfect fit for you. Philips Sonicare ExpertClean is another series of toothbrushes that connect to an app via Bluetooth, including the ExpertClean 7500, which we’ve tested.

The Oral-B iO Series combines powerful, but gentle micro-vibrations with Oral-B’s unique dentist-inspired round brush head design for a professional clean feeling every day. Ultimate Clean Refills help remove plaque, leaving teeth feeling clean and bright. Gentle Care Refills use extra soft bristles to adapt to the curves oral b braun toothbrush of teeth and gums. Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush head every 3 months for best results. While we can’t speak for all, the experts we enlisted for this article, Dr. Ada Cooper, a National Spokesperson for the American Dental Association, and Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York, certainly do.

Third-party heads are made by either more reputable or unknown manufacturers and are advertised as being compatible with particular toothbrush handles. The quality, reliability and safety of these heads varies by source so it is a case of trial and error to find out which ones are worth using! Some high-street shops sell their own brand of compatible heads, mainly for use with Oral-B brushes, such as Boots and Superdrug. The rechargeable hum comes with a charging base that starts charging your toothbrush when you set it down.

“Medium and hard bristles will wear away at the gum line and lead to recession and tooth sensitivity,” explains Graves. Another hi-tech entry, this sonic toothbrush has a UV LED light that reacts with a titanium dioxide bar in its handle, creating ions that suppress the plaque-causing bacteria. It’s all very scientific, but essentially, it works with your body’s natural electrical charge to inhibit bacterial growth and pull bacteria off your teeth and onto the brush. Our panel rated its two-week battery life and USB travel case that doubles up as a charger.