“If you brush really well with an [unconnected] toothbrush, you don’t need any of these devices,” said Wolff, who has provided dental care for people with various disabilities for longer than 40 years. It’s been nearly a decade since the first app-connected, or “smart,” electric toothbrushes became available, but most are still at least double the price of a standard electric toothbrush. We don’t think they’re for everyone, but people who can benefit from added guidance and feedback through the brushing process may find a smart toothbrush to be a crucial tool in maintaining oral b braun toothbrush oral health. The replacement brush heads for the 4100 are slightly more expensive when compared with Oral-B’s, making this brush costlier over the long run. Most of Philips Sonicare’s brush heads are oblong with soft bristles and lack options for additional structural elements, like rubber flaps or “polishing cups,” so you get fewer options than you do with Oral-B. Powered brushes typically cost about 10 times as much as manual toothbrushes, and you have to replace the brush heads at the same frequency (every three months), each for about the same cost as a manual brush.
If you can’t find the Oral-B Pro 1000, or if you prefer a quieter brush with a head that vibrates back and forth instead of oscillates, we recommend the Philips Sonicare 4100. Like the Pro 1000, the 4100 has a two-minute timer with quadrant pacing plus a pressure sensor and is not trumped up with unproven features. However, the has two intensity settings (meaning you can brush with strong or stronger vibrations), and its battery lasts longer on a full charge than that of the Pro 1000. Since October 2021, the charging pedestal that accompanies any new 4100 has only a USB plug.
CrossAction brush heads cost on the order of $5.30 per head (see notes above about our methodology). Precision Clean brush heads cost on the order of $4.30 per head (see notes above about our methodology). FlossAction brush heads cost on the order of $4.60 per head (see notes below about our methodology). With the iO toothbrush line, Oral-B has redesigned the motor that drives the brush head.
We think that the Gentle Care should only be considered by those people who can’t tolerate the brushing experience of the Ultimate Clean. However, when considering this option, keep in mind that “sensitive,” oral b toothbrush heads extra-soft-bristled heads typically don’t clean as effectively and their normal counterparts. The online reviews we’ve read seem to indicate that people are generally happy with this brush head choice.
Its large size may also make it difficult for some to angle its bristles toward their gum line. It caught our eye that the Oral-B website seems to stress that this head “naturally” whitens teeth. So whatever is especially “natural” about a rubber cup filled with silica particles (grit) from toothpaste being used to scrub the surface stain off teeth, yes, this head oral b toothbrush heads does that. In a comment on a retailer’s website, the poster stated that they had cut the bristles off an old 3D-White head and were using the cup alone to do touch up polishing on their teeth every once in a while. As compared to the FlossAction, this head is both round (instead of oblong) and slightly smaller, making it easier to clean all areas of your mouth.