The AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids is an innovative 360° toothbrush that comes in a range of colorful and quirky designs, aiming to put the fun back into toothbrushing and encourage reluctant brushers to enjoy this essential part of their daily oral hygiene routine.  

AutoBrush says its U-shaped toothbrush can clean your kid's teeth in 30 seconds, cutting down on brushing time and allowing even the most easily distracted kids to get a thorough brush in a quarter of the recommended two minutes. It does this by brushing all your child's teeth simultaneously instead of quadrant by quadrant, as most other electric toothbrushes do. 

The AutoBrush Kids offers three LED light modes: An hygienic blue light to kill bacteria, a therapeutic red light to improve gum health, or a combination of the two together, although we were unable to test their effectiveness in our testing. It also offers three cleaning modes to suit different needs: Care mode for sensitive teeth, Deep Clean for tackling plaque buildup, and Massage mode for gum stimulation. Its patented BASS technology has received the ADA Seal of Acceptance and uses high-frequency vibrations of up to 30,000 per minute to remove plaque effectively.

Our 10-year-old son tried out the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids at home to see if it could provide the same superior cleaning as his usual electric toothbrush. We also tested how well it performed using a disclosing tablet to show up plaque. We dive deeper into its features, functions, design, user reviews, and care and maintenance. Read on to learn more.

If you're unsure whether the AutoBrush for Kids is right for your child, check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes for kids for alternative models.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: Design

Funkily packaged, the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids comes out of the box to music. When you open the box, a little automatic sensor plays jungle music from a tiny speaker. That nice touch aside, the brush is well-packaged in recyclable cardboard and plastic.

You have everything you need, including a USB charger, socket and a green charging base. It also comes with a little calendar and fun stickers to encourage younger children to gain rewards for brushing. Opening this box will delight any young child, although it might feel too young for older users. 

The handsets come in four designs: Lenni the Lion, Harley the Hippo, Daniel Tiger and Unity the Unicorn.

Each one is cute and colorful. We were sent Lenni the Lion to try out. The U-shaped brush head comes separately, and you can choose from a range of sizes to suit different age ranges — 3-5 years old, 6-8 years old and 9-12 years old. 

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids handset is encased in soft, waterproof rubber, featuring Lenni the Lion facial features and two cute ears popping out either side. On the top part of the device, you'll find a set of 12 LED lights that can illuminate in either red, blue or a combination of both, depending on your selected light mode. Positioned in the center of the 'U' shape is a small steel peg where you can securely attach the brush head to the device.

At the front of the handset are four buttons to power the toothbrush on or off, and toggle between settings on the cleaning mode, light mode and timer. We'd point out that the busy design tends to obscure the visibility of some of these buttons, particularly the power and light mode buttons. Parents of younger children may have to help young users to turn the toothbrush on and select the correct modes.

The U-shaped toothbrush head is specifically crafted to fit comfortably inside your child's mouth, encompassing all their teeth simultaneously. It boasts an impressive 58,000 ultra-soft bristles strategically angled at 45 degrees to clean the teeth's surfaces effectively. Simply press the brush head firmly onto the base to assemble the toothbrush.

The charging base is cute, too, featuring a green jungle print. The whole set-up is a lovely addition to any bathroom shelf or children's bedroom. 

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: Functionality

First, let's talk about the cleaning modes. There are three of them: Care, Cleaning and Massage. The manual doesn't explain what each mode is best for, so perhaps it's best to choose the mode your child likes best.. To select your mode, simply press the button that looks like a volume setting. Care mode is green, Clean mode is blue and Massage mode is red.

Now, onto the light modes. Press the lightbulb button to select your light mode. You can go with the blue LED light to help kill bacteria, red LED light for gum health, or a combination of both. Unfortunately we were unable to test how effective these features were.

Lastly, set your timer. While the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids claims to clean all your teeth in 30 seconds, you can go to 60 seconds if you like. Your child can also choose whether to have songs play along while they brush.

Now, they're all set to brush! Along with the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids, we received some foaming toothpaste flavors, but you can use your child's regular toothpaste too. Run toothpaste along both sides of the brush head before encouraging your child to pop it in their mouth, ensuring all their teeth are covered (you might have to help with this at first). Ask your child to bite down gently on the bristles, get them to grip and move the brush from left to right, and then tilt it from top to bottom.  

Your child may take a few tries to get used to this brushing style. It's a new way to brush your teeth, so it's no surprise it takes some practice, especially if your child uses a standard electric toothbrush.

Cleaning the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids is a breeze. All you have to do is rinse the brush head under warm water to remove any toothpaste residue, remove it from the handset and let it air dry in a clean, cool place before your child's next brushing session. Remember to replace your child's brush head every three months, just like their regular electric toothbrush head or manual toothbrush.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: Performance

To understand whether the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids was living up to its claims to remove plaque as efficiently as a regular electric toothbrush, we decided to test how well it performed by using a disclosing tablet on our son's teeth before and after brushing. 

A disclosing tablet is a small tablet used to help identify plaque buildup on teeth. It temporarily dyes areas of plaque buildup, making them visible so your child can see where they may have missed brushing thoroughly.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids removed almost all the plaque on the front and back of the teeth using a 30-second clean, which was further improved by another 30-second clean. However, we could see some plaque remained on the back molars, which our son struggled to reach with the AutoBrush.

Although our son is a little old for the songs accompanying the brushing sessions, he thought it was a great idea for younger kids to encourage them to brush for longer than the usual 30 seconds. He also loved getting all his brushing done in 30 seconds flat.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: What's good about it?

We loved the design of the AutoBrush for Kids. It's such a fun and quirky toothbrush that it would encourage any reluctant brusher in the family to give it a go. 

We also liked the colorful charging base and that you can set the brushing session to be longer. For parents who prefer a calming bedtime routine, you can turn the music off, which is a massive bonus. That can take the decibel level from around 60 dB to 28 dB — the difference between normal conversation and a whisper.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: What's not so good about it?

The AutoBrush for Kids wasn't reaching our son's very back teeth. This could partly be down to his own brushing technique, but once that brush is in your child's mouth, there's no way to check how far it goes back or whether all their teeth are covered. Parents who want to ensure that their children are thoroughly brushing their teeth may not be keen on the AutoBrush for this reason. 

Although the AutoBrush is designed for kids aged up to 12, the cute characters and music feel way too childish for kids aged 9 and up. That's what our 10-year-old thinks, anyway!

AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids: User reviews

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids has a solid 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with over half of the reviewers giving it the highest rating. Parents are thrilled with the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids. One parent shares how their dentist recommended it, and their child now loves brushing, thanks to the lights, music and characters. For parents dealing with kids who used to hate brushing, the AutoBrush Sonic Pro is a game-changer, with one sharing, "My kids are OBSESSED with these things. They brush their teeth as many times a day as I'll let them!"

Some negative reviews from parents mention that they have seen no visible improvement in their children's teeth, while others say the handsets don't hold charge like they should. One parent expressed concern about the lights' intensity and noted that the base got very hot while charging, while another user faced issues with bristles falling out into their child's mouth. 

It's worth mentioning that these negative reviews tend to be individual device-specific rather than a problem across the board, though.

Should you buy the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids?

If you have a child who hates brushing or who flat-out refuses to brush for the recommended two minutes, it might be worth giving the AutoBrush Sonic Pro for Kids a try. It's pretty good at turning reluctant brushes into happy brushers, especially among younger kids. 

If this product isn't for you

If you'd prefer to go for a more familiar household name brand, the Philips Sonicare for Kids has an interactive app that adds an element of fun to brushing. Sync it with the Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush for your child to receive customized brushing tips, coaching, and entertaining rewards through animated features, all of which motivate them to brush those tricky, hard-to-reach areas.

If you're looking for a fun and quirky gift but you're unsure about the AutoBrush for Kids, a BritBrush Kids toothbrush might be a good option. Suitable for children as young as 3, the BriteBrush comes in a choice of three distinctive designs: Baby Shark, Sesame Elmo and Game Brush. Each design comes loaded with fun, interactive games and music to encourage your child to brush more effectively. 

The Foreo ISSA Kids toothbrush is another innovative design for children's oral hygiene. It comes in four vibrant colors and has a cute expression that changes based on brushing time. This sonic toothbrush can provide up to an impressive 265 brushing sessions with just one charge.

Dentists say to "brush twice a day" to prevent sticky plaque from building up on your teeth and raising the risk of cavities. But how does plaque cause cavities, exactly?

The link between plaque and tooth decay largely stems from how the bacteria in plaque interact with the foods we eat. However, factors such as a person's age and whether they smoke or take certain medications can also play a role in plaque-driven tooth decay.

For background, plaque is a colorless film of bacteria that sticks to the surface of teeth and also catches bits of food in the mouth. To start forming a film, plaque microbes first embed themselves among proteins found in the saliva on a tooth's surface.

Cavities, or areas of tooth decay, tend to happen when foods rich in sugars and starchy carbohydrates — such as candy, honey, bread or cereals — come into contact with plaque bacteria, Dr. Purnima Kumar, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA), told Live Science by email. When these microbes feed off the sugar from those foods, they produce acids that break down tooth enamel, the protective outer covering of the tooth, she said.

Related: How often should you floss?

"Since plaque is sticky, the acids produced by the bacteria in plaque can stay in contact with your teeth for a long time and, over time, break down enamel, creating the perfect environment for a cavity to form," Kumar said. "Cavities usually develop over an extended period of time and take months to years to form." 

This is due to the enamel's hardy structure. Made primarily of a sturdy mineral called calcium phosphate, the tooth's outermost layer is the hardest tissue in the human body, according to a 2017 review published in the journal Physiology Reviews. This allows enamel to shield the underlying dental pulp from damage caused by temperature changes, physical trauma or harmful chemicals. 

Acids produced by plaque bacteria are too weak to deplete enamel of all its minerals at once — however, if they stay in contact with teeth for long enough, the acids will eventually break through the enamel to the sensitive tissues beneath. 

Kumar said that some individuals, particularly those with a condition called dry mouth, are more susceptible than others to tooth decay from plaque and tartar, which is hardened dental plaque that can't be removed with normal brushing and flossing. Saliva not only helps people chew and swallow food but also protects teeth and gums by reducing the growth of harmful bacteria and maintaining a neutral pH in the mouth, according to the ADA. It does this by helping flush microbes and dietary carbs from the mouth and by supplying compounds that slow microbial growth or stop bacteria from sticking to teeth.

Dry mouth can be caused by multiple factors, including cigarette smoking, radiation therapy applied to the head or neck, and certain medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants, decongestants and diuretics, Kumar said.

Children and older adults are also at higher risk of cavities than other age groups. "Poor oral hygiene habits, frequent consumption of sugary diet and frequent snacking are just a few ways children can be more susceptible, but having a family history of cavities can also contribute to this [risk]," Kumar said.

Tooth decay in older adults, on the other hand, is linked to dental fillings. "Because many older adults lacked fluoride and modern dental care when growing up, they often have many dental fillings, and these fillings are weakened over the years and tend to fracture," Kumar said. Bacteria accumulate in these tiny cracks and cause acid buildup, leading to decay, she added.

"You might also be at increased risk if you snack between meals, eat sugary foods and drinks at frequent intervals, and have cracked or chipped teeth," she said.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro is an automatic 360° toothbrush that claims to clean and whiten teeth in just 30 seconds, removing the need to brush for the recommended two minutes. It does this by brushing all your teeth surfaces simultaneously, thanks to its unique shape, instead of quadrant by quadrant. 

It uses dental-grade non-UV blue LED light to whiten teeth and red LED light to improve gum health — reducing inflammation and preventing receding gums. You can also choose to use the blue and red LED lights together. 

With three cleaning modes — Care, Deep Cleaning, and Massage — and patented ADA-approved BASS technology with high-frequency vibrations of up to 30,000 per minute, the AutoBrush Sonic Pro claims to remove plaque effectively. It also promises to clean beyond the gumline and massage gums to dislodge debris and improve circulation. 

Boasting impressive claims, we were keen to get our hands on the AutoBrush Sonic Pro and give it a go at home. Can it really give us that 'whole-mouth clean' feeling in just 30 seconds?

We also wanted to see if our regular toothpaste would work just as well as AutoBrush's own expensive paste. As with the other toothbrushes featured in our best toothbrushes guide, we tested the AutoBrush Sonic Pro over a couple of weeks, trying out each feature and testing how well it dealt with everyday plaque and stains. How easy is it to use and charge up, and what other users make of this unusual U-shaped toothbrush? Here's what we found.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: Design

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro is the most unusual electric toothbrush design we've come across. Having never used a U-shaped toothbrush before, we weren't sure what to expect, but the design is surprisingly pleasing.

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro handset is available in black, white, baby blue, or powder pink and is encased in a soft, waterproof rubber that looks and feels expensive. At the top of the handset are 12 LED lights that light up red, blue or a mixture of both, depending on which light mode you choose. At the center of the 'U' is a small steel peg where you attach the brush head to the handset.

At the front of the handset are four discreet buttons to power the toothbrush on or off and toggle between settings of the cleaning mode, light mode, and timer.

The double-sided nylon brush head comes separately. If you're not used to U-shaped toothbrushes, using this may initially seem a little mind-boggling! The whole toothbrush head is designed to fit in the mouth at once, and it features 58,000 ultra-soft bristles to clean every surface of the teeth. You assemble the toothbrush by pressing the brush head firmly onto the base.

The charging base is also attractive enough to sit on any bathroom shelf — it's a simple, circular dock that has the look and feel of an iPhone charger. The base light on the dock turns green when your AutoBrush Sonic Pro has a full charge.

A travel case isn't provided, but you can purchase one for the brush head on the AutoBrush website along with other accessories such as a whitening kit, silicone brush heads, and tongue scrapers.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: Functionality

Once you get the hang of the different cleaning, light and timer modes, the AutoBrush Sonic Pro is super-easy to use. You only have to remember what each light indicates, which the manual explains.

First up is cleaning mode. There are three sonic vibration cleaning modes: Care (gentle), Deep Clean, and Massage for specialized cleaning. Press the button that looks like a volume setting to choose between Care (green), Deep Cleaning Mode (blue) and Massage Mode (red).

Choose your light mode by pressing the lightbulb button — blue for whitening, red for gum health (reducing inflammation and preventing receding gums), or a combination of the two.

Finally, choose your timer setting. Although the AutoBrush Sonic Pro claims to clean all of your teeth in just 30 seconds, it's reassuring that you can extend the time — we tended to favor the 90-second setting.

We used AutoBrush's foaming toothpaste with the AutoBrush Sonic Pro, but you can also use your own (undoubtedly cheaper) toothpaste if you prefer. Squeeze three spots of toothpaste front and back of the brush head, then pop the brush head in your mouth, ensuring you let it touch all your teeth surfaces by biting down gently. To brush your teeth, grip and move the handset from left to right in your mouth. To reach the back molars, move the brush to the far end of each side. To reach the gumline, tilt it towards the top and bottom row of your teeth and continue brushing from left to right against the gums.

It takes a few attempts to adapt to this style of brushing. It initially felt like we weren't getting a whole-mouth clean feeling, but this improved as we got the hang of it. It really is a whole new style of teeth brushing (compared to the method you will have been doing for as long as you can remember), so it's no surprise it takes time to master.

To clean the AutoBrush Sonic Pro, simply run the brush head under warm water to remove any leftover toothpaste and pop it somewhere cool and clean to dry out before your next brush. You'll need to replace the brush head every three months, as you would a standard electric toothbrush head.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: Performance

To understand whether the AutoBrush Sonic Pro was living up to its claims to remove plaque as efficiently as a regular electric toothbrush, we decided to test it by using a disclosing tablet before and after brushing our teeth. 

A disclosing tablet is a small tablet used to help identify plaque buildup on teeth. It temporarily dyes areas of plaque buildup, making them visible so you can see where you may have missed brushing thoroughly.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the AutoBrush Sonic Pro removed all the plaque that was identified by the disclosing tablet but we did struggle to get the fresh 'just brushed' feeling with the AutoBrush Sonic Pro. That said, we did like the 10-minute light mode feature.

Press the lightbulb for two seconds to put the handset into light mode. We opted for the blue 'whitening' light mode. This runs for 10 minutes, but whether you need to use the nylon brush head provided or a separate brush head is unclear. In any case, we just popped the brush head in and let it do its thing for ten minutes. Although it's early days, it looks like it can subtly whiten your teeth, session by session. We wish the manual was clearer on how exactly you can use this feature and how the red LED lights benefit fighting gum inflammation if you use them for 10 minutes.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: What's good about it?

We like the whitening LED lights — everyone wants a whiter smile these days, so having this was a welcome feature and not something you typically find with a regular electric toothbrush. 

We also admire the design and the easy charging functionality of the AutoBrush Sonic Pro. It uses a USB charger but comes with an additional socket charger, so you have choice and flexibility in how you charge, whether at your desk via your laptop or in your bathroom or bedroom. One charge takes four hours and lasts for around a week. 

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: What's not so good about it?

We weren't so keen on the foaming toothpaste that was provided with the AutoBrush Sonic Pro. It tasted too mild and didn’t give us that just brushed feeling we wanted. We preferred using our own toothpaste, which costs much less than the AutoBrush toothpaste too.

As you'll use three spots of regular toothpaste on the front and back of the head (six spots in total), you will likely get through toothpaste quicker than usual, so extra costs may be involved for you. It’s also unclear whether using more toothpaste than your dentist would recommend (typically a pea-sized amount) is beneficial or harmful to your teeth.

AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush: User reviews

The AutoBrush Sonic Pro has a respectable, but not hugely impressive, 3.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon. Those who have given it more than four stars say it's great for kids, people with disabilities (e.g. limited hand dexterity), or users with sensory issues, as it reduces the need to move the brush around the mouth. 

One mum comments, 'My daughter is not good with traditional electronic toothbrushes. She just doesn't move the brush around her mouth enough. This is a GREAT solution. It blankets ALL her teeth, and it only takes 30 seconds. We are seeing a nice difference in her smile from yellowing teeth to whitening teeth.' Others enjoy the built-in whitening LED functionality and how quickly it cleans your teeth.

Disappointed reviewers criticize the fact that you still have to move the AutoBrush Sonic Pro around in the mouth to get an effective clean, while others say their teeth still feel 'dirty and gritty' after cleaning. Some users have also experienced problems with the charging unit.

Should you buy the AutoBrush Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush?

We're not sure the AutoBrush Sonic Pro will replace our regular electric toothbrush, but if you have a reluctant brusher in your family, it could help them brush more regularly or effectively.

If this product isn't for you

If you're not sure a U-shaped toothbrush is right for you but want a toothbrush that delivers on innovation, the Oral B Genius X could be perfect. Users who have been advised to improve their brushing technique by their dental hygienist will enjoy the unique coaching programs available on the app, while data junkies will love tracking their dental habits and patterns over time. 

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is ideal for a much more affordable but still very effective clean. With five cleaning modes, a pressure sensor and a handy travel case, it has pretty much everything you'd come to expect from a more expensive toothbrush, and at a fraction of the price.

If you prefer sonic toothbrushes, consider the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.  With four modes that can be tweaked in intensity to suit you, you can truly personalize your brushing experience.

A 64-year-old man got a medical checkup after his tongue began sprouting green "hairs." The bizarre-looking fuzz turned out to be caused by a fairly common and harmless condition known as hairy tongue.

The patient's tongue had turned green about two weeks before he visited the clinic, shortly after he had completed a course of antibiotics for a gum infection. When the discoloration initially appeared, doctors suspected a case of oral thrush, a kind of fungal infection, and prescribed an antifungal treatment, but this did nothing to curtail the moss-like growths.

Upon closer inspection, physicians noticed that the man's filiform papillae — the tiny, cone-shaped bumps that cover the surface of the tongue and give it its rough texture — were longer than what would be expected on a healthy tongue. The doctors saw no other signs of injury or disease and the patient reported no pain or change in his sense of taste.

"A diagnosis of hairy tongue was made," physicians wrote in a case report published July 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Hairy tongue, or lingua villosa, is a benign condition that causes hair-like growths of various colors to sprout on the top of the tongue, they added.

Related: Boy's bright-yellow tongue was a sign of rare disorder

These growths are filiform papillae that haven't shed as they normally would when they come in contact with rough objects, such as a toothbrush, tongue scraper or solid, textured foods. Typically, the papillae grow to a fraction of an inch (1 millimeter) before they fall off "like a layer of skin being shed" in a process known as desquamation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

When they are not regularly shorn off, the papillae can grow up to 0.7 inches (18 millimeters) long and lead to hairy tongue. The condition affects about 13% of people at some point in their lives, the majority of cases being in men and patients over 65, according to the American Academy of Oral Medicine.

As the bumps grow into hair-like fibers, they collect bits of food, bacteria, dead skin cells and other gunk that give the furry tongue its color. "Hairy tongue may appear brown, white, green, or pink, depending upon the specific cause and other factors, such as mouthwashes or even candy," the American Academy of Oral Medicine states.

And frequently, hairy tongue manifests as jet black fuzz, a condition specifically known as lingua villosa nigra, or black hairy tongue, according to the case report. 

Risk factors for developing a hairy tongue of any color include eating a diet of soft foods and from drinking large amounts of coffee, tea or alcohol. Other risk factors include smoking, dehydration, poor oral hygiene and use of oral medication that can shift the population of microbes in the mouth, according to the case report. Brushing the tongue regularly is a good way of preventing the papillae from becoming elongated and discolored.

Physicians advised the green-tongued patient to gently scrub his tongue with a toothbrush four times daily and to stop smoking. "At 6-month follow-up, the tongue appearance had returned to normal despite the patient continuing to smoke," the doctors wrote in the case report.

Amazon Prime Day is always a good time to buy a new electric toothbrush. This year, our pick of the deals is the 73% reduction on one of our favorites, hum by Colgate, which sees the price dropping from $69.99 to $21.75 — that's the cheapest we've seem the hum by nearly $10. Prime Day 2023 ends at midnight PT today, so cash in while you still can and get a premium toothbrush for more than half the price.

This app-driven smart toothbrush made it into our guide to the best electric toothbrushes, having impressed our tester who tried it out earlier this year. Our tester found that the light and compact design made it easy to maneuver, allowing them to access every nook and cranny without jabbing at the gums like other brushes with larger heads. It also doesn’t take up too much space on your bathroom shelf, which is always a bonus. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to record your brushing and track which areas you need to clean further in the app. We awarded it 4.5 stars out of 5.

The hum by Colgate comes with three modes of powerful sonic vibration, allowing you to personalize your brushing experience by choosing the vibration level that suits you; choose from normal, sensitive, or deep clean. This particular kit comes with one electric adult toothbrush, one charger, one carrying case and one refill brush head, giving you even more for your money this Prime Day. For more great savings, have a look at our guide to the best prime day health and fitness deals, and prime day electric toothbrush deals.

We found the hum to be one of the more functional electric toothbrushes we've tested. The single button lets you shift through three different vibration modes (or two if you buy the battery-powered version): Normal, Sensitive, and Deep Clean. While it might be confusing to know which mode other brushes with multiple brushing modes are set to, the hum makes it very clear through LED lights. 

Charging is also easy. The rechargeable hum comes with a charging base that starts charging your toothbrush when you set it down. The battery-powered toothbrush takes two AAA batteries. 

Other features of the hum include a built-in two minute timer and a Bluetooth connected app. The app has a lot of features, which could make it confusing for some. But once you get the hang of it, the app can guide you to brush better. As you brush, you can also earn Smile Points from Colgate, which give you $1 per 100 points to spend on things like replacement brush heads. 

Amazon Prime Day Quick Links

• Sign up for Amazon Prime
• Amazon US 
• Amazon UK 
• Amazon exercise & Fitness deals
• Our top picks of Amazon electric toothbrushes from best selling brands like Philips & Oral-B
• Our favorite Waterpiks and more are reduced for Prime Day
• Best buy oral health deals
• Walmart oral care reductions
• Target oral health deals

Haven't found what you were looking for? Check out our tried and tested round-up of the best electric toothbrushes you can buy right now.

Our review of the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush takes a deeper look at this new affordable toothbrush to see whether it can compete with top-of-the-range electric rotating toothbrushes, but at a much cheaper price.

Bitvae is a relative newcomer to the electric toothbrush scene, and positions itself as an alternative and affordable option to the expensive electric toothbrushes that have dominated the market so far. 

Bitvae says its R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush, available in three colorways, cleans up to four times more plaque than a normal manual toothbrush, while the impressive 30-day USB charging feature offers quicker charging and longer usage between charges. With five cleaning modes, a pressure sensor and a handy travel case, it has pretty much everything you’d come to expect from a more expensive toothbrush, and at a fraction of the price. But when it comes to performance, can it hold its own against the likes of Philips, Oral B and other best electric toothbrushes in oral care?

Retailing at around $79.99 but regularly on special offer at almost half as much, this toothbrush aims to simplify oral care for the masses, making good dental hygiene accessible to all. Best of all, it comes with no fewer than eight brush heads, including two heads for sensitive users, so you can use it for up to 24 months before having to purchase a replacement brush head. It’s also waterproof, so you can use it in the shower if you want to save time and water. With a two-year warranty, you’ve also got peace of mind if anything goes wrong.

We’ve been putting the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush through its paces in our at-home testing, assessing how well it performs in terms of cleaning teeth using the range of modes, measuring decibel levels during operation, and assessing how fast the battery charges up and how well it lasts. We’ve also been checking out user reviews from customers who’ve purchased this electric rotating toothbrush already.

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: Design

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is available in three colors - black, white and pink - although in all versions the toothbrush heads are white. We tested the black toothbrush, which looks similar in design to the Oral B Genius X electric toothbrush.

With a sleek black handle, and buttons picked out in chrome, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is more expensive than it actually is. However, look a little closer, and you can see why it’s so affordable. It doesn’t include a soft rubber grip, or an ergonomically designed handle. Instead, it’s pretty basic and plastic in design with a standard tubular shaft.

At the underside of the handle is the USB charging port,  handily covered by a strip of plastic that securely clicks back in, ensuring water doesn’t get into it. A more expensive device may have opted for silicon or rubber, so it will be interesting to see if the cover lasts the life of the toothbrush. The charger cable is white, which may put off some users who want the cable to reflect the color of their handset. 

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush also comes with a sleek and sturdy travel case, featuring room for the handle and two toothbrush heads, which is useful if you share the brush with a partner or child.

At the front of the handle are the power button, pressure sensor (which lights up red when you apply too much pressure), mode button and a series of backlit icons showing you which cleaning mode you’re using. You can toggle through these by pressing the mode button, which is slightly textured with three horizontal lines.

For the most part, the packaging can all be recycled as it’s cardboard, although there are some plastic sheaths included for the toothbrush heads and handle. These may or may not be recyclable depending on your area. A brief user manual is also included.

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: Functionality

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush comes with some charge already on it, so you can power up and get brushing straight away if you wish. If not, simply pop the USB charger into the input and hook it up to your laptop, USB socket or plug-based charger. 

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush comes with five cleaning modes, which you can only toggle between while the toothbrush is on, so it may take a little time to get used to doing this if you want to change modes while brushing. The toothbrush starts in the same mode that it was on when the device powered off. The cleaning modes include:

We found White mode to be the most satisfying and powerful setting, leaving an overall clean-mouth feeling that lasted a few hours. The Tongue setting is also super handy if you want to ramp up your oral care. 

The speedy three-hour charge is a welcome point of difference to many electric toothbrushes, some of which can take up to 18 hours for a full charge. And the extra-long battery life is a huge bonus, especially if you’re traveling or share the brush handle with other members of your family. 

During brushing, the quad-paced timer emits a short stuttering sound to indicate when to switch brushing to a new area. At the end of two minutes of brushing time, the toothbrush stops brushing completely, although you can also switch it back on if you prefer to brush for longer than the recommended two minutes. 

We also liked the unusual design of the toothbrush head cover too. Unlike the usual plastic lid that you clamp down over the bristles, Bitvae has designed its cover to clamp on at the front instead. While it’s too early to tell as yet, this feels like a more hygienic way to protect the bristles and the cover will be easier to clean too. However, more than just one toothbrush cover would have been welcome. It’s also important to note that you can’t fit your toothbrush head into the travel case if the toothbrush cover is on, which feels like a flaw. 

It’s easy to clean the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush by simply rinsing the brush head under running water, switching it off, and removing the brush head. It’s a good idea to clean the brush head and handle separately before drying, to prevent a build-up of old toothpaste and other nasties between the head and the handle.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: Performance

During our at-home testing, we assessed different aspects of the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush, including the decibel level of the different cleaning modes and how well each mode served its purpose. We also checked whether it could handle being submerged completely in water.

First up was decibel levels. We expected the toothbrush to be fairly noisy, as rotating toothbrushes operate at lower frequencies than sonic toothbrushes. At its most powerful, the brush clocked in at 70 decibels, which is around the same noise level as a washing machine. At its quietest, it ran at around 55 decibels which is just a little louder than a normal conversation. This is all pretty standard for a rotating electric toothbrush.

Next, we assessed each cleaning mode. White was our preferred setting, but Clean is also pretty powerful and should be more than enough for most users looking for an effective and powerful clean. The Gum Care setting feels really nice, giving a good massage to the gum area, while the tongue setting removes stains such as tea, coffee and red wine very well. 

Bitvae says its toothbrush lasts up to 30 days between charges, which should give you around 120 minutes of cleaning time. Sadly we didn’t have the time to fully test this before submitting our review, but we can confirm that after almost three weeks of use, the toothbrush is still operating perfectly well. We’d suspect though that you’ll probably run down the battery quicker if you use White mode every day, as opposed to the slower Sensitive mode, for example.

Last but not least, we submerged the toothbrush fully in water for a full brushing cycle, to see whether that affected performance and we can report that there were no problems with its operation afterward.

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: What’s good about it?

We really liked the price point of this electric toothbrush. It honestly feels as if Bitvae has gone above and beyond to replicate the user experience of a much higher-end toothbrush at a fraction of the usual cost. While some features are missing that you might expect from a top-end model, such as Smart features, a connected app, or an ergonomic design, this toothbrush has pretty much everything you really need from an oral care perspective.

We also loved that it came with eight toothbrush heads, which is super handy. However, we would like to see replacement heads for sale on the Bitvae website at some point in the future.

The USB-charging capability is also easy and means you can charge at your desk, in your car, or even when on the move, without the need to plug into an electric socket.

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: What’s not so good about it?

While it may be a bonus for some users, we didn’t like that the toothbrush powered off after two minutes, as sometimes we just want the option of brushing for longer!

We’d also prefer that the charging port sat on the handle shaft itself, rather than on the underside of the handle. It would be more hygienic to be able to charge the toothbrush upright, rather than lying down. 

Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush: User reviews

The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush enjoys hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon, with a 4.5 star rating out of 5 stars. In fact, 89% of purchasers give it 4 or 5 stars. In particular, they like that it comes with a two-year supply of toothbrush heads and that it offers an effective performance at a low price point. One user comments, "This is a powerful toothbrush. The charge lasts a long time and with all the different cycles it covers everything. Super easy to travel with."

Reviews that are slightly more negative say the travel case should have a space for the charging cable, while others say it should come with a plug, in case you don’t have a USB charging socket in your home. 

Should you buy the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush?

If you like the idea of having a powerful electric toothbrush with a variety of modes, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money opting for one of the big names in oral healthcare, the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is the ideal solution for you. And given how expensive toothbrush heads are to replace, the two-year supply will save you even more money. 

However, if you want high-end Smart features, coaching to improve your brushing technique or a super-stylish ergonomically designed handle, you may need to part with more pennies and shell out for one of our choices below.

If this product isn’t for you

If you want your electric toothbrush to come packed with Smart features, check out the Oral B Genius X. This is a powerful, Bluetooth-enabled electric toothbrush that allows users to get the most out of every brushing session, with unique app-based coaching programs and the ability to track your dental habits and patterns over time. 

If you’re on a budget but want the reliability and reassurance of a big-name brand, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is an affordable electric toothbrush that does away with all the bells and whistles of its hi-tech neighbors and simply cleans well. It also has great user reviews. 

If you prefer the cleaning that sonic toothbrushes have to offer, take a look at the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.  With four modes that can be tweaked in intensity to suit you, you can truly personalize your brushing experience.  

With the best Philips electric toothbrush deals, you can save as much as $150 dollars on some of the brand’s premium products. Philips makes a great range of electric toothbrushes, from more basic models like the Sonicare One, to the top of the range Sonicare 9900 Prestige, which gives you in-depth analytics and feedback on your brushing habits to help you improve your dental health. 

The brand operates with sonic technology, with brush heads moving up to 62,000 movements per minute. According to Philips, this provides the equivalent of a whole month;s worth of manual brushing in just two minutes. 

Switching from a manual to one of the best electric toothbrushes is undoubtedly a great way to step up your oral care routine — but these devices can come at a price. That’s why it’s great to take advantage of discounts from the likes of Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon to save you money on a top model.

If you don't think Philips is your brand, you can check out the competition with our selection of Oral-B electric toothbrush deals.  

• View the latest deals on Philips toothbrushes at Target
• Walmart has got great discounts on Philips toothbrushes
• Check out these Philips electric toothbrush deals at Best Buy

Cyber Monday Philips electric toothbrush deals

Which Philips electric toothbrush is best for you?

We’ll be honest, Philips has got an awesome range of electric toothbrushes and that can make finding the best one for you a little overwhelming. But the range is so extensive that there’s bound to be one to suit your budget and needs.

If this is your first time switching from a manual toothbrush to a power device, check out our guide on how to use an electric toothbrush.

Using an electric toothbrush is a great way to improve your oral hygiene, especially as 31 percent of Americans are failing to brush their teeth at least twice a day, with 2 percent admitting to not brushing at all, according to a study by Delta Dental.

Whether you want a battery-powered or rechargeable toothbrush, need one with a tongue cleaner, interval timer, travel case or even sensors to tell you how well you’re brushing, our round up of Philips electric toothbrushes makes it easy to invest in your dental health today.

Philips electric toothbrushes on sale

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 deals

If you suffer with sensitive teeth, or are prioritizing your gum health - particularly receding gums - then this is the Philips electric toothbrush that has been missing from your life! Designed to give your teeth a thorough but gentle clean without damaging gums or causing pain to sensitive teeth, it’s a bestseller for good reason.

It comes with three modes: Clean, White and Gum Care, which allows for an extra 60 seconds of reduced-power brushing to gently clean and massage your gums. If you brush too hard, which can cause gum damage, the toothbrush will vibrate. It also buzzes when it’s time to move to a new area of the mouth, providing an efficient clean that leaves your mouth feeling ‘dentist-fresh’.

Reviewers rave about this electric toothbrush, giving it a generous 4.7 out of 5 stars overall, and praising it for its helpful alerts and thorough cleaning (although some claimed there was little difference between the cleaning modes, other than the length of time they lasted).

Philips recommend you buy specific brushes for White or Clean mode, which some users said was an unnecessary expense, as the brush heads for different modes aren’t included in the price. Other reviewers said it was a shame that the travel case didn’t have a charger, or charge the brush itself.

Philips Sonicare DailyClean 1100 deals

If you have a tight budget, you can still find a decent budget Philips electric toothbrush to keep teeth sparkling clean without breaking the bank. Granted, the Sonicare DailyClean 1100 is fairly basic and doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the more expensive models. It doesn’t have an app, pressure sensors or a travel case, and it only has a single cleaning mode, but if you’re not after loads of features then it’s really excellent value.

And as you’d expect from Philips, even though it’s inexpensive, it still has a powerful standard of teeth cleaning as well as a timer and ‘quadpacer’ that beeps to prompt you to move to the next area of your mouth while brushing. It’s super easy to use so it’s a great choice for anyone using an electric toothbrush for the first time.

Reviewers are big fans of this model, giving it 4.7 stars. While some say it’s not as powerful as the more expensive Philips electric toothbrushes, most were satisfied with its performance and didn’t feel they need the extra features of the more costly models. One reviewer said: “This model is perfect value and the more expensive models ($25+) only have small additional features.” 

Negative reviews however said the battery life wasn’t as long as the promised 14 days, and the toothbrush is lacking a light to indicate battery life.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9750 deals 

If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush that looks as good as it performs, then add the DiamondClean 9750 to your shopping cart right now! Sleek, with gold details and a stylish glass charger, it’s miles away from the traditional image of an old toothbrush in a chipped mug. But don’t judge a book by its cover as it’s got way more than just good looks. This electric toothbrush claims to remove 10 times more plaque and improve gum health by up to seven times in two weeks if you switch to Gum Health Mode (it also promises to remove up to 100 percent more stains in just three days compared with a manual toothbrush, using the Whiteplus Mode).

But what we really love about this toothbrush is the smart tech. We’re not joking when we say this is one of the best electric toothbrushes on the market. Sync it with the Sonicare app and it knows which of the four brush heads you’re using, so it can set the correct brushing mode. It’ll give you real-time feedback as you brush, mapping a 3D image of your mouth so it can tell you when to move to a new area for brushing - providing a completely efficient clean in ways you’ve never experienced before.

Press too hard on your teeth or miss a spot and you’ll get an alert, and it’ll even give you a ‘progress report’ on your brushing performance that you can then share with your dentist or hygienist. Traveling? This slimline toothbrush comes with a USB travel case which charges it in between brushes.

Users can’t stop raving about this product, rating it a healthy 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon. One reviewer said they’d reduced their visits to the hygenist by 50 percent after investing in a Sonicare DiamondClean 9750 as they no longer needed to have their teeth professionally cleaned so often, while others loved it for giving their teeth that ‘dentist-fresh’ feeling.

Negative feedback said the app was glitchy and reported difficulty connecting it to the brush. Some reviewers also complained about pop-up ads on the app, and expressed concerns about privacy and data collection when using it.

Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige deals

We’ll be honest, we’re a little bit in love with this rose gold Philips electric toothbrush and stylish leatherette travel case with USB charging. But it’s not just good looking - this is a seriously powerful bit of kit that comes with SenseIQ technology, a combination of smart features that use built–in sensors to observe your brushing style and adapt the pressure accordingly. If you’re ready to invest in your dental health, and a whiter smile, this toothbrush claims to remove 20 times more plaque and up to 100 percent more stains in less than two days compared with a manual toothbrush, thanks to its angled bristles and triangular tips to get to those hard to reach areas. It also comes with a two-year warranty.

If you’re someone who is prone to brushing too hard, you will get an alert in the form of a light and vibration, then if you don’t reduce the pressure, this toothbrush will adapt the intensity. Just like the DiamondClean, the Sonicare app provides you with useful data, including a 3D map of your mouth and where you need to concentrate on brushing, real-time feedback, recommendations and progress reports that you can share with your dental health specialist.

It gets an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with one reviewer saying: “My teeth actually twinkled”. Another user asked: “What magic could a toothbrush offer that makes it worth the cost of a flight to Vegas?” Before answering: “The app, that’s what. It brings the hygienist to your bathroom.”

Negative reviews cited issues with the app being unreliable and concerns over privacy and data, and others said it was over-priced.

Philips Sonicare for kids sonic electric toothbrush deals

If you’re a parent you’ll know that getting the kids to brush their teeth, let alone for the dentist recommended two minutes, can be a military operation. Introducing the Philips Sonicare For Kids - an electric toothbrush that promises to make teeth cleaning fun.

With a color choice of pink or blue, the toothbrush comes with a child-friendly handle, stickers to customize it and two cleaning modes with different intensities. It also pairs with an interactive app with animations and special rewards for brushing properly, which parents say is an incentive for children to brush their teeth for longer. The app also follows the kids as they clean their teeth, prompting them to brush more thoroughly and move the toothbrush around the whole mouth for an efficient clean.

Reviewers praised the Sonicare for kids sonic electric toothbrush for the awesome way it encouraged their children to brush better and for longer. "My son N E V E R brushed his teeth willingly prior to this brush/app. Now I have him begging to brush his teeth before school," claimed one delighted parent.

Some reviewers said the app didn’t work with every smartphone, and the brush head was a bit too big for younger children (which meant an extra cost buying a smaller one). Parents also warned that younger kids would need proper supervision using it to prevent gum damage (it’s not suitable for under-threes).

With these excellent Oral-B electric toothbrush deals, you can pick up a top of the range toothbrush from a premium brand, without having to pay big prices.

If you want a basic, effective electric toothbrush, or something high-tech with analytics up to your elbows, Oral-B electric toothbrushes come at a range of prices with a variety of capabilities — so you're sure to find something that's right for you. At the top of the range is the iO Series 9, which includes smart features such as a pressure sensor, AI-powered app and a travel charging case. A more basic model is the Oral-B Pro 1000, which gives the powerful clean of an Oral-B toothbrush at more than half the price of the brand’s other options. 

But if you see an Oral-B electric toothbrush deal you like, be prepared to act quickly. Electric toothbrushes tend to go out of stock quickly, so don’t miss the chance to save on one of these top models. 

• Shop Oral B electric toothbrush deals at Amazon
• Check out Walmart's Oral B toothbrushes
• Save over $50 on Oral-B toothbrush deals at Target

Oral-B electric toothbrush deals

Which Oral B toothbrush deal is best?

Ready for an awesome Oral B toothbrush deal? There’s a ton of products to choose from, from the futuristic Oral-B Genius X, that uses Artificial Intelligence to track and improve your brushing habits, to the Oral B Pro Crossaction 1000, which has a clever pressure sensor designed to vibrate if you brush your teeth with too much force - preventing gum damage.

Whether you want a basic toothbrush with a timer or are looking for a more feature-rich one with an integrated ‘oral hygiene coach’ (yes, really!), Oral B has every need and budget covered. And if you’re someone who has to have the newest model of everything, then you’ll love the Oral B iO Series 9. This electric toothbrush syncs with an app to reveal real-time brushing performance, so you know that every time you clean your teeth you’re hitting the spot. It’s like having your own personal dentist in your pocket!

Oral B electric toothbrushes on sale

Oral B Genius X  Electric Toothbrush deals 

True to its namesake, the Oral B Genius X is a genius at getting teeth whiter and cleaner. This smart toothbrush with AI tech connects with an app for real time feedback on how to brush your teeth better.

The 360 SmartRing has different colored LED lights so you can customize your toothbrush - gaining information on timings and pressure as you brush your teeth. With six modes, including Whitening and Sensitive, and a charge that lasts up to two weeks, it also comes with a neat travel case making it a great choice for people on-the-go.

Oral B Pro 3000 deals 

Want whiter teeth? The Oral B Pro 3000 is not only budget-friendly, its CrossAction brush head helps to remove stains from first use, and its pressure sensors protect gums. Connect your brush via Bluetooth to your smartphone and the Oral B app, so you can track how well you are cleaning your teeth. The brush has three different modes - daily, gum care and sensitive - which works well to whiten teeth without causing discomfort.

Oral-B iO Series 9 Electric Toothbrush deals

As the newest model from Oral B, the iO Series comes with a smart element that means it glows red if you brush too hard. The in-built AI tracks brushing style, allowing you to make sure you achieve total coverage, so no tooth goes unbrushed. The round brush head and its multi-way oscillating and rotating angles help you target those hard-to-reach areas and remove plaque along the gum line.

Team it with the Oral B app via Bluetooth for insight into your oral hygiene routine including 3D graphics and data about your cleaning style. This Oral B electric toothbrush comes with a magnetic charger that tops up the battery in just three hours. The only issue is that replacement heads are expensive, and you could save money by choosing a more basic toothbrush.

Oral B Pro Vitality Sensitive Clean deals 

The Oral B Pro Sensitive Clean is an affordable model, with just one mode that starts as soon as you press the ON button. The inbuilt two-minute timer, which flashes and beeps when you’ve reached the optimum time, helps to encourage better brushing habits. The toothbrush comes with a FlexiSoft brush head, which those with sensitive teeth will appreciate, as it brushes teeth and gums in a gentle rotating motion without too much pressure. 

It also comes with interdental tips - ideal for getting into those hard to reach places. Unfortunately, you can’t use this Oral B toothbrush with the app, and the battery life isn’t as good as the Oral B iO Series 9, either.

Oral B Smart 1500 deals 

This slick electric toothbrush rotates, pulsates and oscillates for a superior 3D clean. Gum pressure sensors warn if you’re brushing too hard, and it’s easy to use with just one mode. It comes with a two-minute timer for optimum cleaning and while a full charge takes 12 hours, it’ll last you up to two weeks.

Oral B toothbrush head deals

Ready to replace your toothbrush heads? Or maybe you just want to stock up while there are great deals to be had. Either way, now is the time to grab some replacement Oral B electric toothbrush heads at the lowest prices.

Save yourself a bundle on dental care this Cyber Monday offer — get 40% off the Waterpik Cordless Advanced Water Flosser. When a brand name is synonymous with a kind of product, you know they make the best on the market. Waterpik water flossers are no exception. 

Our testers tried out the Waterpik cordless select and the Waterpik Ultra, both of which made it into our guide to the best water flossers, having impressed our team no end. While we've not yet had the pleasure of trying out the Cordless Advanced, 70% of users on Amazon rated it the full five stars, with a 4.4 out of 5 star rating overall.

Cordless water flossers are a handy and portable alternative to corded water flossers, which tend to have larger reservoirs but are restricted by their need for a power outlet. The Waterpik cordless water flosser is global voltage compatible and comes with a micro-fiber travel bag, tip storage case, and water plug for use on the go.

The Waterpik Cordless Advanced water flosser removes up to 99.9% of plaque and is up to 50% more effective than dental floss for improving gum health. Just fill the reservoir with warm water, place the tip in your mouth, and start flossing.

With an electronic pressure control and three settings, the Cordless Advanced lets you personalize your water pressure intensity, plus it's waterproof and can be used in the shower. Using a unique combination of water pulsation and pressure it works to remove plaque and debris that can cause bad breath, gum disease and tooth decay.

If you're still not sure whether to make the jump, a study in Compendium compared a group of people who only brushed their teeth with another group who brushed their teeth and used a water flosser. Not flossing at all carries a higher risk of oral hygiene problems, including gum inflammation and disease. The group who added water flossing to their dental hygiene routine had significantly improved gum health after just four weeks. This water flosser is also approved American Dental Association (ADA), earning their Seal of Acceptance, so you know you can trust it with your dental hygiene. 

More Cyber Monday water flosser deals

A 60% reduction on one of our favorite electric toothbrushes, hum by Colgate, sees it coming down from the heights of $69.99 to $27.99 — a much more affordable option. This Cyber Monday 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.

This app-driven smart toothbrush made it into our guide to the best electric toothbrushes, having impressed our tester who tried it out earlier this year. Our tester found that the light and compact design made it easy to maneuver, allowing them to access every nook and cranny without jabbing at the gums like other brushes with larger heads. It also doesn’t take up too much space on your bathroom shelf, which is always a bonus. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to record your brushing and track which areas you need to clean further in the app. 

The hum by Colgate comes with three modes of powerful sonic vibration, allowing you to personalize your brushing experience by choosing the vibration level that suits you; choose from normal, sensitive, or deep clean. This particular kit comes with one electric adult toothbrush, one charger, one carrying case and one refill brush head, giving you even more for your money this Cyber Monday. 

• Amazon: Oral-B electric toothbrush deals 
• Walmart : discounts up to 50% on Oral-B toothbrushes
• Target: Black Friday electric toothbrush deals

We found the hum to be one of the more functional electric toothbrushes we've tested. The single button lets you shift through three different vibration modes (or two if you buy the battery-powered version): Normal, Sensitive, and Deep Clean. While it might be confusing to know which mode other brushes with multiple brushing modes are set to, the hum makes it very clear through LED lights. 

Charging is also easy. The rechargeable hum comes with a charging base that starts charging your toothbrush when you set it down. The battery-powered toothbrush takes two AAA batteries. 

Other features of the hum include a built-in two minute timer and a Bluetooth connected app. The app has a lot of features, which could make it confusing for some. But once you get the hang of it, the app can guide you to brush better. As you brush, you can also earn Smile Points from Colgate, which give you $1 per 100 points to spend on things like replacement brush heads. 

If purple isn't your color, you can also get the hum in slate grey for 42% off, or in blue for 49% off.

More Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals

Haven't found what you were looking for? Check out our tried and tested round-up of the best electric toothbrushes you can buy right now.

Tired, fraying toothbrushes — be gone. This Cyber Monday you can invest in your dental hygiene with 50% off the highly-rated Oral-B Genius X Limited at Amazon, which tops our guide to the best electric toothbrushes. 

The Oral-B Genius X Limited usually retails for $199.99, but during this year’s Cyber Monday sales you can pick up one of the market-leading toothbrushes for $99.99.

The Oral B Genius X is a powerful, Bluetooth-enabled electric toothbrush that allows users to get the most out of every brushing session. From its two-week battery life to its six different cleaning modes, and its smart, connected functionality to its interactive app that tracks and monitors brushing habits and patterns. If you've been meaning to upgrade to an electric toothbrush, Cyber Monday could be the time to do so — although you'll have to hurry to make the $100 saving. 

• Amazon: Oral-B electric toothbrush deals 
• Walmart: discounts up to 50% on Oral-B toothbrushes
• Target: Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals

When our tested tried out the Oral-B Genius X Limited earlier this year, we found this brush was able to take our teeth-brushing-game to new heights. It was fascinating to track our dental habits and patterns in order to adjust our routine if needed. And it's because of these reasons (and more) that we awarded the Oral-B Genius X Limited the coveted top spot in our best electric toothbrushes guide.

Upon testing, we scored the Oral B Genius X limited a brilliant 4.5 stars out of five and found it ideal for anyone wanting to improve and maintain good dental hygiene. 

Why? For starters, unlike your average manual toothbrush, it uses A.I. technology through its interactive app to track and monitor your brushing habits and patterns. Once the app has collected this data, it can supply users with a set of oral hygiene goals with coaching tips and tricks. 

But even if you don’t use the app, there are still plenty of features to love. It has six cleaning modes that provide you with a tongue cleaning option, a sensitive mode, whitening features, gum care, and pro cleaning alongside your day-in-day-out daily clean option, thanks to its powerful oscillating-rotating brush head.

Battery-wise, from the moment you unbox the Oral B Genius X you can start using it as it comes with some charge already. However, after using your toothbrush and depleting its battery, this clever electric number should take around 14 hours to charge. This may sound long, but it’s actually a lot less than many electric toothbrushes, which take up to 18 hours. 

Unsure on whether this electric toothbrush is for you? If you're looking for another fabulous Cyber Monday deal on electric toothbrushes, you can save up to 60% on the top-rated hum by Colgate. But remember: these deals won't be around forever. 

Discover more of the best Cyber Monday deals across fitness and health at Live Science.

Take a look at the Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals here, and you'll definitely consider upgrading your current device or swapping one for your manual brush. After all, there are some fantastic Cyber Monday discounts on offer at the moment — but be quick because some deals have limited stock, and there are only a handful left in some cases!

Even so, you're spoiled for choice. The Colgate Hum, for example, is an excellent package with a toothbrush, charger, refill head, and carrying case, and it's yours for 64% less right now at Amazon. If you can pay a little more, you can grab the Oral-B Genius X with its 50% discount, making it just $99 at Amazon.

Alongside these great discounts, there are models by Philips to take into account, again with eye-catching deals. But why switch to the best electric toothbrushes? In short, dentists recommend you change from a manual brush because electric models are better at removing plaque. According to a major Cochrane review, they can remove 20% more plaque and reduce your risk of developing gingivitis by 11%.

Electric toothbrushes often have timers and pressure sensors, too, so you can be sure you're brushing for the right amount of time and not damaging your teeth by pressing hard. In some cases, the toothbrushes will even let you know if you have a decent brushing technique.

Of course, they're not cheaper than a manual brush, but you wouldn't expect them to be. They also need recharging, though less often than you may think. So let's look at the Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals, including Oral-B electric toothbrush deals and Philips electric toothbrush deals. You'll be smiling in no time.

• Amazon: Oral-B electric toothbrush deals 
• Walmart : discounts up to 50% on Oral-B toothbrushes
• Target: Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals

Haven't found what you were looking for? Check out our tried and tested round-up of the best electric toothbrushes you can buy right now.

If Black Friday has given you the push to swap your manual toothbrush for an electric alternative, then check out the $80 discount being offered on the super-powered Oral-B iO Series 9 .

This high-powered model is considered to be one of the best electric toothbrushes around and its attraction goes far beyond its super sleek and luxurious design. If you want an in-depth analysis of it, take a read of our Oral-B iO9 review.

For starters, you'll benefit from seven different brushing modes but you'll also see improvements to your brushing technique thanks to the AI-powered app. This toothbrush even comes with a charging travel case. It's a great overall package.

Normally retailing at $329.99, you can now enjoy the Series 9 for $249.94 so, as well as enjoying fresher breath, sparkling teeth and improved oral health, you can now make a decent saving.

But are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes? Well, according to experts in the field, the answer is "yes". Electric toothbrushes are believed to be more effective than manual brushes at removing plaque and keeping your teeth and gums as healthy as possible and if that isn't something to smile about, then we don't know what is.

Still not convinced? Oral B has been developing toothbrushes for decades — since 1950, in fact. So when this reputable brand offers many dollars of its products, it's definitely worth serious consideration. The Oral-B iO Series 9 deal is up there with the best and, with more than $80 off, it's worth adding this to your basket before the Black Friday sales have been and gone. 

• See all electric toothbrush deals at Amazon US

The Oral-B iO Series 9 is one of the smartest electric toothbrushes we've used. It comes in a choice of three colors including rose quartz, white alabaster or black onyx and, when we tested it earlier this year, we judged it to deliver superior brushing results.

As we explained in our review, we particularly enjoyed the interactive color display which greets you with a little 'hello' as you pick up your brush. We also found this beautiful piece of kit easy to use. 

The seven different modes are also highly rated. You can pick from a daily clean mode as well as sensitive, gum care, intense+, super sensitive, tongue clean and whiten. 

More remarkable is that the brush uses AI technology to show you a 3D map of your mouth and that will help ensure you'll never miss any spots. Aiding this further is a built-in two-minute timer that vibrates every 30 seconds to remind you to change the area where you are brushing. 

The Oral-B iO Series 9 also vibrates when your brushing cycle is done so, once you have mastered the art of using this brush, (which is pretty easy to do), you can make great improvements to your dental hygiene leading to fewer trips to the dentist (we hope). 

For more, check out our Black Friday deals live blog.

Editor's note:  Unfortunately, this Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6500 offer is no longer available on Amazon. However, there are plenty of other Cyber Monday electric toothbrush deals for you to take advantage of, including the compact hum by Colgate (now under $30) and the top-end Oral-B iO Series 9, reduced from $$329.99 to $249.94.  

We do not suffer from a shortage of electric toothbrush deals throughout the year, but this Black Friday discount offers some genuine value. 

The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6500 is usually priced at around $169.99, but Amazon has slashed its cost to just $89.96. It's rare to see the model for less than $90, which is why we reckon this is one of the best Black Friday toothbrush deals you'll see in 2022. 

The toothbrush is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with user reviews praising it for long battery life, ease of assembly, intuitive features and stylish design. It comes with a handy travel case and a spare brush head and it's available in five different colors. 

• Amazon: Oral-B electric toothbrush deals
• Walmart: Oral-B toothbrushes up to 50% off
• Target: Black Friday electric toothbrush deals

Philips electric toothbrush deal

Electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque than standard manual toothbrushes, as confirmed by a number of dentists that we have spoken to over the years. But since they tend to cost far more than the manual ones, Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to invest in your smile. 

The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6500 Electric Toothbrush is effective yet gentle model, with an in-built pressure sensor that lets you know whether you are brushing too hard. This model comes with three different cleaning modes (clean, whiten, gum care) and three brushing intensities. As such, the 6500 model can be suitable for individuals with sensitive teeth and gum problems. 

Not only can you personalize your brushing experience with this toothbrush, but time it as well. It's equipped with a 2 minute Quadpacer smart timer, so you always know if you brushed your teeth long enough. And since it comes with a brush head replacement reminder, you won't have to think twice about whether it's time to change it. 

What's more, the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6500 Electric Toothbrush is perfect for traveling. With up to two weeks of battery life on a single charge and a travel case, taking care of your teeth on-the-go can become a breeze. 

For more, check out our tried and tested round-up of the best electric toothbrushes you can buy right now.

If you want to keep your teeth in great condition, the best water flossers can help you step up your dental care routine to the next level. Projecting thing jets of water into your mouth, water flossers can help remove food build-up and plaque, as well as target hard-to-reach places like between teeth, where food particles often remain.

While flossing has its benefits, using a water flosser is time-efficient and offers a more comfortable way to clean between your teeth than 'old-fashioned' flossing. Now is a particularly good time to invest in one—the winter sales are in full swing, offering excellent deals on these grooming tools, and they could even make a good gift. Moreover, improving oral hygiene is a common New Year’s resolution, with flossing often at the top of the list and just as often the first habit to slip.

The best water flossers come with a range of nozzles so you can be sure you'll find one that suits your dental needs. Some even come with tongue scrapers that can help keep your oral hygiene top-notch while reducing bad breath. You can pair a water flosser with one of the best electric toothbrushes for an even better clean, but there's now even a sonic toothbrush with a built-in water flosser (the Soocas Neos II), so even less room for excuses!

Determining the right water flosser for you can be challenging, especially if you've never used one before. To save you time, our expert reviewers have tested some of the best water flossers on the market, from countertop models with generous water reservoirs to cordless options you can use in the shower and take with you when traveling. Here are our top picks.

The quick list

Back to the top ⤴

The best water flossers we recommend in 2025

The best water flosser overall

The Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser features no fewer than 10 pressure settings to help remove up to 99.9% of plaque from the teeth. Perfect for people with braces, crowns, implants, periodontal pockets or bridges, and those who value good oral hygiene, it plugs into a shaver socket to offer continuous charge. The flosser itself is connected to the water reservoir by a lead which springs tidily back into place when you're done flossing.

Waterpik is just one of two water flosser brands approved by the American Dental Association. This means it has been tested and found to be safe and effective at removing plaque and reducing gingivitis.

The Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser offers six separate attachments for flossing, including a Classic Jet Tip and a Toothbrush Tip to allow you to brush as you floss. All these can be stored safely and hygienically in the flip-top lid at the top of the water reservoir.

The manufacturers say the Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser is 15% more powerful than previous models, while the generous water reservoir offers 90 seconds of continuous flossing. It was by far the easiest water flosser we've tested to fill and wipe clean after use, and the 90 seconds of tank capacity makes it easy to floss the whole mouth without needing to refill it.

However, the Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser won't suit every bathroom. It needs to be plugged in to operate, and not all bathrooms have a shaving socket or a shelf close enough to the basin for comfortable flossing. Those who prefer to floss in the shower will need to look for a cordless version instead.

• Read our full Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser review

Back to the top ⤴

Best low-cost water flosser

The unusual design of the cordless Oclean W10 Water Flosser sets it apart from many of its rivals. It includes a thick strap along the length of the unit to allow for a better grip during use. A tactile button is easy to locate while flossing if you want to change the pressure settings too.

The lithium-ion battery lasts up to a month if used once daily and recharges in around four hours using a USB connection, making this a perfect option for traveling.

This water flosser comes with four attachment nozzles, including a standard nozzle, one for periodontal pockets, one for braces and a tongue-scraping nozzle. It also includes five pressure settings ranging from gentle to intensive.

During our at-home testing, we found the water tank ran out fairly quickly during flossing, especially using the intensive mode. However, the tank was easy to refill via the plug located at the top of the flosser. It also includes a quad-pacer to remind you to switch positions and a two-minute timer to ensure you do a thorough job.

• Read our full Oclean W10 Water Flosser review

Back to the top ⤴

Best water flosser for braces

The high-performing Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser offers a range of flossing tips designed for different dental needs, making it a particularly good choice for those with braces. This oral irrigator uses a combination of water pressure and pulsations to remove bacteria and plaque from below the gum line and deep between the teeth. It features three pressure settings (normal, soft and pulse) that are adjusted using the single button at the front of the handle.

It comes with a handy USB charger and takes around six hours to reach a full charge, for which you'll get approximately 30 minutes of flossing. It also includes a tongue scraper, a periodontal pocket sprinkler, classic jet tip and orthodontic spray tip. The classic jet tip is excellent for general cleaning, while the orthodontic spray is designed for users with braces. Finally, the periodontal pocket sprinkler is suitable for inflamed gums or impacted teeth.

Unusually the small water reservoir is contained within the body of the handle instead of as a clip-on or screw-on reservoir, which was a little unnerving during our at-home testing. In addition, we found it tricky to fill, and you will need to refill several times if you want to enjoy a thorough floss. Our tester only got a few seconds of use on a high setting before having to refill.

It also took some time to get used to the fact that the reservoir compresses during flossing. However, the compact size of this water flosser makes it ideal for traveling.

• Read our full Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser review

Back to the top ⤴

Best water flosser to use in a shower

The Waterpik Cordless Select features a waterproof design, USB magnetic charging and two pressure settings to give you a more affordable and mobile version of the classic countertop Waterpik flosser.

The cordless design is perfect if you're already a Waterpik fan but want something to take into the shower. It features fewer pressure settings and nozzle attachments than the countertop Waterpik, but we think that's more than enough for most flossers. Nozzles include a tip for braces and a plaque-seeker tip, while it also offers two classic tips — ideal if you're sharing your water flosser with a partner. We thought the jet tip was the most useful for getting into hard to reach places on the highest setting.

Two pressure settings (a low of 45 PSI and a high of 75 PSI) offer a gentle clean, or vigorous floss. However, the small water reservoir means you're more than likely to have to refill at least once during your flossing session. That's not unusual for cordless flossers, though.

A ridged wheel at the top of the unit makes it super easy to rotate any nozzle 360 degrees, even with wet hands. We also liked the grippy handle with bumps, so you're less at risk of dropping it if you do have wet hands.

• Read our full Waterpik Cordless Select review

Back to the top ⤴

Best water flosser for traveling

The Bitvae C2 water flosser offers a convenient and affordable way to floss your teeth on the go. This cordless oral irrigator is compact, thoughtfully designed, and can last up to 40 days on a single charge. It also comes with five classic jet nozzles, a tongue scraper nozzle, and a handy USB charging cable.

The C2 model is more ergonomic than traditional water flossers due to its detachable, wide-mouth water tank a large 10oz-capacity (300ml) water reservoir. It is also easy to clean, comfortable to hold, and does not need constant refilling. Moreover, the Bitvae C2 water flosser looks great on the bathroom shelf — it is available in nine colors and does not take up much space.

We were impressed by its performance, too. The Bitvae C2 water flosser gave us a clean and polished feel, and its powerful water jet was slim enough to effectively target hard-to-reach areas around the gum line.

On the other hand, the Bitvae C2 water flosser comes with no orthodontic tips. We also did not enjoy using its tongue scraper. Lastly, this flosser may be relatively noisy.

• Read our full Bitvae C2 Water Flosser review

Back to the top ⤴

Best flosser/sonic toothbrush combo

We were very impressed with the Soocas NEOS II. It is a sonic toothbrush and a water flosser in one, an all-in-one oral care tool for people who want to simplify their dental routine.

Released in late 2024, it pairs high-frequency sonic brushing with a built-in 50ml water reservoir that supports flossing immediately after, or at the same time as brushing (depending on which program you choose). It certainly helped us maintain a consistent routine throughout and beyond our hands-on review of the Soocas Neos II.

Design highlights include an IPX8 waterproof rating and a smart-looking handle with an integrated 50 ml water tank. The toothbrush comes in packaging that is made from sugarcane, a thoughtful finish, even if the toothbrush itself isn't made from recyclable materials.

Performance-wise, there are two main cleaning modes: Deep Clean (3 minutes long) and Quick Floss (60 seconds), with Deep Clean available in three intensity levels. We felt a noticeable improvement in cleanliness and gum health within just a couple of days of use. The battery lasts over 30 days per charge, so it's great for travel as well.

Overall, the Soocas NEOS II impressed us. It is a streamlined, effective tool that simplifies daily dental care and encourages users to floss regularly without needing extra devices. We have replaced our existing toothbrush and separate water flosser with this.

• Read our full Soocas Neos II review

Back to the top ⤴

Best water flosser with toothbrush

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 combines a water flosser and an electric toothbrush into one cost-effective device. This sleek-looking piece of kit is not small, but it is compact enough to suit those short on shelf space. It also comes with a storage case, a travel case, five different water flosser tips, and two brush heads. More importantly, this toothbrush-flosser combo delivers a market-leading performance.

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 offers 3 cleaning modes — General Clean, a more intense Whitening Mode, and a Massage Mode to stimulate the gum area — as well as a tongue-cleaning feature, water pressure control, and a handy 3-minute timer. All three cleaning modes scored high in our at-home tests, but we were most impressed with the Massage Mode. The gentle pulses were easy on our gums, yet powerful enough to give us that ‘deep clean’ feeling.

We liked its battery life, too. This toothbrush-flosser combo can last a week on a single charge, making it a perfect travel accessory. It does not generate much noise, either.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks to the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0. The unit needs to be plugged into a socket close to the wash basin, otherwise it will not work. Also, it does not provide additional features typically seen in devices at this price point, such as connected apps or pressure sensors.

• Read our full Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review.

Back to the top ⤴

Best water flossers: Comparison

How we test

Back to the top ⤴

Our expert

FAQs

• Fill it up: Begin by filling the reservoir of your water flosser with lukewarm water. If you want an extra boost, some models allow you to add mouthwash or antibacterial solutions.
• Choose the right tip: Select the flosser tip that suits your needs. Different options, such as standard, orthodontic, or periodontal tips, are available. Check the user manual to find the one that's best for you.
• Adjust the pressure: Most water flossers let you adjust the pressure settings. If you're new to using one, start with a lower pressure and gradually increase it as you become more comfortable.
• Sink-side setup: Lean over the sink to prevent any water from splashing around. It helps keep things tidy while you floss.
• Back to front: Place the flosser tip in your mouth. Dr. Hussain suggests closing your mouth around the nozzle to reduce splashing. Start with your back teeth and work your way forward. Guide the tip along your gum line.
• Angle it right: Aim the flosser at a 90-degree angle to your gum line, and move it along your teeth in a gentle sweeping motion. You should pause briefly between each tooth to allow the water to flush out debris. Dr. Hussain recommends keeping a few millimeters between the water flosser and your teeth, as the sensation can be intense.
• Slow and steady: Slowly move the flosser tip along your gum line, covering your teeth’s front and back surfaces. Take your time to clean each area thoroughly.
• Reach every nook and cranny: Remember to clean all areas, including your teeth's inner and outer surfaces. Pay special attention to those tricky spots like molars and spaces between teeth.
• Rinse time: After flossing, remove the flosser tip and empty any remaining water from the reservoir. Rinse the reservoir and the tip thoroughly to keep them clean and hygienic for your next use.

Many water flossers offer different pressure settings. You can opt for a gentle or soft setting if you have sensitive teeth and gums. You can select a regular or higher setting for a stronger water pulse. Adjust the pressure based on your comfort level and needs.

You can get nozzles designed for cleaning around braces, bridges, or implants.

Remember, it might take a little practice to get the hang of using a water flosser effectively. You might get a lot of splashback when you first start using one.

Check your water flosser manual or ask your dentist for guidance if you have any specific questions or concerns. Happy flossing!

The Waterpik Ultra Plus lives up to the name “ultra”, with a range of flossing tips, a large reservoir capacity and ten powerful pressure settings. Whether you’re new to water flossing or are looking for a flosser to take up permanent residence in your bathroom, the Ultra Plus is better than most of the portable flossers we’ve tested due to its powerful pressure settings, variety of tips and easy to use ergonomic buttons. 

During use, you can see the water depleting through the clear tank, so it’s easy to know when to refill if necessary. There is a button on the flosser itself to start and stop the water if you need to, as well as an on/off switch and pressure dial on the base of the flosser, which are both easy to use without looking (if your head is over the sink) and responsive to soft touch.

Read on to see how we found the design, functionality and performance of the Waterpik Ultra Plus, and what other users had to say about this best water flosser.

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: Design

The Waterpik Ultra Plus is one of Waterpik’s countertop water flossers, which needs to be plugged in to run — unlike some of the cordless options. This is a great middle of the range option offered by Waterpik, with the Ultra Professional offering a slightly higher end option in a variety of colors. If you compare the specs for the Ultra Plus (this model) or the Ultra Professional, there is very little between them, with the same pressure range, pulses per minute and flow per minute. With this in mind, it’s worth saving the extra dollars and buying the Ultra Plus over the Ultra Professional, as they offer an almost identical flossing experience. 

The Ultra Plus only comes in white, with a clear tank to help you see how much water you have left while flossing and when you might need to refill. The tips click into place and are released with a button on the side of the flossing handle when you want to change them over. The reservoir lid doubles as storage for your spare tips, so you can easily change to a different flossing experience. 

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: Functionality

The flossing tips rotate 360 degrees to help you reach difficult areas of the mouth and ensure you clean every tooth effectively. The instructions are very clear, with a quick start guide and a more detailed manual coming with the box. The box itself has a useful diagram with specifications and a breakdown of what each tip should ideally be used for.

The buttons are ergonomic, with a sliding dial to change the pressure setting and an on/off button on the reservoir, as well as a water on/off button on the handle of the flosser. In comparison to the cordless flossers we’ve tried, the amount of cords can be a bit annoying, especially if your shaving socket isn’t within easy reach of your sink. However the cords are a generous length, so once you’re set up it is easy to get going. Also, you can remove the reservoir and take it to the sink to fill if you need to. As well as the power cord, the flossing head comes on an extendable wire to allow you more manoeuvrability. 

The fact that you can remove the reservoir makes it easy to clean as well. The manual recommends you tip out any excess water after use and you can easily wipe it dry to avoid creating a damp environment for bacteria to grow. We noted that it was easier to keep clean than portable water flossers, which usually have smaller water tanks that are difficult to clean out and dry manually. 

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: Performance

This water flosser has ten pressure modes, ranging from 10 PSI to 100 PSI, which gives you plenty to choose from. The six flossing tips also give you options to target different dental problems, whether you have braces, periodontal pockets or furcation defects. Our tester found the Plaque Seeker tip particularly good for cleaning the spaces between teeth, where one would accumulate plaque and tartar. There is also a toothbrush tip and tongue cleaner, to give you a full dental cleaning experience. 

It was by far the easiest water flosser we’ve tested to fill and wipe clean after use, and the 90 seconds of tank capacity makes it easy to floss the whole mouth without needing to refill it. This is something cordless water flossers generally fall short on, as the reservoirs are too small to floss your entire mouth in one session.

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: What’s good about it?

The Waterpik Ultra Plus is versatile, powerful and easy to use and clean. The settings dial is easy to understand and two power buttons (one on the base and one on the flosser handle) prevent you from accidentally spraying water everywhere, which we found to be a problem with other brands.

Compared with its cordless counterpart, the Waterpik Cordless Select, the powerful Ultra Plus is actually cheaper, retailing at $89.24 on Amazon rather than the $95.19 for the Cordless Select. Considering the Ultra Plus has vastly more features and capabilities, you definitely get more for your money. 

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: What’s not so good about it?

If you have a small bathroom, the Waterpik Ultra Plus might not be the right choice for you.

Don’t pick it up by the reservoir either — the base will detach and you could break it if you aren’t supporting it underneath. Also, the shaver plug limits customers who don’t have shaver attachments in their bathrooms and they will need to purchase an adaptor.

Waterpik Ultra Plus review: User reviews

Users also noted that having to plug the Waterpik Ultra Plus in makes it restrictive and difficult to use, but that the flossing experience is unparalleled and their teeth feel cleaner than ever after using the flosser. One user said: “This unit is extremely effective, easy to use, with various pressure options, making it powerful to floss your teeth. It has plenty of water capacity to floss your teeth properly without having to top up the unit. To top it off, it's not too loud either.”

Should you buy the Waterpik Ultra Plus?

If you have the space in your bathroom for a corded water flosser, the Waterpik Ultra Plus is definitely a great investment. You get ten pressure settings and six flossing tips for your money and it’s easier to fill with water and clean than other brands we’ve tested.

If this product isn’t for you

If you are looking for a portable version with Waterpik’s great technology, then you might want to try the Waterpik Cordless Select. 

Or, for a slightly more advanced cordless water flosser, we liked the Oclean W10 Water Flosser for its five great pressure settings and color options. 

The Waterpik Cordless Select is a good all round water flosser, but falls short of other brands and Waterpik flossers we’ve tested due to the lack of variety with pressure settings and a small reservoir. It does, however, offer charging options that other Waterpik products don’t, which makes it useful for travel or if you have a small bathroom. However, it’s more expensive than some of Waterpik’s corded counterparts, which are more powerful, and with less features it’s hard to see why. 

Being cordless and waterproof, the Select gives you the option to take it in the shower with you, which can limit mess since water flossers tend to spray a bit, earning it a place in our guide to the best water flossers. It is easy to wipe the exterior down and dry it, but you might struggle to clean the reservoir as it has two small holes; one for filling and one for the uptake tube. However, you can completely detach it from the body of the flosser and place it upside down to drain out, which may prevent it getting too damp between uses. 

Read on to see how our testers rated the Waterpik Cordless Select for functionality, design and performance.

Waterpik Cordless Select review: Design

The Waterpik Cordless Select is a great basic water flosser, with a compact design that packs away easily for travel and a grippy handle to prevent wet hands slipping. It is a more basic version of other cordless water flossers we’ve tested, with only two settings and three different flosser heads, but it gets the job done. If you’re looking for a simple but effective water flosser, this might be the right choice for you. 

It comes in one color (white) and has a sleek front with a single power button and battery light to indicate when you need to recharge. The charger itself is magnetic, which makes it nice and easy to attach, and you can charge via USB or plug into a shaver socket. It charges in four hours, meaning you can leave it charging overnight and come back to use it again in the morning with no problems. 

The water reservoir holds enough water for 45 seconds of flossing, which is half the capacity of the corded Waterpik water flossers (these tend to have capacity for 90 seconds). On the higher setting this may mean you need to refill half way through, depending on how quickly you floss. 

Waterpik Cordless Select review: Functionality

There are only two pressure settings available on the Cordless Select, so if you don’t like the low pressure or high pressure options, there isn’t any middle ground. The pressure on the high setting is 75 PSI (which is 25 PSI weaker than the corded water flossers, which go up to 100 PSI). The lower pressure setting runs at 45 PSI, which is quite a bit higher than the lowest pressure settings on the corded Waterpik water flossers, which start at 10 PSI. 

Ultimately, if you aren’t worried about having a wide range of pressures and a variety of settings, this flosser will be a good choice for you. It can also be a more portable accompaniment to a corded water flosser that you can take with you on trips if needs be. However, if you want the full range of settings, you might want to invest in a corded flosser for maximum cleaning benefits. 

The reservoir is easy to fill, with a leak proof flap that you can pull back to fill the flosser from above. This is easier than some other brands we’ve tried, which were a bit more fiddly to fill. Once you’re done you can completely separate the water tank from the power unit, but we couldn’t work out how to open it to clean, meaning we could only leave it upside down for the water to drain out after use. 

This Waterpik Cordless Select came with four tips (two jet tips, one plaque seeker and an orthodontic tip) but you can add any other Waterpik branded flossing tips if you like as they will interchangeably fit into the handle. The tips are easy to change and click in and out of the handle easily, with a button to release them.

Waterpik Cordless Select review: Performance

The Waterpik Cordless Select was one of the simplest models we tried, with a single button that you press once to switch onto a low setting, a second time to go to a high setting, and a third time to switch off. 

The jet tip was the most useful for getting into hard to reach places when used on the higher setting, but it did deplete the battery quite quickly. The plaque seeker and orthodontic tips both have little bristles to aid in cleaning and directing the jet, which can be useful for front teeth or if you have overcrowding and struggle to get in between your teeth. The pressure settings were both comfortable to use and did not irritate our gums, but we did think that a higher pressure setting might be useful for a more intense clean. 

Waterpik Cordless Select review: What’s good about it?

The Waterpik Cordless select is compact and easy to transport. We liked the magnetic charger, which makes it easy to plug in, and the single button which is easy to figure out if you lose your instructions. It has a nice grippy handle with bumps, so you’re less at risk of dropping it if you have wet hands. This is an area we found some competitors fell short on. 

Waterpik Cordless Select review: What’s not so good about it?

This is quite a pricey option with less features compared to other cordless water flossers we tested. Rather than two classic jet tips, it would make more sense to give users another option, like the pik pocket tip or tongue scraper that come with the Ultra Plus. It is also hard to dry out the reservoir, even if you fully remove it from the base. The best we could do was turn it upside down to drain out of the hole in the top, which still left the tank a little moist. 

Waterpik Cordless Select review: User reviews

Customers seemed to like the portability of the Waterpik Cordless Select, and rated it 4.3 out of five stars on Amazon. Users also said that it takes about four uses to deplete the battery, but that it recharges quickly. 

One reviewer said: “I decided to give this a go because my teeth are quite tightly packed in and I struggle to get floss between them. I was surprised by how effective this is…it’s quite a bulky item, because of the water tank, but still manageable. Even with the size of the water tank I still need to fill it up a few times to do my whole mouth inside and out. I think if they'd made the water tank any bigger it would have been overly unwieldy, so I think they found the workable middle ground.”

Should you buy the Waterpik Cordless Select?

If you’re looking for a good water flosser that does what it says on the tin, this would be a good choice, however it is quite pricey and doesn’t offer as many pressure settings as other water flossers we’ve tested. It is simple to use, with only one button to worry about, and extra Waterpik tips can be purchased and used interchangeably. 

If this product isn’t for you

If you are looking for a powerful multitasker from Waterpik, the Waterpik Ultra Plus is a corded water flosser with ten pressure settings that retails a little cheaper than the Cordless Select. 

Or, if you are really keen on a cordless water flosser, we liked the Oclean W10 Water Flosser for the five great pressure settings and color options. 

Tooth loss is a common theme for nightmares and horror movies, but it’s actually a normal part of human development that can sometimes be vital for our oral health. We’ve asked two dental surgeons which teeth fall out, in what order, and why you might lose your adult teeth. 

In some cases, tooth loss can even be a good thing, when helping to alleviate overcrowding or pain, or to allow for orthodontic treatment to take place. Unfortunately, some tooth loss in adulthood can happen due to mouth trauma, but dental surgeons are excellent at fixing a smile in these instances.

If you’re hoping to get a brighter smile, the best electric toothbrushes are a great place to start for a superior oral care routine. While they may not prevent tooth loss, they can help keep your teeth clean and your mouth healthy. 

Which teeth fall out first?

According to Dr. Wendy AuClair Clark, DDS, most tooth development begins at the front of the mouth, with eruptions and losses starting with the incisors. 

“Children typically lose their lower front teeth first [incisors], followed by their upper front teeth,” she says. “This order can vary slightly from person to person. For baby teeth, the lower incisors erupt first, then the upper incisors, then the canines, then the molars. Around two years old, children usually have their full complement of primary teeth. The first permanent molar erupts just behind the baby teeth around the age of six.” 

Research in Pediatrics and Neonatology indicates that low birth weight correlates with a delay in tooth eruption in some babies. With this in mind, the first teeth to appear and the first teeth lost might be later in underweight babies. Another observational study in BMJ Open also found a link between breastfeeding and tooth eruption, with breastfed babies getting their first teeth sooner than babies that were not breastfed. However, since this was an observational study, it can’t establish cause and effect.

Dentist Dr. Richard Marquez also says that the first teeth a baby gets are usually at the front of the mouth. He outlines each stage of development further:

• Stage 1: (0-6 months) Babies are born with a full set of twenty teeth beneath the gums. 
• Stage 2: (6 months) The first teeth to erupt are the upper and lower front teeth, the incisors. 
• Stage 3: (10-14 months) Primary Molars erupt.
• Stage 4: (16-22 months) Canine teeth (between incisors and molars on top and bottom) will erupt.  
• Stage 5: (25-33 months) Large molars erupt. 

Do adults lose teeth?

Tooth loss in adulthood is something most of us avoid thinking about, but it often happens due to underlying health problems. AuClair Clark explains that the main cases of adult tooth loss can vary. “Adults can lose teeth from dental caries [decay] or periodontal [gum] disease,” she says. “These can be caused or exacerbated by any number of factors, including oral hygiene, systemic conditions or genetics.”

Dr, Marquez also says the top four reasons he sees adult tooth loss in patients are:

• Wisdom teeth that need to be removed 
• Premolars removed for braces 
• Decayed teeth that need removing 
• Gum (periodontal) problems that can cause teeth to get wobbly and either fall out or need to be removed. 

Data analysed by the Australian Dental Journal indicates that tooth loss is trending down each decade, with the average number of teeth lost for any reason slightly reduced from data collected in 2004-06 to 2017-18. The findings indicate that instances of tooth loss increase with age, and were higher in groups who were socio-economically disadvantaged. 

Underlying cognitive conditions can also impact tooth loss, particularly with diseases like dementia, which impact memory. An article in the Journal of Dental Research indicates that there may be a causal relationship between tooth loss and dementia, with inflammation in the mouth impacting the central nervous system. A review in Gerodontology indicates similar findings over 756 articles, although evidence of this link remains inconclusive.  

What are the signs of teething in children?

AuClair Clark outlines signs you should look out for if an infant may be teething.  “Signs of teething include excess drooling, putting their hands and other toys and things in their mouth to chew, and being a little fussier than usual,” she explains. “The gums may be slightly red in the area of tooth eruption.”

The FDA also advice on teething, including ways to make your child more comfortable.

The Oral-B iO Series 10 is currently the head of toothbrush royalty with more features and smarts than any brush the brand has created before. As such, this comes with a price tag which clearly reflects that premium offering. Spending that extra does get you new features like fast wireless charging, quieter operating, and smart tracking features. But does this model justify that extra expense over the competition? 

If you're a committed user who takes advantage of the tracking features, this can give you the best possible teeth and gum care. Realistically, though, you may not stick to using it that extensively. That said, the new base with live feedback does take away the reliance of a connected phone for live feedback as you brush without the effort older models like the iO series 9 demanded.

The round, rotating head on this brush also vibrates at a micro level, giving it the ability to provide the best clean yet. Combine this with the iO specific heads, along with seven cleaning modes, and this brush should be able to keep even the most challenging of mouths up to the highest dental standards. Will your dentist notice you've upgraded to this over the iO Series 9 model though? Likely not. 

This review aims to lay out all you need to know before you commit to your new toothbrush. Although it's worth noting that while the suggested retail price sits at $350/£450, at time of publishing, it has launched first in the U.K. U.S. launch is expected soon.

Oral-B iO Series 10 review: Design

The Oral-B iO Series 10 is available in two versions: Stardust White and Cosmic Black. In both cases the design features a flecked pattern finish which gives that Stardust and Cosmic look. The brush heads themselves come in solid colors to match the brushes and specifically feature the iO connectivity head, meaning only this type will work with the model.

The handle itself offers a smooth finish with a slight matte, enough to give you a reassuring grip as you hold and use the brush at various angles. The lightweight build makes it comfortable to use but there is also a decent balance to the brush giving it heft in the right places to make brushing near effortless. It also helps to give great feedback so you can apply the right amount of pressure quite intuitively, even without that light ring offering color based feedback to help (more on that below).

The display is very clear with a relatively high-resolution LED color screen. This is top and tailed by two buttons, each of which are slightly concave and covered with a grippy rubber surface. This is useful for grip but not necessary when brushing, since the Cosmic dots actually slightly protrude to offer grip all over the brush handle.

The box offers you the toothbrush itself with a head and a two pin charger that connects to the wireless magnetic charging dock. There is also a slender travel case which can be used to charge with the same mains power cable. You also get a travel case to hold two more spare heads. 

Oral-B iO Series 10 review: Functionality

The Oral-B iO Series 10 is packed full of powerful and genuinely useful features. Initially you're met with a color display and two buttons. This makes the controls super intuitive and clear when flitting between the seven cleaning modes. These are Daily Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, Intense+, Whiten, Gum Care, and Tongue Clean.

The brush features a color light ring, which can be adjusted to personal preference with lots of color options. But this also works to help achieve the right pressure, displaying red if you push too hard and white if too lightly, with green remaining solid when you're using it just right. This model takes that further with the dock.

While the dock base is a great way to drop the toothbrush onto the magnetic top so it can wirelessly charge, it also has a display on the dock front. This can display the time and date, via a WiFi connection, as well as cleaning time as you go, or zone coverage using useful lights. All of this means you can monitor your brushing progress closely without the need to have your phone there with the app open. This is genuinely useful as most people don't maintain use of the app after the novelty wears off – this dock helps fix that issue by always offering feedback at a glance without the need to do anything. For us, this was a big appeal over the Series 9 model and helps to justify the extra cost.

Super impressive is the smart learning where the brush will automatically reduce the number of brush head movements – in Daily Clean, Sensitive and Intense modes – should you be brushing too hard regularly. This can better protect your gums and avoid damage to your teeth.

The dock is also packed with fast charging, capable of getting your brush back to fully juiced in just three hours.

By using the speckled dots on the brush handle there are no other grip areas added. This makes for easier cleaning with a single constant surface to wipe down or wash under the tap with ease. On the black model the white dots could be seen to look like toothpaste flecks at a glance, but on closer inspection these are clearly a design choice.

The app is a really powerful addition that allows you to see your mouth coverage in real time, changing color as you brush, so you can work towards total and even brushing. Once the virtual teeth are sparkling white you know you're done in that zone. 

You can change the 360-degree color ring on the brush with six options, or use the app to change between 11 optional color types. The app also offers rewards and tips to help you clean – all aiding in motivation to keep you using the brush to its fullest potential. 

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Oral-B iO Series 10 review: Performance

The Oral-B iO Series 10 uses a small round brush head which offers an oscillating action, as well as micro vibrations to give a deeper clean. This is as close to combining both oscillating and sonic toothbrush cleaning styles into one model as has been managed so far. The end result is super satisfying; we could actually feel the smooth finish on our teeth when we ran our tongue over them.

The various modes of this model are particularly useful when combined with the LED screen, as you can read the name of the mode along with the icon. Many other models don't offer this and it can sometimes leave you wondering just what each mode is for. The screen also offers the timer. Then, at the end of your brushing session there is a comical emoji style face that's either happy or upset with your effort, letting you know immediately if you've done enough. You even get a starry eyed smile if you brush longer than needed.

For ease of use the app helpfully lets you reorder the brushing modes. This is ideal because you will likely only use a few and won't have to cycle through all the others to hop between those you like to use regularly.

The handle itself is classed as water resistant, meaning it can be placed under the tap to wash off after use. You shouldn't need to worry about getting this wet, and it didn't prove a problem in testing when fully submerged.

The magnetic and wireless charging dock is fantastic. It couldn't be easier to place on top, where there is a slight nodule protruding in the center, as the brush aligns itself and holds in place to immediately begin charging.

It's also worth noting that for basic use this does a great job too, with a two minute overall timer coming on as standard. This will vibrate subtly every 30 or 20 seconds so you can move between zones for a well-balanced clean.

Everything in this model is noticeably quieter thanks to the iO Series 10 motor system which is a brushless magnetic drive. As such, this is one of the most quiet power models out there that still offers super powerful cleaning. It’s great for late night use, especially if your bathroom is near a bedroom where someone may already be sleeping. 

Oral-B iO Series 10 review: What’s good about it?

One really nice feature that the Oral-B iO Series 10 offers over the competition is smart restarts. That means when you finish brushing, your device will remember the mode you were using and start back up in that mode when you come to use it again. A seemingly small upgrade, but something that really adds to the effortless feel this model is all about.

The feedback on the dock's display and lights are also helpful, allowing you to ditch the smartphone app while still getting all the best benefits it offers. Wireless magnetic charging is also a big draw here for fast fill-ups, meaning you never really think about the battery life.

The quiet and powerful motor with micro vibrations manages to offer a clean that dentists would approve of, without waking whoever is in the house nearby.

Oral-B iO Series 10 review: What’s not so good about it?

The price of the Oral-B iO Series 10 will be a big problem for some, as it doesn't offer that much more over the far more affordable Series 9 option. This isn't just up front cost either; in committing to the iO series you are also going to need to update those brush heads. These are also more expensive, meaning your ongoing costs are going to be higher over the less premium models out there.

The case has a lovely slim design which is ideal for compact travel but it only holds one extra head. This may be a negative for some who want different types of heads on the go. There is that extra case for carrying these though, so we see this as well addressed by Oral-B. Also, the case charges using the proprietary charger, not using your phone charger cable, to get this juiced up on the go – so that’s another part to pack. But at least it's the same cable for both the dock and the travel case, unlike on the Series 9.

Should you buy the Oral-B iO Series 10?

If money is no object and you want the very best toothbrush that offers a dentist level clean every time you use it, the Oral-B iO Series 10 is the model for you. With a fantastic looking design that's super easy to use, and smart feedback via the brush, app and dock, this is one of the most intuitive smart toothbrushes. That quiet motor delivers a premium finish and thanks to fast charging you don't need to think about battery life. 

It's not cheap though and with most of the features (aside from the smart dock and quieter running) available with the Series 9, you may want to make a saving by going for the previous model instead.

If this product isn’t for you

Oral-B iO Series 9

The Oral-B iO Series 9 offers most of the best features that the 10 does but at a far more affordable price. You won't have that smart dock with visual feedback on your brushing, but since you can get that via the app anyway, it's a great option to save you money while still offering all those premium cleaning features that the best iO models deliver.

Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige

The Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige is a sonic vibrating smart toothbrush that is crammed with useful features. The cleaning result will be similar to the Series 10 but you can save a bit of money and may find positives here, like a larger travel case and more hard pressure feedback, which could appeal over the Series 10.

We enjoyed testing out the Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser and put it through its paces in some difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth. Its sleek design and easy to change tips make it simple to use. 

The flosser comes with a tongue scraper, a periodontal pocket sprinkler, classic jet tip and orthodontic spray tip, which each target different areas of your mouth. The classic jet tip is great for general cleaning, the orthodontic spray is helpful for those with braces and the periodontal pocket sprinkler is suitable for cleaning inflamed gums or impacted teeth. The tongue scraper attachment seemed superfluous. 

If you’re not sure how to floss, we’ve put together a handy guide on how to floss your teeth, and another on how often should you floss, if you’re confused about frequency. Spotlight recommends you use this flosser once a day for effective cleaning.

Spotlight Water Flosser review: Design

The Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser is a versatile product, but it seems that unless you have multiple dental problems, you wouldn’t get use out of every tip. The orthodontic tip is designed for those who have braces and the periodontal tip is for those with periodontal pockets. So if you have no issues, you may only end up using the tongue scraper and ‘normal’ precision tip. These tips need replacing every six months after daily use.

The cordless design makes it easy to pack up and take with you, and the small reservoir makes it compact and lightweight. However, the reservoir is inside the flosser, which seems a strange design choice as it makes it difficult to clean out or properly dry between uses. The little door that needs opening to fill the reservoir is also difficult to lift if you don’t have long nails or a thin tool to help you. If you have wet hands, you’ve got no chance, and seeing as the size of the flosser means it needs refilling during use, this feels like a design flaw. 

Multiple buttons may have made this water flosser more user-friendly, as you have only one button to switch it on and switch between modes, which can make it confusing to use. You might think you’re changing modes but you end up turning it off. This flosser also doesn’t have any other color options, and only comes in white.

Spotlight Water Flosser review: Functionality

The Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser has three pressure settings: normal, soft and pulse (or high, low and pulse considering ‘normal’ runs at 160 PSI) that are controlled by the single button on the body of the tank. You have to press the button multiple times to change the settings, which can take a few uses to figure out. On the pulse setting, the flosser functions at 1,500 pulses per minute (or three sprays a second); this setting can make it easier to move around the mouth and between teeth without spraying water around your bathroom when you open your mouth.

The flosser also comes with a USB charger and takes six hours to reach a full charge from empty, indicating that it is fully charged with a light on the power button. Spotlight says that the battery would last 30 minutes with continuous use and recommends recharging once a week. 

Figuring out how to extend the reservoir took a while, and this compresses as you floss, which can be unnerving when you first try it. Additionally, you can’t see what you’re doing while you’re flossing; you must keep your head down over the sink and your mouth closed to avoid spraying, which means you’re flossing by feel only. If you want to look in the mirror while you floss, you’ll make a mess and possibly squirt yourself in the tonsils. 

The tank has a 190ml capacity, which makes it suitable for travel but means you need to refill it multiple times over one use, as this gets used up quickly, especially when using the product on a high setting. Considering some water flossers have a 600ml+ tank capacity (although these are admittedly not very portable), it seems that this flosser would be good to take on a trip, but less useful to use at home as you have to keep refilling the tank while using it. 

On the most powerful setting, your gums may bleed as they might with manual flossing, and you should experiment to find the right setting for your teeth. The soft, or lower setting may be better, as it is half as powerful (80 PSI) and gentler as a result. Flossing shouldn’t be a painful experience, so if you have sensitive teeth you should use lukewarm water. 

Spotlight Water Flosser review: Performance

The Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser hits the spot when it comes to interdental cleaning. With the powerful periodontal tip and pulse setting in particular you can easily flush plaque-causing bacteria out from below the gumline as you move the tip around your teeth. The normal/highest setting allows you to target pockets in your gums or gaps between your teeth with a concentrated jet that works so much better than floss or interdental brushes to clear debris and food.

Our tester didn’t have braces, so couldn’t effectively try out the orthodontic tip, but by looking at it, you can see how the little brush and a jet of water could help remove debris, plaque and bacteria from behind wires or around brackets. As braces make it harder to keep your teeth clean and limit your food options, the orthodontic tip may help you maintain good dental health while you have them on.

The tongue scraper confused us, as it seems that the plastic tip is doing the actual scraping and the water jet is just there to rinse. A basic tongue scraper followed by a rinse with a cup of water would achieve the same result without squirting water everywhere. 

Spotlight Water Flosser review: What’s good about it?

The Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser is a great product. It doesn’t have a strange taste, which some flossers we tested have, and the tips are easy to change. On the highest setting the jet is powerful enough to blast any debris from between teeth, and the lower setting is gentle enough to use on swollen gums that might be painful to clean. You can also swap out the ‘normal’ tip for the slightly narrower periodontal tip one for a more targeted clean. 

Spotlight Water Flosser review: What’s not so good about it?

You only get a few seconds of use on a high setting before you need to refill the water reservoir on the Spotlight Water Flosser. This means you can’t clean your entire mouth in one go. You also can’t easily dry out the reservoir after use as it is inside the flosser itself, instead of a separate compartment. While this makes the device more compact, it seems like the damp environment would promote bacteria and mold growth. It is also annoying to refill with wet hands. 

The product needs to be in your mouth when you switch it on otherwise you will spray water everywhere. In addition, it needs to be in your mouth while you select the correct setting, so it is generally messy and stressful to use until you have it on the setting you want. In the time it takes to get to the correct setting, you may also run out of water and need to refill it. 

Spotlight Water Flosser review: User reviews

Reviews are fairly positive, with 3.4 stars out 5 being the average on Amazon. The Spotlight Water Flosser itself is good and users like it; most complaints in the reviews or bad reviews were due to the lack of functionality of water flossers in general, not just this one. It does seem to be a niche product that the average user may find too much hassle to use, but could be a godsend for those with existing dental conditions or gum problems.

Should you buy the Spotlight Oral Care Water Flosser?

If you have braces, implants, veneers, bridges, crowns, periodontal pockets or gaps the Spotlight Water Flosser can help elevate your oral care routine. While anyone can use it and see benefits compared with normal flossing due to the powerful jet, it is particularly useful for those who have pre-existing dental problems. Our tester has badly impacted wisdom teeth and periodontal pockets and found it useful for flushing food and debris out of these areas, which are prone to infection and hard to clean. Having used all sorts of interdental brushes, mouthwashes and flossing equipment to try and tackle these issues, the water flosser offers a simple and effective solution. 

If this product isn’t for you

We recommend the Oclean Oral Irrigator, which is easier to keep clean and dry, as the tank just pops off the bottom. For a similar price, you could get the Waterpik cordless, although this comes with less tips. 

The removal of wisdom teeth, also called third molars, is one of the most common surgical procedures in the US. We spend an estimated $3 billion a year having 10 million wisdom teeth taken out, according to the American Public Health Association. This can come with some degree of discomfort, so if you’re wondering what to eat after wisdom teeth removal, you’ve come to the right place.

Most people have four wisdom teeth – so-called because they are the last to come through, usually between ages 17 and 21. By this time you should already have 28 adult teeth in place, so there often isn’t enough room for the wisdom teeth to grow properly.

If you’ve had surgery to remove them, you may experience some swelling or discomfort afterwards, and you definitely won’t want to crunch down on anything hard or difficult to chew.

We spoke to an expert to find out more about what to eat after wisdom teeth removal for a fast and (relatively) pain-free recovery. While you're here, have a look at the best and the worst foods for teeth. And once you’re back to your old self, be sure to check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes to stay on top of your oral health. 

Do you need to get your wisdom teeth removed?

There is a common misconception that everyone has to get their wisdom teeth taken out at some point.

“You only need to get your wisdom teeth removed if they are decayed, infected or they’ve caused swelling and infection of the gum three times in a 12 month period,” says dentist Dr Hanna Kinsella.

Most wisdom teeth come up to the surface but can’t come through all the way, pushing neighboring teeth and the jaw bone from inside the gums. As you’d expect this ongoing impact can cause pain and infection – and they need to be extracted.

The good news is, if you’re thinking: can wisdom teeth grow back, the answer is no.

What to eat after wisdom teeth removal

“After having your wisdom teeth removed, you can expect a swollen mouth and cheeks, which will be most noticeable in the first few days,” says Dr Hanna. “It will lessen each day post removal, and if you want to reduce the swelling, try popping ice in a cloth and holding it to the jaw for periods of time. You might also encounter some bruising on the cheeks and a stiff jaw - again this all calms down after a couple of days.” 

Hanna says that you’ll want to eat foods that don’t require much chewing as it’ll be slightly numb in the mouth and won’t feel great to chew down on harder foods. They recommend:

• Smooth soups
• Yogurt
• Mashed fruits
• Bananas
• Anything without bits
• Ice cream

“Smoothies are a great choice, as you can make these as cold as you like with ice blended in and the nutrients in the fruit can promote healing,” adds Hanna. “A few days in, you can move onto foods with slightly harder textures like scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes and soft vegetables.”  

What to avoid after wisdom teeth removal

After having your wisdom teeth removed, try to avoid anything that has the potential to aggravate you and potentially hinder healing.

Dr Hanna says: “For the first 24 hours, you should avoid rinsing your mouth, spitting, hot drinks or anything else that may dislodge the blood clots that form in the empty tooth socket. These help the healing process and are necessary. 

• Related: The best and worst foods for teeth
• Related: How to whiten teeth naturally at home

“In terms of foods to avoid, spicy foods will really aggravate the mouth as will acidic foods like oranges and lemons. They can cause irritation and make any pain worse. Avoid alcohol too - wine and spirits are only going to delay healing. Rice and small grains can get trapped in the teeth so avoid those if possible, as well as pasta. 

“Crunchy foods like crisps are best to avoid so try and stick to soft, manageable foods that don’t require chewing until you feel better.” 

Extra tips for wisdom teeth removal

If you’re really struggling after your oral surgery, painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can take the edge off.

“Take the recommended dose on the packet – and just rest,” advises Dr Hanna. “Avoid strenuous activity and exercise for a few days. There’s no benefit for your recovery and it’ll just tire you out after the procedure. 

“It can feel better to sit upright after the procedure so propping a pillow up for your head might be a good idea. Call your dentist if you have a fever, or if your pain or swelling doesn’t improve.”

Looking to upgrade your dental hygiene routine? The Oral-B iO Series 9 electric toothbrush is $239.97 at Amazon, a saving of $90. This top-of-the-range electric toothbrush comes with a host of smart features, including a pressure sensor, AI-powered app and a charging travel case.

In fact, the Oral-B iO Series 9 is one of the best electric toothbrushes we've tried, and leaves your teeth sparkly clean.

• See all the deals at Amazon US
• See all the deals at Amazon UK

Available in pink, white or black, the Oral-B iO Series 9 has a sleek design. As well as an impressive seven brushing modes, it has a built-in timer and built-in pressure sensor, to make sure that you get the most out of brushing. 

• Find all the best Amazon Prime Day 2022 deals on fitness and health

There's no doubt that the Oral B iO Series 9 is a premium gadget, with no less than seven brushing modes. This includes sensitive and super sensitive modes for those with more sensitive gums. There's even a tongue brushing mode, which isn't something we've seen on other electric toothbrushes.

But the real 'wow factor' of this toothbrush is the AI-powered app. Once you're connected, you can track your session. The app will show you the zones of your mouth you've been brushing, and will assign you a score to help you improve brushing next time. The battery life is also great – we went through 15 days of regular brushing without needing to recharge it. 

If you're looking to seriously invest in your oral health, don't miss out on a huge $90 saving right now with Amazon Prime Day.

For more, check out our Amazon Prime Day Health Deals for 2022.

If you want a healthy smile, you’ll already know about the importance of brushing, but have you considered your diet? Sugar-laden products are among the worst foods for teeth as they create the conditions for tooth decay. Instead, focus on eating more nutrient-dense foods that strengthen your teeth and protect against cavities.

There’s so much information about nutrition for weight loss that the impact of the food we eat on our teeth can get overlooked. Here, we’ll delve into the best and worst foods for teeth so you can make smarter choices. We also asked the experts for their tips on good oral hygiene.

If you want a brighter smile the number one thing you can do is to brush regularly. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes each time. Check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes to take your brushing routine to the next level. 

For now, we’ll dig into the science behind the best and worst foods for teeth. 

The worst foods for teeth

Foods high in sugar

Candies, cookies, and cakes are not only bad for your waistline, but they are also among the worst foods for your teeth. 

“When the bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar, it produces an acid by-product that strips the enamel from your teeth,” says Dr Victoria Veytsman, a celebrity cosmetic dentist. When sugar comes into contact with the plaque on your teeth, it stimulates acid production. In turn, the acid attacks the outer enamel layer of your teeth and makes you vulnerable to cavities. 

The risks of eating sugary foods are well-documented. A 2013 review in Acta Medica Academica shows that increased sugar consumption is associated with higher levels of tooth decay. 

Got a sweet tooth? Try replacing sugary snacks with sugarless gum. “Sugarless gum containing xylitol can help reduce bacteria in your mouth and increase the production of saliva,” says Veytsman.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits contain high amounts of acid and sugar. The result? This double whammy of acid leads to erosion of the protective enamel, according to the American Dental Association. While citrus fruits offer health benefits, it’s better to enjoy them in moderation and as part of a meal to minimize acid production. 

• Related: Lemon water benefits: Are there any?

Simple carbs

Simple carbohydrates like potato chips and white bread are among the worst foods for teeth. Research from 2011 in the Pediatric Dentistry Journal found that eating processed carbs, such as potato chips, was associated with higher levels of tooth decay. Potato chips tend to get trapped in between your teeth. These remnants of food cause plaque to accumulate, putting you at risk of tooth decay. It’s a similar story with bread, which forms a paste that coats the teeth and can increase plaque levels. 

Want an alternative? Try switching out simple carbs for complex, wholegrain carbs, such as 100% wholewheat breads, quinoa, potatoes and oatmeal.

Hard foods

You may be forgiven for thinking that ice is harmless as it only contains water. Yet chewing ice can wreak havoc and even result in chipped teeth. Remove the temptation to chew ice by chilling your drinks in the freezer or using crushed ice. 

“Chewing on ice is bad as it creates micro-cracks on the enamel, which can cause sensitivity and chipping of the teeth. Many of my patients come in with cracked teeth that need to be replaced with dental implants because of eating popcorn,” says Dr Sanda Moldovan, a periodontist and nutritionist at Beverly Hills Dental Health and Wellness. 

The best foods for teeth

Crunchy fruit and veg

Fruit and veggies, like carrots, celery, and apples are a superb choice for your teeth. While not a substitute for brushing, they can act as a natural toothbrush and even dislodge plaque. There’s evidence that eating plenty of vegetables can be good for your teeth as well as your overall health. A 2021 review in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that low vegetable intake was associated with higher levels of tooth decay.

What’s more, chomping on veggies like celery stimulates saliva production, which helps to remove remnants of food. As a bonus, saliva contains trace amounts of calcium and phosphates, which toughen your enamel.

Calcium-rich foods

Want to keep cavities at bay? Calcium is your friend: it plays an essential role in strengthening your enamel. Meeting your calcium needs has several benefits. A 2017 study in Clinical Oral Investigations found that young women with lower calcium intake had an increased risk of oral disease. 

Incorporating foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt into your diet will boost your calcium intake. On a vegan diet? There are plenty of plant-based alternatives, such as leafy greens, tofu, and beans, which are rich in calcium.

• Related: Is milk good for your teeth?

Lean protein

Lean proteins like chicken, fish, and eggs are all rich sources of phosphorus. This mineral is crucial for rebuilding enamel and can protect against cavities, according to the American Dental Association. Even better, many lean sources of protein also contain low amounts of sugar, which is beneficial for your teeth. 

Nuts

Nuts are a fantastic choice for a tooth-friendly snack. They pack a nutritional punch with minerals like calcium, which strengthen the enamel according to the American Dental Association. Tuck into almonds as an alternative to empty-calorie snacks. 

Tips for maintaining good oral hygiene

Veytsman has the following advice: “Going to the dentist regularly and brushing and flossing your teeth all help keep up your oral hygiene.” 

The American Dental Association recommends using fluoride toothpaste to help protect against tooth decay, especially if you live in an area where the water is not fluoridated. Find out more about the effects of fluoride in our reference guide: Is fluoride good for your teeth?

Don’t forget to floss. It’s a fantastic way to thoroughly clean those hard-to-reach spots. Learn how to floss your teeth here.

If you notice you have bleeding gums, you may be tempted to ignore them. Yet it’s a symptom worth paying attention to, so you can understand the cause and treat it at an early stage. There are various reasons for bleeding gums, including poor oral hygiene, hormone fluctuations and vitamin deficiencies.

Maintaining a regular brushing regime is crucial not just for your pearly whites but for your overall gum health. If plaque accumulates near the gums, it causes irritation and bleeding. Don’t forget to gently brush the gum line, and check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes to achieve a deep clean.

You’ll be reassured to know you can treat bleeding gums, especially if you take action in the early stages. We’ll delve into the common causes and how you can reduce your risk of developing this troubling symptom. 

What are bleeding gums?

Often, the first sign of bleeding gums is when you notice blood in the sink. This is because it tends to show up when you're brushing your teeth. If your gums are sensitive or irritated, brushing can result in bleeding. That’s not an excuse to avoid brushing. Poor oral hygiene is a common cause of bleeding gums, leading to plaque and bacteria accumulating on the gum line, so knowing how to floss your teeth and how to use an electric toothbrush correctly are good steps.

Other causes of bleeding gums include gum disease, pregnancy, vitamin deficiencies, tobacco use, and over-brushing, according to the American Dental Association. Bleeding gums can also indicate more serious underlying health issues, such as leukemia – though this is not common. 

What causes bleeding gums?

Bleeding gums can be a warning sign that something isn’t right. Let’s dig into the possible causes.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. “Symptoms of gingivitis include constant bad breath, swollen, red, and tender gums, and bleeding when brushing or flossing,” says Dr Jeffrey Sulitzer, the chief clinical officer at SmileDirectClub.

Gingivitis is more common than you might expect. According to the CDC, nearly half of adults over 30 have gum disease. The good news is that if you catch gum disease in the early stages, it's reversible.

“Though it depends on the severity of the issue, standard treatment can include a dentist removing plaque and tartar build-up. Since most gingivitis is caused by poor oral hygiene, your dentist will recommend establishing better oral health habits,” says Sulitzer.

Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a more advanced stage of gum disease – when it spreads beyond the gums to the bones. “Periodontitis includes symptoms of tooth loss, receding gums, bad breath, bleeding gums, and pain when chewing and brushing,” says Sulitzer. Act early to avoid it deteriorating to the point where you may need surgery.

Vitamin deficiencies

You’ll likely be aware of the link between eating sugary foods and cavities, but did you know your diet affects your gum health, too? “A lack of vitamins C and K could lead to bleeding gums if your diet does not contain the proper levels you need to stay healthy,” says Sulitzer. 

Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, which supports optimal gum health. Don’t forget vitamin K, too. It is crucial for blood clotting, which can lessen the chances of bleeding gums. 

Pregnancy

Pregnant women are at greater risk of bleeding gums. According to the American Dental Association, hormonal fluctuations result in increased blood flow and sensitivity in the gums, making them prone to bleeding. While bleeding gums are common during pregnancy, they’re not inevitable. Speak to your health provider who can advise on how to maintain your oral health during pregnancy.

• Related: How to get pregnant: Tips and facts to increase fertility

Smoking

Smoking is not only linked to an increased risk of tooth staining and cavities, but it can also affect your gum health. According to the CDC, smoking is one of the main risk factors for advanced gum disease. Seek support to quit if you want a healthy smile. 

Over-brushing

Poor oral hygiene is a leading cause of bleeding gums, but did you know over-brushing can be a problem too? If you’re over-zealous with scrubbing, it can be counterproductive and result in bleeding gums, according to the American Dental Association. It might be a clue that you need to ease the pressure when brushing. 

How can you treat bleeding gums?

You’ll be reassured that bleeding gums are treatable, and gum disease can be reversed if you take action in the early stages. Here’s how to keep bleeding gums at bay.

Brush twice a day

Regular brushing keeps your smile bright and maintains gum health. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes. 

“Proper dental hygiene is the first step to managing bleeding gums. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing are ways to prevent them,” says Sulitzer. Use gentle, circular motions when brushing, and take your time to avoid missing spots. If you suspect you're overdoing it, opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush or invest in an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor so you can nail your technique.

Floss daily

Struggling to reach those niggly bits in between your teeth? Flossing can come to the rescue. It’s a great way to remove bacteria from hard-to-reach spots. Be gentle and avoid pinging the floss against your gum line. If you struggle with traditional flossing, why not try a water flosser like the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0? They work by squirting water into the spaces between the teeth to eliminate bacteria.

Avoid tobacco

Tobacco use is a leading cause of gum disease. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce your risk of bleeding gums and other oral health issues.

Eat a nutrient-dense diet

Focus on eating a well-balanced diet to make sure you’re meeting all of your nutritional needs. For healthy gums, pay attention to the amount of vitamin C in your diet. Eat more oranges, broccoli, and bell peppers. Vitamin K is also your friend for optimal gum health. Fill your plate with leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens.

Why not check out our easy Mediterranean diet meal plan to start you on the right track?

See a dentist regularly 

Don’t forget to see your dentist regularly. They can monitor your gum health at check-ups and pick up any issues early on.

The Oclean X Pro Elite is a great all-round electric toothbrush, with technical features that make it easy to customize your brushing regime and monitor areas you may need to work on. The touchscreen is easy to use, with 32 levels of intensity and four brushing modes, as well as the option to change the duration of your brushing time. It is priced affordably for a smart toothbrush, performing just as well as more expensive options. 

The brush has app-pairing capabilities, which allow you to monitor your brushing scores (each time you use it, the brush rates your session) and also see how soon you might need to change the brush-head. The app also allows you to check in on family members, which makes it easier for parents to monitor kids' brushing times and notice if there are any areas of their mouth that might need extra attention. The app can be overwhelming, with many options and tabs, but once you get the hang of it, it gives you a depth of analysis that can elevate your brushing.

Read on for our full review of the Oclean X Pro, including it’s performance, functionality and user reviews. Plus, to see how it compares to others on the market, check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes.

Oclean X Pro Elite review: Design

The Oclean X Pro Elite is a sleek, gray brush with a large touchscreen in the center of the base that lets you select your cleaning regime and check in on how well you’re doing.  

With the amount of settings it has, the toothbrush can be confusing at first, but it gives you a degree of personalization that means you can find the best cleaning settings for you. There are four brushing modes, with 32 intensity levels, so you can find a favorite whether you have sensitive teeth, or want a deep clean. The standard brushing time is set for two minutes, but you can opt for longer if you want, with the touchscreen giving the option to customize the mode, duration and intensity from the brush itself. You can use a quiz in the Oclean app to find the right brushing settings for your needs. We had ours on white mode, intensity four and set for three minutes of brushing time.

The head is easy to change, just popping off the top of the toothbrush and slotting back into place without any twisting or buttons to fiddle with. The charger is USB-compatible, meaning you can plug it into a laptop or standard phone charger and it should be charged by the next time you need to brush, taking approximately 3.5 hours for a full charge. The charge lasts at least a month, with an animation indicating when the battery goes below 20% and needs to be recharged.

The wall-mounted magnetic storage is useful and claims to keep the brush-head free of bacteria as it keeps it from sitting on bathroom surfaces. We found that the wall-mounted storage was a useful bathroom space-saver. Oclean also sells travel cases, electric water picks and holder/charger options, as well as extra brush-heads.

Oclean X Pro Elite review: Functionality

The brush holds your hand through the cleaning process. It tells you when to move to a new section of your mouth by vibrating every 30 seconds and gives you a summary of your clean when you’ve finished, highlighting on the screen which areas you may have missed. This data is then stored in the app so you can keep track of your brushing, day-to-day. If you have several Oclean X Pro Elites, there is family mode on the app, which allows you to monitor other family members’ brushing and check when brush-heads need replacing.

The brush automatically switches on as you pick it up and switches itself off after a period of inactivity. You can pause it by pressing the power button, and scroll through the touchscreen to change modes. We found the touchscreen fiddly at first, but once we got the hang of swiping through the settings, it became easy to use. We would also note that the touchscreen might make the brush unsuitable for someone with a visual impairment, as it is small. 

Oclean X Pro Elite review: Performance

The brush-head is a great shape for cleaning the whole mouth, and our teeth felt clean after a brush even on a low-intensity setting. We were expecting a round brush-head, as we were used to oscillating brushes, but the speed at which the brush vibrates makes the longer, oblong brush-head useful for cleaning tooth surfaces bit by bit, as you would with a manual brush. As a sonic-type toothbrush, the Oclean X Pro Elite uses high speeds and high frequency sound waves to remove plaque from the surfaces of your teeth, brushing at up to 42,000 rpm. This is more than your average oscillating electric toothbrush, which comes in at 1,300-8,800 rpm. 

The battery life sold this product for us, as we didn’t need to worry about storing it in a charger and only needed to plug it in once a month. This is useful if you’re traveling and don’t have the time or resources to regularly charge your toothbrush. 

Oclean X Pro Elite review: What’s good about it?

If you want to know exactly how well you are brushing, and enjoy gadgetry, this is the toothbrush for you. We found the touchscreen functional and simple to use and the app made it easy for us to keep track of brushing performance and target areas. 

The brush is quiet in comparison with other brands, which makes it a less-invasive experience, particularly if you have sensory issues or are trying to avoid waking someone. We found that if we accidentally knocked the back of the brush against our teeth, the vibrations made a loud noise and reverberated through the jaw, but we managed to avoid doing that after a few uses. 

Oclean X Pro Elite review: What’s not so good about it?

There is no grip or texture on the Oclean X Pro Elite handle, which may make it less suitable for those with fine motor problems or for kids. Although the handle is chunky, the vibrations when it is on make it easy to drop, and if you aren’t paying attention you may accidentally lose your grip when taking it off/putting it on the wall-mounted holder. 

Although the brushing score with a visual showing you where you need to brush more is useful, you can’t see it while you’re brushing, so you can’t rectify it if you are neglecting a certain area until you brush again. The app means you can keep an eye on these summaries, but if you are in a rush it isn’t practical to check before you brush.

The lack of color choices might put some people off, as may the lack of a complimentary travel case. However, considering the performance of the brush, these elements are secondary to performance and user-friendliness.

Oclean X Pro Elite review: User reviews

Users rate the Oclean X Pro Elite highly, with a 4-star average on Amazon. People particularly like the battery life and the smooth, clean feeling of teeth after use. The wall-mounted toothbrush holder is mentioned several times for its functionality and one user praised it for being light and easy to hold. A couple of less-positive reviews mention that the brush doesn’t vibrate with the strength or intensity of competitor brands.

Should you buy the Oclean X Pro Elite?

We loved the Oclean X Pro Elite and would recommend you buy it if you love analysis and getting into the nitty-gritty of your teeth-cleaning regime. The family mode also makes it useful for parents who want to keep an eye on their kids’ dental health or want reminders of when to change the brush-head for other family members.   

If this product isn’t for you

If you don’t think the Oclean X Pro Elite is the electric toothbrush for you, you might want to try the Oral B Genius X for another app-driven option, or the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 for a sonic-based alternative. 

Want to whiten teeth naturally? The American Dental Association reported that when people were asked what they would most like to improve about their smile, the top response was whiter teeth. While there is information from the Journal of Evidence-based Dental Practice that professional teeth whitening with bleaching agents makes a difference, many people are looking to natural remedies to achieve a brighter smile. Have a look at our guide on is teeth whitening safe for more info on the impacts of teeth whitening on health. 

Experts agree that maintaining oral hygiene is crucial for healthy, clean teeth. Our guide to the best electric toothbrushes makes brushing a breeze, and can upgrade your dental routine. You can also have a look at our guide on how to use an electric toothbrush for more information on how to use an electric toothbrush for the best results.

You’ll hear claims about ways to whiten teeth naturally, though often the evidence is lacking. Even worse, some methods could cause damage. It can be confusing, though help is at hand as we’ve consulted the experts and examined the science behind ways to whiten teeth naturally. 

Dr Safa Al-Naher, the director and principal dentist at Serene Dental and Facial Aesthetics, says: “See a dental professional, and don’t take matters into your own hands.” A dentist can offer expert, individualized advice on your options to improve the appearance of your smile.

Plus, did you know that a natural smile is not pearly white but often a shade of yellow? Our teeth consist of three layers: enamel, dentin, and pulp. The middle layer, dentin, is yellow. If the enamel is thin, it can expose the underlying dentin. Find out more in our reference guide: are teeth naturally yellow?

Cut down on foods and drinks that stain teeth

If you’re looking to whiten teeth naturally, you’ll want to understand why teeth become discolored. There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the appearance of teeth, according to the American Dental Association. Intrinsic factors include your age and health conditions, which alter the color of teeth. In this scenario, a dentist would need to prescribe teeth whitening with a bleaching agent to change the color. Yet if there are extrinsic factors or stains on the surface, lifestyle changes can improve the appearance of your teeth.

“Avoid anything with strong colorings, such as tea, coffee, red wine, turmeric, various spices, and tomato sauces,” says Al-Naher. While it’s not realistic to eliminate these, you may want to limit your consumption. 

If you’re not keen on giving up your favorite beverages, here’s a nifty trick. “Use a straw to consume colored drinks so they don’t stain your teeth,” says Dr Manrina Rhode, an aesthetic dental surgeon and owner of DRMR clinic. The straw reduces contact with staining ingredients and minimizes discoloration.  

Have a look at our investigation into 'is milk good for your teeth' to see how drinking milk may help your dental health.

Quit smoking

Quitting smoking not only has a positive impact on your overall health but can also improve the appearance of your teeth, according to the American Dental Association. Achieving a whiter smile may be the motivation you need to quit.

Smoking results in discoloration for two reasons. The nicotine causes yellow staining when it comes into contact with oxygen. Plus, tar is a naturally dark substance that can result in discoloration.

The jury’s out on oil pulling

Through social media, you may have heard about oil pulling – though it has its roots in Ayurvedic folk remedies. The idea is that swilling oil around your mouth and spitting it out removes bacteria. Research from 2009 in the Indian Journal of Dental Research suggested that oil pulling could reduce plaque build-up. Yet a 2017 review in Dental Hypotheses concluded that the evidence behind oil pulling was lacking, as many studies involve small sample sizes or the method is flawed.

The American Dental Association does not endorse oil pulling due to the lack of data on its effectiveness and safety. If you’re worried about missing hard-to-reach spots you may want to try flossing as an alternative.

• Related: How to floss your teeth

Skip activated charcoal

There is hype about the use of activated charcoal to whiten teeth naturally, but does the science back this up? Activated charcoal is porous and can trap chemicals, according to Medline Plus by the National Library of Medicine. Yet experts have concerns about the safety of this method. 

“There is more danger than benefit to using natural products, like strawberries, lemon, charcoal and baking soda. All of these work by removing the superficial stain on the teeth, initially making them look whiter. With continued use, they will remove the enamel. Once you lose enamel it doesn’t grow back. Under the enamel is dentin which is even more yellow and sensitive,” says Rhode.

If you struggle with sensitivity, have a look at our guide to what causes toothaches for more information.

Give DIY baking soda treatments a miss

The benefits of baking soda as a remedy to whiten teeth naturally have been touted, but what’s the evidence? Baking soda is supposed to scrub surface stains and result in a sparkling smile. 

One 1998 study in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry showed that using toothpaste containing baking soda resulted in whiter teeth compared with toothpaste without it. Yet this is an old study, and there is no evidence about the effectiveness of DIY treatments. 

Some experts have concerns that baking soda is abrasive, especially if used in excess. It could damage the teeth and risks being counterproductive since you could expose the underlying yellow dentin. Al-Naher advises looking for a “toothpaste with a slightly grainy consistency like a scrub for your teeth. Don't use any at-home scrubs. Use a toothpaste that is specifically designed for that purpose.”

Brush regularly

Don’t overlook the importance of everyday hygiene. The American Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes twice a day to maintain a healthy smile. The accumulation of plaque can result in surface stains. Brushing your teeth regularly can remove this plaque and improve the appearance of your smile.

Be mindful that you’re not overdoing it. “A lot of people think that by over brushing, they're going to whiten their teeth but what ends up happening is they wear away the enamel and what's left is the yellow dentin beneath,” says Al-Naher. 

If you’re looking for ways to whiten your teeth naturally, brushing your teeth correctly and limiting contact with substances that stain the teeth can help. Be aware that the evidence is lacking for certain methods and they could cause more harm than good.

When you think about strong teeth and bones you probably think about cow's milk. But is milk good for your teeth, or are there ways that it can harm them? 

With more people opting for a plant-based diet, vegan alternatives to cow’s milk (that have a similar nutritional make-up) are in demand. But the vegan diet is more accessible than ever, and many vegan staples, such as tempeh, are rich in calcium, meaning you don’t need to rely on cow’s milk to get your daily dose. 

We’ve spoken to the experts about how milk can affect dental health and collected their best oral care tips for a healthy, happy mouth. If you’re looking to upgrade your oral hygiene routine, our guide to the best electric toothbrushes has a variety of options to suit a range of consumers too.

How does milk affect dental health?

Milk is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus, which are minerals the body uses for the maintenance of bones and teeth. They are also used for muscle contractions (including your heartbeat) and for normal blood clotting. Calcium is the most abundant mineral found in the body, and 98% of it is stored in our skeleton, which our body uses as a reservoir for the constant remodeling of our bones throughout our lives. For good dental health, you need to ensure that you are consuming enough calcium each day to replenish this reservoir, as this is what your body uses to make enamel and dentin. 

Have a look at our feature on 'are teeth considered bones?' for more information about how teeth differ from the rest of the skeleton.

Dentist Dr Sunita De Zoysa explains that milk is rich in a variety of minerals that help to contribute to good dental health. “Milk contains several useful minerals, vitamins and proteins, which makes it a fantastic drink for your health and teeth,” she says. “Milk also contains casein proteins that form a protective film on the surface of your teeth, acting to protect against decay. It also contains vitamin D, which helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from your diet, as well as helping to repair damaged dentin and fighting against gum disease by aiding the immune system and reducing gum inflammation.”

You can read more about is teeth whitening safe if you're concerned you are damaging your teeth through whitening. 

• Related: Which foods boost the immune system?
• Related: How often should you floss?

As well as being calcium-rich, milk is high in a sugar called lactose (which some people can’t digest). If consumed too close to bedtime and without brushing your teeth, these sugars will act like any other sugar and contribute to the development of tooth decay. The bacteria in our mouths love sugar, and they produce acids that dissolve the enamel over time, which is why it’s recommended that you brush your teeth right before bed. 

Dr Tarun Nagpal, a Doctify-reviewed dentist, explains that calcium is important for growing children. “Cow's milk is a great source of calcium, which is essential during infancy for growth and development of your teeth and bones,” he says. “When we are adults and our teeth are fully formed the benefit of milk becomes more superficial, rather than a necessity.” 

De Zoysa also says that milk is useful as an enamel-protective drink if consumed after a meal. “One of the most important things about milk is that it helps to neutralize acid or sugar attacks, so it's a helpful drink to have just after a meal or snack,” she says. “As a dairy product it also stimulates saliva production, which due to its composition, has antimicrobial properties and neutralizing ability, and is helpful in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.”

Do you need to drink milk to get calcium?

While milk is the most well known source of calcium, many foods contain the mineral in abundance. Some, such as meat alternatives and dairy-free milk, are fortified with calcium; oat milk and coconut milk are good plant-based alternatives to cow’s milk. 

Some dairy-free sources of calcium include: 

• Fish – oily fish, particularly where the bones are also consumed, are a good source of calcium. Sardines (with bones) contain 382mg per 100g, salmon has 26mg per 100g and mackerel has 12mg per 100g.
• Plant-based milks – often fortified with calcium as they are used as milk replacements. Unsweetened almond milk contains 120mg of calcium per 100ml, oat milk 130mg per 100g, and soy milk 101mg per 100g. 
• Vegetables – green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium. 100gs of kale contains 254mg, beet leaves come in at 117mg per 100g and broccoli has 46mg per 100g. 
• Meat alternatives – tempeh contains 111mg per 100g serving, and firm silken tofu contains 36mg per 100g. 

De Zoysa says that milk is considered a good drink for your teeth because of the bioavailability of the calcium it contains. “Milk, like other dairy products, is an easy source of calcium and the type found in milk is easily absorbed by the body,” she says. “Other dairy products, such as milk and cheese, also contain easily absorbed calcium. Low-fat dairy options often contain a similar level of calcium.” 

She adds: “If you are allergic to cow’s milk or have a lactose intolerance, there are alternative sources of calcium, including calcium-fortified drinks and food (eg soy milk, almond milk, cereals), dark green leafy vegetables (eg kale, spinach), and soybeans.”

Oral care tips

Dr De Zoysa gave LiveScience her top tips for good oral hygiene:

• Reduce your consumption of sugary and acidic foods and drinks to no more than four times a day and limit them to mealtimes. 
• Don't brush your teeth immediately after a meal, as your teeth will be softer from the acid and sugar. Use sugar-free chewing gum and drink water and milk instead of fizzy drinks. Remember, ‘no added sugar’ drinks still contain their natural sugars and still count as a form of acid or sugar attack. 
• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, last thing at night and on one other occasion. Spit out after brushing and don't rinse with water as this keeps a reservoir of fluoride on your teeth. 
• Clean in between your teeth with interdental aids such as floss and interdental brushes daily. 
• A fluoride mouthwash can be helpful to use at a different time of day to brushing, as your toothpaste will have a higher content of fluoride than your mouthwash. 

In this review, we’ll describe everything you need to know about the Hum by Colgate electric toothbrush, including how well it cleans your teeth, the features of its smart app, the charging process, and the different designs you can choose from. 

The Hum is a sonic toothbrush, meaning that it vibrates at a rate of at least 31,000 strokes per minute. These toothbrushes tend to be quieter and are claimed to be more effective than regular electric toothbrushes. Our tester found the vibration to be a more gentle experience than rotating toothbrushes too. Even so, the Hum makes your teeth feel much cleaner than when using a manual toothbrush and, in our tester’s experience, cleans just as well as a rotating brush. Also, unlike many other electric toothbrushes, the Hum has a tongue scraper on the back of the head, which lets you gently clean your tongue. 

Compared to other electric toothbrushes, the Hum is very lightweight and has a small charging base so it won’t take up too much room on your bathroom shelf. We also liked that you can choose between a rechargeable toothbrush and a battery-powered toothbrush, which is great for people who don’t have the counterspace or don’t like dealing with cords. There are multiple colors to choose from in both the rechargeable and battery-powered.

Overall, the Hum by Colgate is an excellent electric toothbrush that feels different from what you might be used to. You can see how it compares to other brands in our guide to the best electric toothbrushes.

Hum by Colgate review: Design

Compared to other electric toothbrushes, the Hum by Colgate is light and compact. The smaller size can make it easier to brush every surface of your teeth without bumping into your gums like you might with a larger brush head. How small and light the Hum is can also be great for people who have limited space in their bathrooms. 

Because it’s so light, the Hum might also be easier to use for some people than bulkier, heavier electric toothbrushes. Colgate specifies that the Hum was designed with an ergonomic handle that’s easy to grip. 

The Hum by Colgate comes with a travel case and an extra brush head. You can buy it in one of four colors: turquoise, blue, purple, or black. The rechargeable toothbrushes come in solid colors while the battery-powered toothbrushes are two-toned, with a pastel color on top and a darker shade on bottom. 

Hum by Colgate review: Functionality

As a one-button machine, the Hum is very easy to use. The single button lets you shift through three different vibration modes (or two if you buy the battery-powered version): Normal, Sensitive, and Deep Clean. While it might be confusing to know which mode other brushes with multiple brushing modes are set to, the Hum makes it very clear through LED lights. A blue light indicates that you’re on normal speed, a pink light indicates that you’re on sensitive mode (which operates on low speed), and a white light indicates deep clean (the highest speed). You simply click the button to rotate between different modes, and wait for three seconds to set the mode. If you like to brush on one set mode most of the time, you don’t have to find the right mode each time. The brush always opens in the mode you last set it to. 

Charging is also easy. The rechargeable Hum comes with a charging base that starts charging your toothbrush when you set it down on the base. The battery-powered toothbrush takes two AAA batteries. 

Other features of the Hum include a built-in two minute timer and a Bluetooth connected app. The app has a lot of features, which could make it confusing for some. But once you get the hang of it, the app can guide you to brush better. As you brush, you can also earn Smile Points from Colgate, which give you $1 per 100 points to spend on things like replacement brush heads. 

Hum by Colgate review: Performance

Our tester loved the Hum. She used it on all three of its vibration modes, played with the app, checked how long it took the toothbrush’s battery to drain and how long it took to fully charge it. We also submerged it under water to test how water-resistant it is, and tested how loud it is. 

Normal vibration mode is likely to be best for most people, but we love the option of a sensitive mode for people who have sensitive teeth. The deep clean mode was a bit too intense of a vibration for our tester, but she can see how it’d be handy when it feels like your mouth is extra dirty – maybe if you had a lot of sugar or fell asleep before brushing one night. The LED light made it easy to know which mode the toothbrush was on, and the two minute timer makes sure you brush for long enough. 

Running continuously, the Hum’s battery fully drained in about one hour and 20 minutes. It took five hours to fully charge the battery, which is impressive given other brands can take over 20. The manual says that a fully-charged toothbrush battery should last about 10 days if you’re brushing consistently. 

The Hum isn’t as loud as some other electric toothbrushes we tested. We registered 73 decibels, which is roughly as loud as a vacuum cleaner, but note that the background noise in our tester’s New York City apartment was 50 decibels to start. However, the difference between the base-level sound and the sound we registered for the toothbrush is as quiet as a whisper. Truly, the sound is somewhere between those two – louder than a whisper, but much quieter than a vacuum. 

The Hum is water-resistant, not waterproof, however it still held up after we submerged it in water for one two minute brush cycle. Still, the manual suggests that you keep the toothbrush away from water when you can (i.e. don’t take it in the shower). 

Now let’s talk about the app. If you’re interested in smart toothbrushes, this is a great one. The app can be a little confusing to navigate, with daily challenges, test brushing, and guided brushing. However, it does give you a very clear view of how well you brushed and where you could have done better. The app tracks the percentage of your mouth you brushed, how long you brushed, and gives you tips on how to do better – like how to angle your toothbrush and how fast or slow to brush. 

Guided brushing shows you where to brush in the moment, but you can also brush “offline” and then sync the data in the app to see how well you brush your teeth on your own. 

Hum by Colgate review: What’s good about it?

With or without the app, we like the Hum for its multiple vibration modes, light and compact design, and very reasonable price point ($70, though you can often get it on sale). We also love the option to buy a battery-powered version, which is great for people with limited bathroom space or who just don’t like to deal with cords. The battery-operated version is even cheaper ($50), but doesn’t have a deep clean vibration mode. 

For those who want a connected app, the Hum has a very good one. It seems to accurately track your brushing, although it might not be able to see the intricacies of your teeth specifically. Daily challenges and the ability to set reminders like when to brush, when to change your brush head, and when to sync your brushing data are added bonuses. 

Hum by Colgate review: What’s not so good about it?

It’s hard to find much fault with the Hum by Colgate. However, the rechargeable toothbrush does hold less charge than some other electric toothbrushes, lasting only 10 days when others might last weeks or months between charges. If you were going on a long holiday, you would definitely need to pack the charger.

Some people might also dislike that the Hum has only rectangular brush heads when most electric toothbrushes have circular heads. However, the Hum’s brush head is small enough to still easily get around every tooth. 

Hum by Colgate review: User reviews

The Hum by Colgate is rated 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon. Reviewers who like the Hum shout out how lightweight it is, how easy it is to travel with, and that the app shows you just how well you brush. 

“The toothbrush works flawlessly to clean, remove and effectively reduce plaque,” one reviewer wrote. Another said: “I’ve never been able to get my mouth this clean before. I’m so excited about brushing my teeth for the first time in my life.” 

People who were less enthused about the Hum electric toothbrush call out the small toothbrush head and don’t like that the app sometimes misrepresents where you’ve brushed. “You have to hold the brush at a certain angle to get it to work right. It would say I missed sections I know I got,” one user wrote. 

Should you buy the Hum by Colgate?

In our opinion, the Hum by Colgate is well worth the (relatively cheap) price and an excellent choice if you’re looking for an electric toothbrush, especially if you want one that tracks your brushing via an app. It's much cheaper than some brands that also offer Bluetooth connectivity, and we loved that it comes with three brush modes that are easily distinguishable by different colored LED lights.

If this product isn’t for you

If you want an intense tooth-cleaning system, consider the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0, which includes a sonic toothbrush and a water flosser to get your chompers really clean. 

If you want a more basic electric toothbrush, try the Oral B Pro 1000. This toothbrush doesn’t have any extras, no smart phone app or multiple speeds to choose from, but is a powerful and well-loved basic electric toothbrush. 

Finally, we’d recommend the Spotlight Oral Care, which is similar in features to the Hum, but is more sleek and promises a deep clean. However, it doesn’t come with a connected app. 

Considering the switch from a manual toothbrush to electric? The Oral-B Pro 1000 is an excellent electric toothbrush for first-timers. In this review, we’ll explain the Oral-B Pro 1000’s features, what makes it different from other electric toothbrushes, and why it’s particularly good for first-time electric toothbrush users. 

At only $50, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is much cheaper than most of Oral-B’s other electric toothbrush models, as well as many other electric toothbrush brands. This price makes the Oral-B Pro 1000 attractive, especially for first-time users, because you can get the superior clean of an electric toothbrush without paying hundreds. However, the price also means this toothbrush has fewer features than more expensive models may have.

If you’re looking for bells and whistles, like an app-enabled electric toothbrush that tracks your brushing, or an electric toothbrush with several different brushing modes to choose from, this isn’t the electric toothbrush for you. The Oral-B Pro 1000 is a bare-bones electric toothbrush, without many extra features but still powerful and designed to hug each tooth as it spins. 

However, the Oral-B Pro 1000 does have important, core features of an electric toothbrush. A two minute timer pulses every 30 seconds to remind you to cover each section of your mouth; a pressure sensor stops the toothbrush from spinning when you’re brushing too hard; and a warning light tells you when the toothbrush needs to be charged. Because it has all the core features of a good electric toothbrush and comes at such a reasonable price, we’d recommend the Oral-B Pro 1000 to anyone making the switch from a manual toothbrush or anyone who wants a cheaper electric toothbrush without the fancy features. 

If you’re not sure the Oral-B Pro 1000 is for you, take a look at our guide to the best electric toothbrushes for lots more options. 

Oral B Pro 1000 review: Design

The Oral-B Pro 1000 has a very simple design. It looks exactly like you’d expect an electric toothbrush to, with a bulky body, one button to turn the toothbrush on and off, and an interchangeable toothbrush head. The brush head is round, with criss-crossing bristles. 

You can get the Oral-B Pro 1000 in either black or white. As this is a basic model, the Oral-B Pro 1000 does not come with any additional brush heads or a travel case, which is slightly disappointing. However, you can change out the brush head with other Oral-B models, including: CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, 3D Whitee, Sensitive Gum Care, Deep Sweep, and Dual Clean. This means you have a wide range of options when it comes to buying replacement heads, and can pick those that are on offer if you prefer. Travel cases are also available fairly cheaply too.

Oral B Pro 1000 review: Functionality

Because the Oral-B Pro 1000 is so simple, it’s very easy to use. This toothbrush has only one brushing mode, Daily Clean, which rotates to break up plaque. When you press the power button, the toothbrush will turn on in this mode and pulse every 30 seconds to tell you when to move to a new section of your mouth. Although the toothbrush has a built-in two minute timer, it does not turn off unless you turn it off yourself, unlike other brands such as the Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush.

To charge, you simply place the toothbrush on the included charger. A light will blink on the Oral-B Pro 1000 until the toothbrush is fully charged, and then the light will turn off. 

The user guide says that the Oral-B Pro 1000 takes 22 hours to fully charge. We found it to be only slightly shorter. After depleting the battery fully, it took 20.5 hours for the Oral-B Pro 1000 to become fully charged. Running constantly, a full battery ran out in less than an hour. According to the user guide, a full charge should last 10 days of brushing twice a day without needing to be recharged. 

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Oral B Pro 1000 review: Performance

We tested the Oral-B Pro 1000 for multiple days, testing how well it cleans your teeth, how the pressure sensor works, the waterproof claim and how loud it is.

Our tester was a first-time electric toothbrush user, switching from a manual brush to the Oral-B Pro 1000. At first, the Oral-B Pro 1000 made her gums bleed, but the toothbrush’s guide said to expect this if you haven’t used electric toothbrushes before. As the guide said it would, the bleeding stopped after a few days and our tester could clearly feel that her teeth were smoother and cleaner than they were before. 

However, the toothbrush was quite loud, registering at 89 decibels, which is roughly as loud as heavy traffic. It is important to note that our tester lives in New York City, where she registered the background noise to be at 50 decibels, which is roughly as loud as the hum of a refrigerator. 

Given that the Oral-B Pro 1000 claims to be waterproof, we submerged it under water for a full two minute brush cycle. True to its claim, the toothbrush worked perfectly after having been under water. Similarly, the pressure sensor did as it said it would and turned the spinning brush head off when our tester pushed it into her teeth. 

Oral B Pro 1000 review: What’s good about it?

The Oral-B Pro 1000 has everything you’d want in a basic electric toothbrush. It’s easy to operate and easy to charge, and tells you how long to brush and when the battery needs charging. 

What we especially like about this model is the ability to use other Oral-B brush heads, so you can choose the focus of your brush — from brush heads for sensitive teeth to charcoal brush heads. 

Finally, of course, one of the great things about the Oral-B Pro 1000 is its price. With the Oral-B Pro 1000, you can get a quality electric toothbrush at a reasonable cost. 

Oral B Pro 1000 review: What’s not so good about it?

The Oral-B Pro 1000 is a basic electric toothbrush, so it won’t be what you’re looking for if you want something fancier, like a smart toothbrush that connects to an app on your phone. 

Other than being bare-bones, you might dislike this electric toothbrush if loud noises bother you, as this one is louder than some other models. The design of this toothbrush is also basic and limited, with only two colors (black and white) to choose from. Unlike some other electric toothbrushes, the Oral-B Pro 1000 doesn’t come with extras like a travel case or multiple brush heads either. 

Oral B Pro 1000 review: User reviews

The Oral-B Pro 1000 has excellent reviews: 4.5 stars on Oral-B’s website and 4.7 stars on Amazon, both ratings out of five. People who like this toothbrush say that they can notice a difference in the cleanliness of their teeth within a few weeks. Many people call out the pressure sensor and the 30-second pulses that remind you to brush a different part of your mouth as features they like. 

One reviewer who said she always has cavities at the dentist wrote: “I went in today and have no cavities! If you struggle with cavities even though you think you’re doing everything right, this toothbrush is so worth it.” 

Reviewers who didn’t like the toothbrush mention problems with the battery, disliking how long it takes to charge, and the speed of the vibrations. “The motor is extremely violent, like brushing with a small engine lawn mower or jack hammer,” a reviewer who gave the toothbrush one star wrote. 

Should you buy the Oral B Pro 1000?

If you’d like to try an electric toothbrush for the first time after switching from manual, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is a good place to start. It’s cheap enough, but also powerful enough to see if electric toothbrushes are right for you.  

If this product isn’t for you

For people who are looking for something with a few more features, we’d recommend looking at the Oral-B Genius X, which has six modes of vibration for the brush head, a sleek design, and can be connected to a smart phone app to track your brushing. 

If you want a quieter toothbrush, consider a sonic version like the Hum by Colgate, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000, or the Foreo ISSA 3. An electric toothbrush is considered sonic if it vibrates at a rate of at least 31,000 strokes per minute. These toothbrushes tend to be quieter and claim to be more effective than regular electric toothbrushes. 

The BriteBrush aims to make brushing fun, by bringing interactive games, rewards and songs into the brushing experience. It’s available in three cute and vibrant designs: Baby Shark, Sesame Street Elmo (both of which are suitable for children aged three and up), and Game Brush, designed for kids aged five and up. We tested the Game Brush variation at home. 

The makers of BriteBrush say that using games and songs to encourage good brushing technique can help children brush better, all the time. The BriteBrush uses smart sensors to help monitor your child’s brushing technique, while a ‘side change recognition’ feature is designed to encourage your little one to cover their whole mouth during brushing. 

The brush has won a host of awards, including a 2021 National Parenting Product Award, and a Parent’s Choice Seal of Approval from The National Parenting Center. 

This review takes a closer look at the BriteBrush and its features and functionality. We’ll see how well the brush performed in our at home testing, and check what parents have to say about it in the latest user reviews. 

If the BriteBrush isn’t the right toothbrush for your child, you’ll find one to suit in our buying guide to the best electric toothbrushes for kids.

BriteBrush review: Design

The BriteBrush is a colorful piece of kit. We tested the Game Brush, but there are other designs available, such as the Elmo brush and the Baby Shark Brush. The toothbrush itself is light and slim, which is good for small hands. 

A bright purple toothbrush head locks on to the blue handle. A white rubber neck connects the two, making the device waterproof. A single red power button sits to the side of the toothbrush handle – a clever touch as it stops little hands from accidentally turning off the toothbrush. 

However, apart from the light-up base, the whole toothbrush feels rather cheap and plastic. There’s nothing special about the toothbrush head, with no ridged panel for cleaning tongue and cheeks. The toothbrush handle is shiny and smooth, which may affect grip when wet, and there doesn’t appear to be any ergonomic design to improve maneuverability.

Given the price point of the BriteBrush, and the fact that it is still essentially a manual toothbrush, albeit one that plays a host of noises, the overall look and feel is a little cheap and toylike, especially compared to other sonic or oscillating-rotating options at a similar price.

BriteBrush review: Functionality

The BriteBrush is easy to use right out of the box, as it comes loaded with two AAA batteries. When you first take the brush out of the packaging, it is in ‘Try Me’ mode. Simply press the power button to hear audio about the brush. Start brushing up and down to begin a brief practice session for brushing correctly. Once the practice session is complete, your child can begin brushing as normal.

There are lots of different games and sounds to unlock, from ‘Space Attack’ to Rockstar Jam’. Fans of video games will love the classic arcade sounds. Each game has four sections, where your child is encouraged to collect stars, with good brushing technique. The brush encourages your child to play two games, which last two minutes, the amount of brushing time recommended by dentists.

If your child stops brushing, the sounds stop, and a voice reminds them to brush up and down to keep the games going. 

Once your child is finished, they can double-click the power button to hear their score. The BriteBrush lights up red, yellow, or green, and lets you know the number of stars collected during brushing. This gives you an idea of how well your child is brushing. 

It’s easy enough to remove the brush head and replace it with a new one. The makers recommend changing your brush head every three months. The BriteBrush also comes with an extra brush head, which is handy.  

The instruction manual is clear and easy to understand, and the BriteBrush website features online manuals for all three of its models. 

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

BriteBrush review: Performance

The first thing you notice about the BriteBrush is how loud it is. Despite being essentially a manual toothbrush that plays songs and sounds, it clocks in at over 70 decibels, which is as loud as a washing machine or dishwasher. This makes it the loudest electric toothbrush for kids we tested at home. 

You can turn the volume down, by pressing and holding the power button until you hear ‘low volume’. However, you’ll need to do it before every brushing session, as the brush doesn’t hold this setting for you. And even then, the volume still comes in at over 60 decibels, which is similar to the volume of normal conversation. If you have a child who is sensitive to loud noises, or if you’re sensitive to loud noises yourself, this could be problematic.

The brush does a good job of encouraging your little one to brush up and down. However, we did find that the smart sensors sometimes didn’t recognize that we were brushing up and down already. So the constant reminders, and the fact that the game stopped to remind us, was often a source of frustration. 

The ‘side recognition technology’ didn’t appear to work at all. The games continued on, regardless of whether we changed sides or not, so parents may wish to continue supervising their little ones to ensure they’re covering the whole mouth. 

BriteBrush review: What’s good about it?

If you have a child who is reluctant to brush, and you’re desperate for something to distract them while brushing, or encourage them to keep brushing for two minutes, the BriteBrush could be a good option. Fans of arcade games will love the noises and sounds provided, and competitive brushers will enjoy collecting stars and improving their score.

Parents will also appreciate the ‘Parent Check Light’ which allows you to check how well your child brushed during their session.

BriteBrush review: What’s not so good about it?

We simply weren’t convinced by all the technology the BriteBrush promised. We found the ‘side change recognition’ didn’t work at all, and the smart sensors were often sluggish in recognizing brushing technique. This could be maddening for children, and their parents. 

The fact that you have to lower the volume every time before brushing is frustrating, and even then the brush is still very loud.

BriteBrush review: User reviews

The BriteBrush performs fairly well in user reviews, with 76% of users giving it the full five stars on Amazon. Parents say it encourages their little ones to brush more effectively, and they enjoy the fact that they can check how well their child is brushing.

However, there are quite a few negative reviews too. Parents have experienced problems with the technology not being sensitive enough, causing frustration during brushing. One mom says her son got so mad during brushing, he brushed too hard and hurt his gums.

The loud volume of the brush is also regularly mentioned, as well as the fact that the BriteBrush is simply a manual toothbrush with sounds and lights. Many negative reviews also say the toothbrush bristles became frayed more quickly than expected.

Should you buy the BriteBrush?

At this price point, the technology provided with BriteBrush should perform better. Parents who wish to improve their child’s brushing technique may prefer to invest in an electric oscillating-rotating toothbrush, or a sonic toothbrush, and get more value for a similar outlay of cash.

BriteBrush review: If this product isn’t for you

The Philips Sonicare for Kids electric toothbrush is suitable from three years old, features a quadrant pacer and two minute timer, plus a smaller toothbrush head for younger kids. It also comes with a free accompanying app to help your child improve their brushing technique. 

The Oral-B Frozen Kids toothbrush is suitable for children as young as three years old. It also features a quadrant pacer, built-in timer and two brushing modes.

If you’re looking for a sonic toothbrush that looks and feels great, while giving a gentle but effective clean, the Foreo ISSA Kids lasts for 265 days between charges and is suitable for kids aged five and up. 

Foreo prides itself on creating beautifully designed toothbrushes for adults, and now they’ve done the same for kids. The Foreo ISSA Kids electric toothbrush, suitable for children aged 5-12 years old, is just as stylish and ergonomically designed as its adult-focused counterparts.

Featuring a smooth and silky silicone handle and brush head, the Foreo ISSA Kids does away with traditional bristles and instead opts for shallow silicone bristles that gently thrum, giving a kinder, gentler clean to little teeth and gums. 

What’s more, the Foreo ISSA Kids promises to give a whopping 265 days of use on just one hour of USB charging, so it’s cheaper to run in the long term than many other electric toothbrushes. 

This review takes a closer look at the Foreo ISSA Kids, its stand-out features and functionality, as well as how it performed in our at-home testing. We’ll also take a look at the latest user reviews to see what customers have said about their Foreo toothbrushes. 

And if you’re not sure whether the Foreo ISSA Kids is the right toothbrush for your little one, our buying guide to the best electric toothbrushes for kids will have something to suit.  

Foreo ISSA Kids review: Design

The Foreo ISSA Kids is one of the most stylish kids’ toothbrushes on the market. Available in four bright colors - rose nose hippo, true blue pony, mellow yellow gator, and merry berry shark - there’s a color to suit every child. 

The ergonomically designed handle and head combine regular bristles and soft, flexible silicone bristles which continue a little way down the neck of the toothbrush head. The head is angled forward slightly, which Foreo says helps to target the back teeth more effectively during brushing. At the rear of the head are five ridges, designed for cleaning the tongue and inside of the cheeks. 

The whole of the handle and the head are encased in a soft, silky silicone, which feels super nice and gives a good grip, even with wet hands. The toothbrush is also very light and fairly short, making it easy for smaller hands to grasp and maneuver. 

At the rear base of the handle is a little charging hole, cleverly hidden and protected from water damage by a flap of silicone. Below this, a clear plastic base flashes during charging and while the toothbrush is in operation. 

A single power button makes the handle easy to control and operate. Above and below this power button are ‘Glee’ and ‘Glum’, two light up faces which appear depending on your child’s brushing habits. Glee appears as a smiling face at the end of two minutes of brushing time, while Glum appears as a sad face if your child hasn’t used their toothbrush in 12 hours. 

Overall, this toothbrush has a sleek and expensive look and feel. Not surprising, given that it’s right at the top end of the market for kids’ toothbrushes. 

• Related: Foreo ISSA 3 sonic toothbrush review

Foreo ISSA Kids review: Functionality

The Foreo ISSA Kids is simple to use and operates straight out of the box as it comes charged and ready to go. Simply press the power button to get going.

The Foreo ISSA Kids works like a regular manual brush that vibrates, so you, or your child, will need to brush their teeth just as you would with a regular toothbrush. No holding the brush against the teeth and letting it do all the work. 

Every 30 seconds, the brush pauses and the base light flashes. The idea is to prompt your child to move to a new quadrant of the mouth. However, it’s so subtle, it’s easy to miss, so some kids may forget to move the brush around. 

The brush also flashes and pauses at the end of the recommended two minutes of brushing time, and happy face Glee appears. Again, if your child isn’t paying attention, it may be hard to miss this cue to stop brushing. 

Although replacement brush heads may be hard to track down, and expensive to replace, the good news is that brush heads only need to be replaced every six months, rather than the usual three months. 

Foreo ISSA Kids review: Performance

At around 35 decibels, somewhere between the volume of a whisper and a very quiet library, the Foreo ISSA Kids is one of the quietest kids’ toothbrushes we tested at home. This is because it uses sonic technology to clean teeth, as opposed to the more mechanical oscillating-rotating toothbrushes, like the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush. This quieter operating volume may be particularly good for younger children, or children with sensitivity to loud noises.

The gentle cleaning power of the Foreo ISSA Kids, and the unusual shape of the toothbrush head, may take some kids a bit of getting used to. However, the tongue scraper on the rear of the toothbrush head is handy, especially after a popsicle!

Where Foreo really stands out from the crowd, however, is its ability to run for 265 days on a single hour’s charge. This is incredible, and makes it a great toothbrush for traveling with. Do try to remember where you store the charging lead, though, as it may be hard to track down when you do eventually have to recharge. 

The silicone casing is also completely waterproof. To test this, we submerged it in bathwater for a full brushing cycle before using it later that night. It worked perfectly without any problems. 

Foreo ISSA Kids review: What’s good about it?

The fact that this is a seriously stylish toothbrush means that it will stand the test of time with your child, right up until they’re 12 in fact. There’s no need to keep up with the latest movie-themed toothbrushes, or upgrade to a new toothbrush every time your child grows out of their latest fad. 

We also loved the feel of the silicone casing. It’s velvety soft and very tactile, which little hands love. Plus, the choice of bright colors make it a cheerful addition to any bathroom. 

It’s also super quiet during operation, which can be a great bonus if you have a child who is sensitive to noise.  

Foreo ISSA Kids review: What’s not so good about it?

The toothbrush comes with just one brush head. If you have two children who want to use the brush, you’ll need to purchase more, and they can be expensive and hard to track down.

Not all children will get on with the silicone bristles, especially if they’re used to a standard toothbrush. And you may have to remind them that they need to move the Foreo ISSA Kids around like a regular brush, which is easy to forget if they’re used to another electric toothbrush that does all the hard work for them. 

We found that the quadrant pacing and in-built timer cues were easy to miss because they were so subtle. A louder or more obvious reminder, and an auto-finish, would be a great addition to what is an excellent brush otherwise.

Foreo ISSA Kids review: User reviews

It was hard to track down many user reviews of the Foreo ISSA Kids toothbrush. Those we could find on Amazon and the Foreo website though were largely very positive, with many parents giving it a full five stars. They praise its gentle cleaning, especially on sensitive gums and teeth. They also like the happy and sad faces that encourage your child to brush for longer, and more regularly. 

Negative reviews tend to focus on how expensive the toothbrush is, and some parents say they didn’t expect to shell out so much for a sonic toothbrush that you have to move around manually. 

Should you buy the Foreo ISSA Kids?

There’s no doubt that the high price of this toothbrush makes it a big investment. However, it’s robust enough to last for several years, and its ability to run for so long on a single, short charge will also save money over time. If you’re looking for a toothbrush that looks and feels great, while giving a gentle but effective clean, the Foreo ISSA Kids could be the one for you.  

Foreo ISSA Kids review: If this product isn’t for you

If you’d prefer a sonic toothbrush that doesn't need to be moved around the mouth manually, check out the Philips Sonicare for Kids electric toothbrush. It’s suitable from three years old, features a quadrant pacer and 2-minute timer, plus a smaller toothbrush head for younger kids. It also comes with a free accompanying app to help your child improve their brushing technique. 

If you prefer an oscillating-rotating toothbrush, the Oral-B Frozen Kids toothbrush is suitable for children as young as three years old. It also features a quadrant pacer, built-in timer and two brushing modes.

For a fun-filled brushing session, the colorful BriteBrush claims to transform your child’s brushing technique with Smart sensors that detect how and where your child is brushing. Be prepared for a noisy time though. 

This review takes a closer look at the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush, its features, functionality, and performance as well as taking a look at the app. It also checks out the latest user reviews to see what customers have said about their purchase. We reviewed the Disney Frozen design, but you can also get Disney Electric Cars, Marvel Spiderman and more.

The Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush features two cleaning modes:

• Sensitive: Gentle, yet through, cleaning for sensitive areas.
• Daily clean: Standard for daily mouth cleaning.

Younger children unused to electric toothbrushes may benefit from starting off with the sensitive mode before moving on to the daily clean mode.

The small, round brush head with extra-soft bristles is ideal for younger teeth and gums.

The brush also features a built-in 2-minute timer and a quadpacer, to encourage your little one to move about their mouth and brush for the recommended length of time.

The brush also comes with a prompt to download the accompanying Disney Magic Timer app, designed to encourage kids to brush for longer.

And if you’re not convinced whether the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush is the right toothbrush for your child, you’re certain to find the perfect toothbrush in our guide to the best electric toothbrushes for kids.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: Design

The Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush is a fun and colorful toothbrush designed with kids in mind. Available in bright blue with a soft, textured blue handle to improve grip, it’s customizable too, with up to four themed stickers to enjoy. Since we tried the Disney Frozen design, these were the stickers that came with it.

The toothbrush comes with just one brush head, so if you have two children who want to use the brush, you’ll need to purchase more. There are no brush head covers supplied, unlike the Philips Sonicare for Kids toothbrush.

The brush head itself is slightly smaller than an average Oral-B brush head. This makes it easier to maneuver around the mouth. Extra soft bristles are designed to be gentle on little teeth and gums. The brush head features Elsa, though other brush heads are available to purchase with other characters.

A single power button makes the handle easy to control and operate, while the toothbrush is nice and light in feel.

The stickers are applied to the base of the handset. They are easy to add and remove as needed, or you can leave them off completely if you wish.

A charging unit is also included, which is the same design as any other Oral-B toothbrush charging unit.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: Functionality

The Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush is simple to use and operate straight out of the box as it comes partially charged and ready to go. Simply fit one of the four Frozen-themed stickers provided to the base of the handle and get going. There’s no need to use the accompanying Disney app unless you wish to.

Push the power button once to start operating the brush in sensitive mode, and twice for daily clean mode. A third push of the button turns the toothbrush off.

The accompanying app is easy to set up too, with no registration or verification process to go through before your child can start using it. The app opens with Mickey Mouse, and users can scan their Oral-B toothbrush to unlock the character featured on their toothbrush.

When your child is ready to brush, simply click ‘Brush’ and the app features an image slowly being uncovered over the two minutes of brushing time. There is some basic guidance on which areas of the mouth to brush, but parents will need to supervise their child to ensure good coverage. The quadrant pacer built into the toothbrush will also help with this.

The app also features AR mode where you can see your Disney character come to life in your own home. It’s a little basic and underwhelming, though younger children will probably love it.

Unless your little one is an avid fan of Frozen (or whichever other design you purchase), it’s likely they may tire of using the app before long. However, younger kids will enjoy the experience of brushing along with their favorite characters, while older children who don’t brush for long enough may be encouraged to brush for longer.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: Performance

At around 65 decibels, around the same volume as normal conversation, the Oral-B Kids Disney Frozen electric toothbrush can cause quite a racket. This is because it’s an oscillating-rotating toothbrush, which are always more noisy than the quieter sonic toothbrushes available.

If you’re worried about the volume, you may prefer the Philips Sonicare for Kids, which operates at around 38 decibels. Some younger children, or children with sensitivity to loud noises, could be put off by how noisy it is during operation.

A full charge can take up to 16 hours, but once charged, the toothbrush is designed to last for around eight days of use, although we couldn’t confirm that in our at-home testing due to limited time.

Oral-B says its toothbrush is waterproof, so during our testing, we submerged it in water for a full brushing cycle. It worked perfectly afterwards without any problems.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: What’s good about it?

The customizable aspect of the brush, while simple, is effective. It’s also super easy to change the stickers whenever you want. The whole design works well without stickers too, so once you run out, it’s fine to have it without any customization.

The built-in timer and quad pacer works well, using a stuttering sound to alert your child to move the toothbrush to the next quadrants, and a longer stuttering sound to tell you when brushing time is up.

The app is also fairly easy to use and will keep younger children occupied while brushing their teeth.

We also liked the textured handle of the toothbrush, which improved grip, especially with wet hands.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: What’s not so good about it?

The accompanying app is pretty basic - there’s not much coaching other than to brush for the recommended time. However, it’s bright and colorful, and features lots of Disney characters to choose from, provided you are able to scan an oral-B product to unlock them.

There’s always a chance that your little one will tire of the Frozen theme before they are ready to change their toothbrush. However, it’s possible to purchase other brush heads without the Frozen theme, and you can remove the stickers if needs be.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: User reviews

The Oral-B Kids Disney Frozen gets an impressive 4.7 stars out of 5 on Amazon.com, with 82% of users giving it the full 5 stars. Positive reviewers say it’s easy to keep clean, and works well to encourage good brushing techniques in their children. They also say the Magic Timer app works well to improve brushing time. Some adults even use the brush with an adult brush head, as a cheaper alternative to adult electric toothbrushes.

Negative reviews mention that the quadrant pacer is too subtle for younger kids to notice, the toothbrush is too noisy during operation, and there is no auto-off function after the two minutes of brushing time have elapsed.

Should you buy the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush?

Oral-B are well-known for their reliable range of effective oscillating-rotating toothbrushes, and this brush is no different. It gives an effective clean, and the accompanying app encourages your little one to brush for longer. Its affordable price also makes it a good choice. The app isn’t too distracting and the in-built quadpacer and timer are helpful features Replacement brushes are also fairly cheap and easy to get a hold of in most retailers.

Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush review: If this product isn’t for you

If you’d prefer a quieter sonic toothbrush for your child, check out the Philips Sonicare for Kids electric toothbrush. It’s suitable from three years of age, features a quadrant pacer and 2-minute timer, plus a smaller toothbrush head for younger kids. It also comes with a free accompanying app to help your child improve their brushing technique.

If your child loves augmented reality (AR), the Colgate Hum Kids uses AR to track your child’s brushing via a connected app, bringing their brushing technique into a live game. It also has a slim, ergonomic handle and a small brush head for younger kids.

For a truly stylish bathroom shelfie, look no further than the Foreo ISSA kids. Available in four bright colors and featuring a sad or happy face based on brushing time, this uniquely designed toothbrush gives up to 265 brushing sessions on a single charge.

The Philips Sonicare For Kids is a fun and colorful way to introduce your child to good brushing techniques. Suitable for kids aged three years and up, it features two basic cleaning modes, a built-in timer and a quadpacer, gently guiding your little one to brush for two minutes and cover each quadrant of their mouth effectively. An accompanying app, featuring a cute little character called ‘Sparkly’, assists by having its teeth brushed at the same time, thanks to the brush’s Bluetooth connectivity.

Parents can set reminders, give rewards, and check on their child’s progress, all via the app, while children can play games with Sparkly, and tot up their brushing achievements, to gain bonus features within the app.

This review takes a deeper dive into the Philips Sonicare For Kids, its performance, features and functionality, as well as taking a look at the app. We’ll let you know what’s great, and what’s not so great about this electric toothbrush, and we’ll check out the latest user reviews to see what customers have said about it too. 

If you’re not sure whether the Philips Sonicare For Kids is the right toothbrush for your child, you’re certain to find the perfect toothbrush in our guide to the best electric toothbrushes for kids.

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: Design

The Philips Sonicare For Kids is a fun and colorful toothbrush designed with kids in mind. Available in a bright aqua or pink, it’s customizable too, with up to eight colorful stickers to apply to the handset. 

The handset itself may be too large for very young children to grip well. However, a textured, soft, rubber cover at the rear of the handset, and a finger guard at the top, allows for better grip.  

The toothbrush comes with two brush heads; a standard head for older children and a compact head for younger users. Both come with their own protective cover to keep the brush heads hygienic and clean. Additional brush heads can be bought separately, for around $16.99 for two. 

There is a single button to power on the toothbrush and indicate battery life, while a button towards the base of the handset allows users to toggle between the two brushing intensity modes of low (for younger children) and high (for older children). 

The Philips Sonicare For Kids comes with eight stickers that you can apply to the handset for an instant design update. They are a little fiddly to fit, although they are easy to peel off and try again until you get it right. It also comes with bonus stickers which you can use as rewards for good brushing technique. 

A charging unit is also included, which is the same design as any other Philips toothbrush charging unit. 

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: Functionality

The Philips Sonicare For Kids is simple to use and operates straight out of the box. Simply fit a sticker of your choice, click on a brush head to suit your child, and get going. There’s no need to use the accompanying app unless you wish to. 

The brush comes charged and ready for use. Push the power button once to start operating the brush. The button at the base of the handset allows you to toggle between high intensity for older users and low intensity for younger users. You’ll need keen eyesight to make out the icons showing which is which on the stickers, though. 

It’s also worth pointing out that you can only toggle between intensities before switching the toothbrush on - there’s no toggling between the two while the brush is in use. This helps to dissuade a curious or playful child switching endlessly between the two during use. 

The accompanying app is easy to set up too, with no annoying registration or verification process to go through before your child can start using it. A colorful creature called Sparkly is your child’s guide during brushing. As they brush their teeth, Sparkly joins in, opening its mouth and showing your child where to brush and how long to brush for. As they brush, cartoon bacteria and plaque fall away from Sparkly’s teeth, giving kids a great visual understanding of the benefits of good brushing technique.

The app also features a calendar where you can set brushing reminders, and an achievements section where kids are rewarded with features to feed Sparkly, or get upgrades to its den. It also has a parents’ dashboard where you can view your child’s brushing stats (you will need to register an email and password for this extra feature). Here you can give your child rewards for good brushing via the app, by sending them little notes promising extra screen time or a trip to the park, for example. 

It’s likely that older children will soon tire of Sparkly, and not all parents will want to introduce yet another device to their child’s routine, especially in the bathroom. However, younger kids will enjoy the experience of brushing along with the character, while older children who have formed poor brushing habits have the chance to see where they’re going wrong. 

The brush also features a built-in timer, so your child can brush for the recommended two minutes twice a day. The quadrant pacer reminds them when to switch positions to brush a new area too.  

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: Performance

At around 38 decibels, around the same volume as a quiet library, the Philips Sonicare For Kids is pretty quiet during operation, so it’s unlikely to startle smaller children who are used to a manual toothbrush. 

There’s also an ‘easy start’ feature, available with all Philips Sonicare brushes, to allow new users to get used to the feel of a sonic electric toothbrush. It works by building up the intensity of the brushing over the first 15 sessions, so this may be useful for parents to know about if introducing an electric toothbrush to their child for the first time. 

A full charge can take up to 24 hours, but once charged, the toothbrush is designed to last for around 2 weeks of use. Though we couldn’t confirm that in our at-home testing due to limited time, user reviews back this up. 

During testing, we also checked how waterproof the Philips Sonicare For Kids was by submerging it in water for a full brushing cycle. It worked perfectly afterwards without any problems. 

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: What’s good about it?

We liked the customizable aspect of the brush. The stickers are fun and colorful and there’s plenty of choice for every taste. The easy-grip handle was also a bonus, while a finger guard at the very top of the handle also improves grip. The soft bristles are gentle yet effective on little teeth. 

A built-in ‘KidPacer’ sounds a few musical notes to let your child know when to move onto the next quadrant of the mouth, which was an unexpected, and nice, touch. 

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: What’s not so good about it?

We found the stickers were a little fiddly to apply, and weren’t the exact perfect fit. We ended up with some bubbles that couldn’t be smoothed down, no matter how hard we tried. 

While we enjoyed the app at first, its novelty wore off within a few sessions of brushing. However, it did remind our nine-year-old tester to concentrate on brushing the very back teeth., which can sometimes be missed. Younger children are likely to enjoy it for a little longer. 

The parents’ dashboard doesn’t offer much in the way of information about your child’s brushing technique. It only lets you see how often they brush, with no information on how well they are brushing. So you’ll need to continue to supervise your child’s brushing in person if you really want them to improve their technique. 

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: User reviews

The Philips Sonicare For Kids gets an impressive 4.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon.com, with 85% of happy customers giving it the full 5 stars. They rate how easy it is for their child to use, the long battery life, and how it keeps their child’s teeth sparklingly clean. One user commented, “It has made a huge difference in my daughter’s smile”. 

Parents also say the app has improved their child’s brushing technique, as well as extending the duration of brushing time. 

Negative reviews tend to mention the toothbrush switching into high mode without warning, faulty batteries on individual devices, and Bluetooth connection problems.

Should you buy the Philips Sonicare For Kids?

If you’re looking for a sturdy, reliable toothbrush that encourages your child to improve their oral hygiene technique, then the Philips Sonicare For Kids is the electric toothbrush for you. It’s affordable, fun to use, and encourages great brushing habits right from the off. Kids love it, and most parents seem to agree.  

Philips Sonicare For Kids review: If this product isn’t for you

If you’d prefer an oscillating-rotating toothbrush for your child, check out the Oral B Kids electric toothbrush. It’s suitable from three years of age, features a quadrant pacer and 2-minute timer, plus four replacement brush heads. It also comes with a free Disney Magic Timer app to help your child improve their brushing technique. 

Fancy bringing some augmented reality (AR) into your bathroom? The Colgate Hum Kids uses AR to track your child’s brushing via a connected app, to bring their technique into a live game. It also features a slim, ergonomic handle and a small brush head for younger kids.

For a truly stylish bathroom shelfie, look no further than the Foreo ISSA kids. Available in four bright colors and featuring a sad or happy face based on brushing time, this uniquely designed toothbrush gives up to 265 brushing sessions on a single charge. 

In the world of electric toothbrushes, Oral B is one of the biggest brands alongside Philips Sonicare. The Oral B-io Series 9 is one of the brand’s most high-tech models, with plenty of smart features and an incredible AI-powered app.

But is this electric toothbrush worth its very high price? We’ve analyzed its design, specs and performance to give you a full overview of the quality of the product, so you can assess whether it’s a worthwhile investment for you. 

There’s no doubting the fact that the Oral B-io Series 9 has many standout features, including a sleek design and a color display. It looks premium and is a cool gadget to display in your bathroom. The great appearance is backed up by a solid performance with a great battery life, seven brushing modes, and a pressure sensor to improve your brushing. The highlight of this product, however, is its companion app you can connect to via Bluetooth. Using AI, it shows you a 3D map of your mouth and tracks your brushing in real-time to ensure you don’t miss any spots. 

Is the Oral B-io Series 9 the best electric toothbrush for you? Read on to find out. 

Oral B-io Series 9 review: Design

The Oral B-io Series 9 is a beautiful piece of kit, and will look good on any bathroom shelf. It comes in a choice of three colors: rose quartz, white alabaster or black onyx. We tested the rose quartz model, which we found was actually more purple than pink, but a lovely muted color all the same. 

The handle is made of brushed metal and is smooth to the touch, but the rounded shape ensures a good grip. It’s relatively short, and we found our thumb automatically hovering over one of the buttons, which meant we accidentally switched modes more than once while brushing. If you have bigger hands, definitely consider a toothbrush with a longer handle like the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000. 

On the handle, you will find an interactive color display that lights up automatically when you pick the toothbrush up. It greets you with a little “Hello” before displaying the current selected mode, which you can switch thanks to the button just below the screen. There is another button just above the screen with a power logo, which as expected powers the toothbrush on and off. 

At the top of the handle, just below where the toothbrush head is inserted, there is a ring of light which lights up in different colors according to the pressure applied while brushing. The ring is green if you are using ‘correct’ pressure, red if you’re pressing too hard, and white if you’re not pressing enough. This is a useful tool to ensure you’re not damaging your gums, but it can be really distracting while brushing your teeth.

The Oral B-io Series 9 comes with a single replaceable head, which slots onto the body of the toothbrush easily. One complaint is that the heads don’t stand up by themselves, which means we had to leave them lying down on the sink, which didn’t feel very hygienic. The toothbrush head is round and has seemingly very few bristles, but Oral B says this is optimized with the micro-vibrations of the toothbrush to remove plaque more efficiently.

As well as the toothbrush, you get a magnetic charger which you just need to place the toothbrush and plug in to start charging. It’s fairly simple looking and won’t be an eyesore in your bathroom, which is a bonus. The Oral B-io Series 9 also comes with a travel case that fits the toothbrush body and up to two heads. Best of all, this case can charge your toothbrush on the go with just a USB cable, which is a nifty feature if you’re on the go a lot.

Oral B-io Series 9 review: Functionality

It couldn’t be easier to start using this toothbrush: the screen lights up when you pick it up and displays the selected mode, which you can switch by pressing the button below the screen. The icons change as you press the button to show the modes available. To start brushing, simply press the power button, and the toothbrush powers on.

There are seven modes to choose from: daily clean, sensitive, gum care, intense+, super sensitive, tongue clean and whiten. Apart from a change in intensity between the daily, intense+ and sensitive/super sensitive modes, we didn’t notice a huge amount of difference between the modes. As this reviewer has sensitive gums, the only suitable mode was super sensitive mode. Even gum care was very harsh on our gums, and left us with an uncomfortable tingly feeling. If you’re looking for a toothbrush with a good amount of pressure, this is the choice for you, but if you’re a bit sensitive, there might be better options out there. 

Once you start brushing, you can look at the ring of light below the toothbrush head to see whether you’re applying the correct amount of pressure. It flashes green if you’re doing well, white if you’re not putting enough pressure, and red if you’re pressing too hard. This is handy but also proved quite distracting when trying to remember where we needed to keep brushing.

Like most electric toothbrushes, the Oral B-io Series 9 has a built-in two-minute timer that vibrates twice quickly every 30 seconds to indicate a change of zone, and three times when your brushing cycle is done. Unlike some other toothbrushes, this one doesn’t stop once the two minutes are over - if you miss the three buzzes, you could end up brushing significantly longer than planned. Luckily, the time spent brushing is shown on the color display, so you can always check that if you’re unsure.  

If you want to start brushing with the app straight away, there are a few steps to go through: downloading the app onto your device, pairing the toothbrush via Bluetooth (which took seconds), registering an account, and verifying your email. All in all, this took about five minutes, so we couldn’t complain. Once you’ve downloaded the app, we were really pleasantly surprised to see it synced past sessions during which we hadn’t used the app too, which made tracking the frequency of our brushing easier.

The instructions recommend cleaning the toothbrush after every use, removing the head and wiping it clean with water, and wiping the handle of any grime and toothpaste. It is recommended to store the toothbrush and head separately between uses to avoid the buildup of toothpaste and dirt, which would make it harder to connect the head to the base. As mentioned above, we found it a bit annoying that the toothbrush head couldn’t stand upright by itself, and we thus had to store it head up on the side of the sink.

Charging this toothbrush is also incredibly easy: all you need to do is plug the charger in and place the toothbrush handle on the magnetic charger base. The battery level is indicated on the screen, so you don’t have to wait for longer than it takes to fully charge the battery (slightly less than three hours). 

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Oral B-io Series 9 review: Performance

The Oral B-io Series 9 has seven modes to choose from depending on your preference and sensitivity. We tried all the modes and noticed the most difference between daily clean/intense +/and the sensitive modes. The vibrations were much stronger on the intense and daily clean modes, which didn’t suit our teeth at all. The sensitive and super sensitive modes were better suited to our gums, so we used that regularly. 

Overall, brushing with this electric toothbrush made our mouth feel really clean and gave us the impression of an in-depth brush every time. After weeks of using it, we definitely felt like there was less plaque build-up between our dentist appointments. The tongue brushing mode is a fun feature to use once in a while too, and not one we’ve seen on other toothbrushes. 

The highlight of this toothbrush is the AI-powered app that comes with it. Once you’re connected, you can bring it up as you press the power button, and it will automatically track your session. Your device’s screen will show you how long you’ve been brushing for, but also the zones of your mouth where you’re brushing. The ‘cleanliness’ of each zone changes as you brush it more or less, showing you where you need to pay more attention. 

After each session, you get assigned a score and shown exactly how to improve for next time, which is really useful. You can look back on your sessions in the app and see how often you brush, for how long, and how well you did. The app comes with other learning materials such as videos, and a smart feature that reminds you when you’ll need to buy more replacement heads. 

We were also really impressed by this toothbrush’s battery life. Oral B claims it is two weeks, and we found this to be true, if not an understatement! We went through 15 days of regular brushing without needing to recharge it, so we’d feel very confident taking it on holiday without the charger. With the added benefit of the chargeable case, this toothbrush is a reliable travel buddy, for sure. 

Oral B-io Series 9 review: What’s good about it?

The Oral B-io Series 9 is a premium product. It looks sleek and high-tech with its color display and comes with a nifty charging case you can take on the go. 

What differentiates it from competitors, though, is the incredible AI-powered app it comes with. This app gives you tons of information and allows you to track your brushing in real-time, ensuring you don’t miss a spot. Based on your past brushing, you get customized advice to improve your brushing technique. 

Oral B-io Series 9 review: What’s not so good about it?

Apart from its very high price, which we think is justified by the host of smart features it offers, the Oral B-io Series 9 doesn’t have many downsides. The brushing modes could perhaps be a bit more different from one another, or each could be adjustable in terms of intensity to suit people with sensitive gums, for example. Apart from that, we don’t have many bad things to say about it!

Oral B-io Series 9 review: User reviews

Users clearly agreed with us, as the Oral B-io Series 9 scores an incredible 5 stars out of 5 on Amazon, out of 769 ratings. Positive reviews raved about the battery life, the comfort, and the practical charging case, which makes traveling with it really easy. 

One three-star review stated: “I feel that I overpaid for something that I’m not using, such as Bluetooth. I wish this toothbrush was coming with a small clock that is displaying time and everything instead of connecting it to my phone. I don’t see much sense in using it every time, to see once how I’m brushing my teeth is enough.” We agree with the sentiment; if you’re not that interested in your brushing habits and improving your oral hygiene, this product is definitely a gadget you don’t need to splurge on. 

Value for money and longevity are two criticisms that come up in a minority of reviews, but aside from those, customers seemed overwhelmingly satisfied.

Should you buy the Oral B-io Series 9?

The answer to that question depends on your budget, and how invested you are in your oral health. 

If you’re really curious about how you brush and want to improve your technique, this toothbrush is really helpful. It also helps with motivation to brush as it ‘gamifies’ the process and rewards you for regular and in-depth brushing. However, the amazing app and smart features come with a high price tag, which for many will be unattainable or simply unjustified. 

We really enjoyed using the Oral B-io Series 9 and have felt a definite improvement in the regularity and longevity of our brushing, as well as our overall oral health, but you could probably achieve similar results with a cheaper toothbrush, a timer, and a habit-tracking app. 

If this product isn’t for you

Unless you’ve got a spare $300 to spare on a toothbrush, this product might not be the best option for you. Rest assured, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives that do a great job of keeping your teeth clean.

If you’re on a budget or simply looking for a no-thrills electric toothbrush, the Oral B Pro 1000 is a good option. It has a single brushing mode and a two-minute timer and comes with a charger and a replaceable toothbrush head. While it’s got none of the smart features of the io Series 9, it does a completely adequate job of brushing your teeth.

If you’re feeling bold, the Foreo ISSA 3 is a quirky toothbrush made entirely out of silicone that comes in bright colors. It has a 365-day battery life and you only need to change the heads every six months, making it a more eco-friendly and cheaper choice. It has 16 brushing modes and an integrated cheek and tongue cleaner.

In this review of the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000, we’ll be analyzing the design, specs and performance of the electric toothbrush so you can decide in all confidence whether this is the right model for you. 

Philips’s Sonicare is one of the biggest electric toothbrush brands, on par with Oral B. Both brands produce a range of electric toothbrushes ranging from basic budget options to premium, high tech products.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 fits into the later category, coming in at just shy of $200. It is very sleek and elegant and comes with a charging travel case, an automatic pressure sensor, four modes and three intensities, and a companion app to track your brushing. If you’re interested in improving your oral hygiene and want to spend the money, this might just be the choice for you. 

So, is this toothbrush worth the money, or is it just a gimmick? We’ve tested it extensively so you can make your mind up yourself. You can browse other options in our guide to the best electric toothbrushes too.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: Design

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is a beautifully sleek piece of kit that will look smart in any bathroom. The simple, elongated design of the body and the matte color are really pleasing. Some might be disappointed to learn that it is only available in two colors, though: pink or black. We tested the pink version, which is a pretty, very light matte pink.

As mentioned above, the toothbrush body is quite long and very smooth, and the slightly squared shape ensures the perfect grip. There is no silicone grip on the handle, but we didn’t have any issues with the toothbrush slipping during brushing. The design of the toothbrush is really simple and stripped back, with only two buttons and a few icons on the body: one power button, and one to change the mode/intensity. The icons light up automatically when the toothbrush is picked up, so you can see what mode it is set to, whether Bluetooth is connected, and what the battery levels are like.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 comes with a removable head that you simply slot on to the body, which makes cleaning and maintenance easier. Similarly to the body, the ‘neck’ of the toothbrush (the part just below the head) is very long, definitely the longest we’ve ever seen on a toothbrush. This is a great feature that makes brushing hard-to-reach places really easy, and is convenient if you have a large mouth.

The compatible toothbrush heads are the C3 Premium Plaque Control heads, which are oval-shaped and on the smaller side of the scale. Philips claims these heads ensure 4 x more surface contact and up to 10 x more plaque removal from hard-to-reach spots based on two 2-minute brushing sessions a day.

As expected with an electric toothbrush, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 also comes with a charger, which you just have to place the toothbrush onto and plug in to charge. Confusingly, there is a small clear piece of plastic to place onto the charger that fits the size of the toothbrush body - otherwise, you can’t balance and charge the toothbrush. We were unsure why this wasn’t already attached to the charger, but that might be for compatibility reasons.

One of the best features of the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is the charging travel case. The case can fit the toothbrush as well as two replacement heads and also comes with a clear plastic cover for a toothbrush head. Conveniently, you can charge the case with a USB cable when you’re travelling, which will in turn charge the toothbrush when it is placed in it. This is a great feature if you’re often on the go. 

• Related: Should you brush your tongue?

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: Functionality

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 has four brushing modes: clean, white+, gum health and deep clean+. These are indicated as little light-up icons on the toothbrush body, and you can toggle between them by pressing the button below the power button. Initially, it can be confusing as the button is unmarked, and also regulates intensity once the toothbrush is powered on. You have to stop the brushing to switch modes.  

The four modes are described as follows on the Phillips website:

• Clean - For exceptional everyday cleaning
• Deep Clean+ - For an invigorating deep clean
• Gum Health - For special attention to molars
• White+ - To remove surface stains

We felt a definite difference between clean/deep clean+, the latter leaving our teeth feeling cleaner. However, over a few cleans, we didn’t notice an enormous amount of difference between the other modes, except that Gum Health was a bit softer on the gums.

As well as these four modes, the toothbrush has three intensity levels, also signalled by light up icons on the body. You can flicker between the intensity levels by pressing the unmarked button below the power button while the toothbrush is running. We were pleasantly surprised by the considerable difference between the power levels, and the lowest level was very well suited to our sensitive gums.

The toothbrush has a two-minute timer that vibrates every 20 seconds, unlike the usual 30 seconds on most other toothbrushes. This is actually really convenient, as you can separate the zones in your mouth into six as opposed to four, which makes keeping track of where you’ve brushed easier. The brushing automatically stops after two minutes, handy if you’re prone to zoning out while you brush. 

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is easy to clean: after every use, simply detach the head from the body, give it a rinse, and scrub anything off the top of the body. Leave the head to airdry. 

You can pair the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 to the Sonicare app via Bluetooth, which sounds very high tech, but was actually a bit disappointing. It took about 10 minutes to first connect to the app, and once we did, we were disappointed by the functionality. If you select “Start brushing” on the app it just shows you a timer and a screen that says “keep brushing”, without showing your brushing habits. It does rate the pressure you were applying once the session is done, which is useful. 

Once you’re done brushing, it also takes a couple of minutes for the brushing session to sync to your phone, during which you need to stay close to the toothbrush - inconvenient if you’re in a rush. Annoyingly, it’s also not possible to use your phone for anything else while you’re using the app if you don’t want to “lose” your brushing session. 

The app is useful as it shows you a calendar view of when you brushed and how long for, but we felt this could have been recorded in a much simpler way, on a habit tracker for example. The app also contains some brushing tips which can be handy if you’re interested in improving your technique, but it doesn’t show you what you’re doing wrong. For the price, we felt a bit short-changed by this app.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: Performance

This sounds obvious, but the first time we tried it, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 made our teeth feel really clean. It was a definite upgrade from our previous electric toothbrush, a $40 simple model. As mentioned above, the difference between each mode wasn’t too obvious, but the deep clean+ and white+ felt a bit stronger and more effective. However, for someone with sensitive gums like us, these modes are a bit harsh - the clean and gum health felt better for everyday use. 

The toothbrush head is a C3 Premium Plaque Control head, which Philips claims removes more plaque and reaches more places than others. We did notice that brushing harder to reach areas was really easy with this toothbrush, but that was also due to the elongated toothbrush neck. The slim oval shape of the head was convenient for someone with a smaller mouth like ours, and the app seemed pleased with how much surface we were covering when brushing.

One of the best things about this toothbrush is how quiet it runs. On the lowest intensity levels, it runs at about 45 decibels, the same as a quiet library, going up to about 60 decibels on the highest intensity setting, similar to an office. The difference between the levels is also very significant, which means you can tailor your brushing to your needs. 

As with most electric toothbrushes, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is very water-resistant and survived being left underwater for 30 seconds without a problem. The handle is also quite sturdy and easy to clean, so longevity shouldn’t be an issue. 

Philips claims the battery life on this model is two weeks, and it totally checks out. We used it twice a day for 16 days without having to recharge, so we’re very confident taking it on a trip without the charger. The case it comes with can charge with just a USB cable anyway, so battery life is definitely not a concern.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: What’s good about it?

We love the ergonomic shape of the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 toothbrush. It’s really smooth and satisfying to hold, but also looks great on your bathroom shelf. It’s not a toothbrush you’ll want to hide! The design of the brush head is also really practical and allows you to brush the back of your mouth really easily. 

The toothbrush performs well at brushing and is really adaptable to your needs, with four modes and three intensity levels. For someone with sensitive gums, like this writer, we were pleased to see that the lower intensity level really was low, which avoided irritation and bleeding. The app is a nice touch if you’re interested about your brushing habits, and the charging case is a great gadget for travelling.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: What’s not so good about it?

Honestly, we struggled with this section. Perhaps our biggest complaint was that the app that comes with the toothbrush is not as feature-rich as its competitors, such as Oral-B. While the app records how long and how often you brush your teeth for, and rates the pressure you use, it doesn’t record where you’ve brushed and where you might need to focus a bit more. It also takes a while to sync, which is annoying if you need to get somewhere.

Another drawback is the limited number of colors this toothbrush comes in, with a simple choice between pink and black. If you care about aesthetics and neither of these fit your bathroom, you might have to look elsewhere.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review: User reviews

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 scores an impressive 4.7 stars out of five on BestBuy, from 216 ratings. Positive reviews rave about the battery life, the efficiency of cleaning, and the elegant look, with one user saying, “This is an excellent buy if you want to have a long lasting electronic toothbrush that helps you get that white smile you want.” Negative reviews mention the high price, and the fact the toothbrush is perhaps not as durable as desired.  

Should you buy the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000?

If you’re looking to invest in a premium electric toothbrush and are interested in improving your oral hygiene, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is really worth it. You get an elegant device that’s efficiently designed to provide an in-depth clean, and the companion app is useful to show you your brushing habits. However, if you’re not interested in the looks and just want a toothbrush that will do the job, don’t bother spending almost $200 on this product.  

If this product isn’t for you

If you want an even more high-tech electric toothbrush, try the Oral-B Genius X. It comes with an app that tracks your brushing habits and gives you personalized coaching tips to improve your oral hygiene.

If you’re on a budget, the Foreo ISSA 3 sonic toothbrush could be a good choice for you. It’s got a quirky design and a 365-day battery life, and costs less than half of the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000. It’s also a bit more environmentally-friendly, as you only have to change the head every six months and rarely have to recharge it.

It's easy to take teeth for granted, but these 9 teeth facts you probably didn't know should cast your pearly whites in a fascinating new light. Because you may know how to floss your teeth properly, but did you know that you spend about 24 hours each year brushing them? 

We've compiled these weird and wonderful facts with the help of dentists, who have each contributed their favorite little-known truths about teeth. If you're looking for more practical advice, you might want to head over to our round-up of the best electric toothbrushes, where you'll find our comprehensive ranking of the top brands and models. For little ones, you can also browse the best electric toothbrushes for kids.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

9 teeth facts you probably didn't know

1. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body

Dr. David Rice, founder of IgniteDDS, shared his favorite tooth fact with us: The enamel that forms the outer layer of your teeth is the strongest substance that your body makes. However, despite their strong outer layer, teeth are also the only part of your body that cannot self-repair.

2. Your teeth are unique

Dr. Hanna Kinsella explained to us that "teeth are as unique as your fingerprint. No two sets are the same". If you watch crime documentaries, you’ll likely know that teeth imprints have been used in some very high-profile cases, including the trial of serial killer Ted Bundy. The technology used to link teeth prints to criminals is considered unreliable by some, but dental records can still play an important role in postmortem identification according to the Dental Research Journal. 

3. You spend around a day a year brushing your teeth

Dr. Alina Lee Lane recommends brushing your teeth for four minutes every day. "You should spend two minutes brushing in the morning and the evening," she told Live Science.  That means that, based on a standard 365 day year, you’ll end up spending just over 24 hours brushing your teeth every year!

4. Your teeth’s ability to feel cold determines whether they are alive

"Inside your teeth are blood vessels and nerves, making your teeth 'alive'. A 'dead tooth' is one in which the nerve tissue is damaged and can no longer feel cold," Dr. Lane explained to Live Science. If you feel pain during tests to see if your teeth feel the cold, dentists will ask about the type of pain you’re experiencing, and will often perform tests on painful teeth to determine what the issue is. 

5. Dentin changes can make teeth appear yellow

When you think of reasons your teeth might be looking yellow, your first thought likely goes to stains. And while teeth can get stained by foods, drinks, and other substances such as tobacco, these stains are not the only reason your teeth might change color. Dentin is the layer of your tooth that sits below the enamel and it can change color after certain treatments, such as root canals. Once dentin has changed color, it can show through your tooth’s enamel, making it appear darker.

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

6. Your teeth cannot repair themselves

"A tooth is the only part of our bodies that cannot heal itself," Dr. Rice explained. So while your tooth enamel is a very strong part of your body, it is essential to look after it well so your smile can look and feel healthy in the long run. A paper published by the American Family Physician states that common reasons people have to consult a dentist outside of their regular check-ups include pulpal inflammation (often caused by caries), broken teeth, and trauma.

7. Braces were first designed in the 18th century

Medical historians believe that dentistry pioneer Pierre Fauchard designed one of the first orthodontic devices in the early 18th century. The 'bandolet' was the precursor to modern-day arch-expansion techniques. The devices were made of silver or gold and were even recommended by Etienne Bourdet, a dentist to the King of France at the time.

8. You can have up to six wisdom teeth

"Your third molars are known as 'wisdom teeth'. Most adults have four wisdom teeth," Dr. Lane explained. "But it's normal for people to have 0, 1, 2, 3, or even 6," she added. Depending on how many wisdom teeth you have, they might have trouble finding space in your mouth. Lane told us, "often, wisdom teeth do not erupt alongside your other teeth normally because many people have too small jaws to fit them!"

• Related: Can wisdom teeth grow back?

 9. Plaque can contain over 300 species of bacteria

Plaque can contain 200 to 300 different species of bacteria. While not all these bacteria will harm the health of your teeth, one specific strain—Streptococcus mutans—is a prime cause of tooth decay. 

Have a look at our investigation into 'is milk good for your teeth' to see how drinking milk may help your dental health.

Fluoride is something most of us are aware of, but is fluoride good for your teeth? Every time you choose a toothpaste or toothbrush, options with added fluoride are often in the mix. You might even learn about fluoride because you live in an area where the water is fluoridated. 

Picking the best products for your dental health and understanding which ingredients do what can be confusing sometimes, so we're breaking down everything you need to know about fluoride. What it is, where it comes from, and how it can help your teeth. Fluoride also gets some negative press, so we're also covering how to make sure you're getting the right amount of fluoride to avoid potential adverse health effects. To find great savings on top brands once you've done your research, head to our guide on the best electric toothbrushes.

We've asked Dr. David Rice DDS, who shared his expertise on fluoride and whether it's good for your teeth. Dr. Rice has 25 years of experience in dentistry and is the founder of igniteDDS, and regularly travels the world to share his knowledge with young dentists. He also runs a restorative and implant practice in East Amherst, NY. 

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare - Which toothbrush is better?

What is fluoride?

"Fluoride is a naturally occurring element in most drinking sources. It's also a key ingredient to the best kinds of toothpaste you can use," Dr. Rice told Live Science. Indeed, you will often see fluoride listed as a critical component in lots of your everyday dental care products, including toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride is sometimes added to tap water to benefit communities via other means than simply through proper dental care. 

But what actually is fluoride? The CDC defines fluoride as "a mineral that occurs naturally and is released from rocks into the soil, water, and air." Most water sources will contain a certain level of fluoride; in some countries, fluoride levels will be low, while others will be higher. Both ends of the spectrum can cause public health issues because consuming too much fluoride is also potentially harmful, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first city in the US to add fluoride to drinking water was Grand Rapids, MI, where the local government decided to add the element to their drinking water over 75 years ago. The city held a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary in January 2020, with Mayor Rosalynn Bliss telling reporters, "Seventy-five years ago we took a chance on putting fluoride in our water, and we continue to do things today to be a leader in many aspects of our utilities. This is a great day to recognize Grand Rapids as a leader, and 75 years of fluoridating our water." According to the American Water Works Association, the process is estimated to cost around $0.72 per person annually, with each dollar spent saving approximately $40 worth of dental treatment

Is fluoride good for your teeth?

"Fluoride has long been documented to help fight cavities," said Dr. Rice. "Today's best toothpastes contain stannous fluoride," he added. The primary benefit of fluoride is fighting tooth decay. Fluoride protects your teeth in several ways, which are different for children and adults. As such, the decision to add fluoride to tap water is usually taken by local government and health advisors who have found that adding the substance to people's everyday water source may improve their oral health, and decrease their risk of tooth decay over time, according to a report by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. This is particularly true for disadvantaged communities for whom access to dentists can be more limited than for others. 

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

Benefits of fluoride for children

Research from the Journal of Dentistry has found that fluoride helps children develop stronger enamel. When teeth are forming, the enamel mixes with fluoride, which increases its strength and durability. This means that children who have access to fluoride in their drinking water and dental care products may be less likely to experience dental problems such as cavities as they grow older.  

Benefits of fluoride for adults

If you've grown up with access to fluoride, then your teeth should already be more robust than they would have been otherwise. But the benefits of fluoride don't stop there. When fluoride mixes with your saliva, it helps prevent sugars and other plaque-forming debris from lingering on the surface of your teeth, according to a study published by the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia & Herzegovina. By reducing plaque build-up on your teeth, fluoride can help combat common conditions such as gum disease, cavities, and tooth loss. 

What are the adverse effects of fluoride?

The benefits of fluoride come with some potential negative effects. Most of these come down to overexposure to fluoride. This excess fluoride can often be found in communities with too much fluoride in the water or air because of environmental or ecological factors. As the world's climate changes, fluoride levels in some areas fluctuate more than usual.

Overexposure to fluoride can also come from swallowing products that contain the element. For example, it can be an issue for young children who swallow their toothpaste instead of spitting it out. That's why dentists will always teach parents and children to brush and spit. You don't need to rinse after brushing, but making sure you spit out any products that are enriched with fluoride (aside from clean tap water) will help ensure your exposure to fluoride stays within safe levels. Dr. Rice said, "like everything in life, there is the 'too much of a good thing.' Using a pea-sized amount of fluoride only will help give you every benefit without any negative effects."

According to the CDC, consuming or being exposed to too much fluoride can negatively affect people's health. It can make people's bones more fragile and brittle and can increase the risk of breaking bones. Some research on animals has also found that very high levels of fluoride can affect fertility.

People are often also concerned that fluoride can be linked to some cancers. To date, researchers have not been able to directly link fluoride to an elevated risk of developing cancer, whether the exposure came from naturally occurring fluoride or fluoridated water. 

Dentists and their patients have long asked the question: are electric toothbrushes better than manual toothbrushes? While the answer will come down to personal taste, budget and people’s access to the latest dental technology, science has come up with a clear answer to the quandary.

But, as with many answers, there are some exceptions and circumstances to consider when deciding if an electric toothbrush would be better than a manual toothbrush. Your age, the health of your teeth, and whether you’re undergoing any dental treatment are all contributing factors that would help a dentist decide if an electric toothbrush would be best for you.

Discover the pros and cons of manual versus electric toothbrushes, and who should be using which one. You can also find great savings on some of the best electric toothbrushes, including Oral B electric toothbrush deals, as well as the best electric toothbrushes for kids.

What are the best options for children and adults?

The most appropriate toothbrush option for you will change throughout your life, and can depend on whether you are going through dental treatment at any given time. So, the first step is breaking down toothbrush options depending on your age group.

Research published in the International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry found that electric toothbrushes were the best option for children who have their teeth brushed by a parent or were independent enough to brush their teeth effectively on their own. Dentists surveyed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advise that your child should be treated by a dentist from the age of one year. Your child’s dentist will recommend when you need to start using an electric toothbrush to clean their teeth.  

Researchers have looked into whether teenagers look after their teeth more effectively when given a manual or electric toothbrush. The data shared in the BMC Oral Health journal showed that over two weeks, teens who were given an electric toothbrush brushed their teeth for longer and had less plaque at the end of the experiment. Dentist Dr. Amo Sohal, MDDr. BSc. Pg (dip) confirmed this, and told Live Science that "electric, sonic, or powered toothbrushes are clinically proven to be more effective than a manual brush in keeping gums and teeth healthy." 

Dr. Hannah Kinsella recommended using a sonic toothbrush: "I recommend that patients use a sonic toothbrush because the brush does all the work for you, so all you need to do is to move it around your mouth and not apply too much pressure as this can damage gums." Sonic toothbrushes differ from other brushes because they move much faster than their oscillating counterparts meaning you simply need to place the brush head on the three surfaces of each tooth to get a good clean. 

As with any rule, there are some exceptions. After having dental surgery, you may need to consider using a specialist toothbrush for a few weeks. Research shared in the Scientific World Journal found that using a manual soft toothbrush with extra-fine bristles was the most comfortable option during recovery from dental surgery. They also found that by using a comfortable toothbrush, people could keep up with their oral hygiene routine better.

There are also specific recommendations for those having orthodontic treatment. For example, researchers at the Angle Orthodontist journal found that oscillating-rotating toothbrushes were more effective at removing plaque and reducing decay than sonic toothbrushes for patients with fixed braces.

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare - Which toothbrush is better?

We’ve broken down the main points of comparison between manual and electric toothbrushes so you can figure out the best option for your needs.

The pros and cons: Manual toothbrushes

Price point: Manual toothbrushes range between $0.80 and $15 depending on the make and model according to current listings on Walmart.

Effectiveness: Manual toothbrushes rely on the user’s technique to be efficient. Dr. David Rice told Live Science that the type of manual brush you choose is crucial: "if you’re going to use a manual brush, it’s very important to make sure you’re using a soft-bristled brush. Pressing too hard can damage your gums and/root surfaces of your teeth if they are exposed for any reason."

Functions: Manual toothbrushes get the job done. They’re helpful to use when you’re on a tight budget, to have in your car or at work as a backup, or if you’re traveling. Models tend not to vary too much from one brand to another.

Accessibility: Handles on manual toothbrushes tend to be narrower than for some electric toothbrushes. The Journal for the American Geriatrics Society found that accessibility may be an issue for those who struggle with arthritis in their hands or other neurological or musculoskeletal conditions that affect dexterity. 

Sustainability: Manual toothbrushes are more sustainable than electric toothbrushes. Manual brushes with detachable heads and bamboo toothbrushes were both found to be the most sustainable options, according to research published in the British Dental Journal in 2020.

The pros and cons: Electric toothbrushes

Price point: Between $5 and $200 depending on the make and model according to current listings on Walmart.

Effectiveness: The consensus between all the dentists we spoke to is that electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual brushes at removing plaque and keeping your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

Functions: Electric toothbrushes have a range of functions that vary depending on the make and model. Some include timers to ensure you have brushed your teeth for long enough, and others also have sensors to warn you when you’re applying too much pressure while brushing. 

Accessibility: According to the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers have found electric toothbrushes help to improve oral hygiene in people with disabilities because of how effective they are at reducing plaque. The length of time needed to brush teeth effectively is less than with a manual toothbrush, relieving carers of an otherwise lengthy and uncomfortable task for their patient or loved one.

Sustainability: Electric toothbrushes are not the most sustainable option for oral care. They do, however, tend to require less water usage when brushing teeth than manual brushes, according to research published in the British Dental Journal. 

Knowing how to floss your teeth is a highly recommended step in people's oral health routines, yet many still avoid doing it. Sometimes it’s because they don't know how to, other times because they're unsure how often they should do it, and some people even experience worrying symptoms such as gum bleeding after flossing! 

So it should come as no surprise that there are lots of questions that still surround flossing your teeth. From whether one type of floss is more effective than another to how often you actually should be flossing to achieve optimum oral-health benefits. We've asked dentists Dr. Anjali Rajpal and Dr. Inna Chern to share their advice on how to floss your teeth. Dr. Rajpal has pursued advanced training in general dentistry and the treatment of medically compromised patients, while Dr. Chern is a general dentist with her own practice in New York City, where she focuses on providing dental care in a relaxed and inviting environment.

If you're ready to take your oral hygiene to the next level, you can find great deals in our guides to the best electric toothbrushes and the best electric toothbrushes for kids too.

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare

What you'll need to floss your teeth

The first step to flossing correctly comes from having the right tools to floss with. "Traditional floss, whether waxed or unwaxed, can be used to mechanically remove plaque from in between teeth," Dr. Chern told Live Science. Dental floss comes in various forms, including scented options and with additional ingredients such as activated charcoal. If you're actively looking to reduce plastic waste in your daily routine, plastic-free options such as floss made from natural fibers packaged in glass or other recyclable materials are available.

Technique

When it comes to flossing, your technique is crucial for reaping the benefits. Dr. Rajpal has broken down the flossing technique she recommends for her patients.

In terms of when to floss, Dr. Rajpal told us, "Contrary to popular thought, I actually believe it makes more sense to floss after brushing, when the bacterial load has been reduced from brushing, leaving less buildup on the floss. I advise my patients that they should brush twice a day and floss at least once a day."

Should you floss every day?

"Yes, once a day is good and more often if there are areas in the mouth where more food accumulates," Dr. Chern advised. For example, if you're wearing braces, you can use orthodontic floss or a water flosser with an orthodontic attachment. Other hard-to-reach spots in your mouth can include implants, crowns, and bridges, according to Clinical Oral Implants Research. Researchers found that flossing is one of the most effective ways to keep those areas clean too. 

"The only real way to properly cleanse in between the teeth is with floss, which actually gets between the contact point," Dr. Rajpal explained. As you can imagine, cleaning each and every surface of your teeth is essential to keep your gums healthy, remove any odor-causing plaque, and prevent decay over time. "Flossing helps release food particles and bacteria that are stuck in the contact points between teeth. It can definitely help reduce the chance of developing cavities there and help diminish the development of gum disease. Patients that complain to me of bleeding gums will generally see a reduction in bleeding with an improved flossing regimen."

So, whether you decide to add flossing to your oral care routine in the morning or the evening, adding flossing to the mix at least once a day is important. Don't forget that flossing alone won't prevent tooth decay. In addition to cleaning in between your teeth, you will need to learn how to use an electric toothbrush and a good brushing technique to remove plaque from the other surfaces of your teeth. And you may even want to use mouthwash, too.

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

Common mistakes

Dentists Dr. Chern and Dr. Rajpal explained that many people dislike flossing because their technique is slightly off. This can lead to discomfort and even bleeding from the gums. Here are the most common mistakes they see people make when it comes to flossing:

Being too rough

Dr. Chern told us, "Some people complain of bleeding and pain with flossing, and this usually means they are being a bit too aggressive. Flossing should not hurt and should be a gentle process."

Holding the floss wrongly

"Holding the floss with the wrong fingers which complicates the ability to manipulate the floss, or using too short a piece of floss is another mistake. While you may be able to get away with the wrong technique on the front teeth, it will definitely be a challenge to floss the back teeth with the incorrect technique," Dr. Rajpal explained.

Rushing the process 

Another common mistake Dr. Rajpal sees is patients not completing the flossing process. "Patients thinking they can just pop between each contact without wrapping around each tooth and cleaning below the gum," she told us. "I explain to them how important it is to make sure that the surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and that the area just below the gums is gently accessed," she added.

It is is something most people dread, but do we know what causes toothache? No matter how well you look after your dental health, using the best products you can afford, sometimes toothache strikes and it's not always clear what the underlying causes are. 

Whether it's waking up with a dull ache during the night or a sharp pain after eating something, having a toothache can be a really miserable experience. We're going to break down some of the most common causes of discomfort, how you can avoid them, and what to do when they strike. While the treatment for toothache depends on the cause of the pain you're experiencing, we've put together some general tips to tide you over until you can get to see a dentist. You may also find our guide to the best electric toothbrushes useful.

To help us answer questions on this extensive topic, we've spoken to experienced dentist Dr. David Rice, founder of igniteDDS, who travels the world sharing his knowledge with young dentists. He also runs a restorative and implant practice in East Amherst, NY.  

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare - Which toothbrush is better? 

What causes toothache?

Depending on how your toothache appeared, you may or may not know what caused it. While broken teeth or knocks to your jaw that cause damage to your teeth are obvious sources of pain, some toothaches arise from less obvious sources. Dr. Rice talked us through some of the most common causes of toothaches:  

1. Untreated cavities that are close or into the nerve of a tooth  

Where previously tooth loss was one of the biggest concerns in oral health, advances in technology and better access to oral hygiene products mean common tooth complaints are evolving. A study by the Journal of Dental Research has shown that between 1990 and 2010, untreated cavities became one of the most common oral health concerns worldwide. While not all cavities can be avoided, the best way to keep your teeth free from decay is to maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine. Generally, the best way to do this is to brush twice a day for two minutes, use fluoride toothpaste, and make sure you're up-to-date on your brushing technique.

2. Fractured teeth 

A fractured or cracked tooth can occur for a few different reasons, but some of the most common include general wear and tear, teeth grinding, or jaw clenching. The type of pain associated with a fractured tooth includes pain when chewing or constant discomfort in and around the cracked tooth, according to Journal of Dentistry.  If you break a tooth and a piece falls off that you can save, the NHS recommends keeping the fragment of the tooth in a pot of milk or saliva until you can make it to the dentist. If you look after the fragment well, the dentist may be able to re-attach the piece of tooth.

3. Nerve dying in your tooth 

Dr. Rice listed some common causes of nerves dying in your teeth, including "big fillings or crowns, old fillings or crowns, trauma or a combination of factors." Your tooth nerves are found in the inner layer, known as the pulp. According to the Mayo Clinic, when a tooth is damaged or infected, the blood supply to the pulp can be damaged, and the nerve may ultimately die. This process isn't always painful; some people will find they simply experience swelling around the affected tooth. Teeth that no longer have a blood supply can still be saved in some circumstances, says a study by the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, and if not, can be replaced with a denture or implant, for example.

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

Toothache remedies

Getting an appointment with a dentist isn't always quick, so knowing how to care for a toothache can come in useful. That being said, taking care of a toothache without getting professional help is rarely a good idea: "Toothaches rarely go away. It's best to see your dentist as soon as you can to determine what is causing the toothache, as well as how to correct it," Dr. Rice told us. So, while you wait on an appointment, here's how to take care of that pain.

First things first, consider taking some painkillers. Dr. Rice advises Motrin or Advil: "If you can medically take Motrin or Advil, taking 600mg every 6 hours is very helpful." According to the Mayo Clinic, this medication should help you manage the pain enough to allow you to focus on other tasks while you wait for further treatment. Other tips to help manage tooth pain include rinsing your mouth with warm water, applying ice (or frozen food) wrapped in a towel to the outside of your cheek. Make sure you don't have any food stuck in your teeth: if it's comfortable to do so, brush your teeth or use floss to dislodge any food that might be causing discomfort.

Have a look at our investigation into 'is milk good for your teeth' to see how drinking milk may help your dental health.

It's also worth considering if your toothache has a source that isn't directly linked to your teeth. According to research pubiished by the Australian Dental Association, If you're very congested or have a sinus infection, you might feel pain in your teeth and jaw. It's worth letting your dentist know if you've been unwell before the pain started so they can rule out any other potential causes.

In rare cases, you may need to seek urgent medical care for a toothache. Seek urgent medical help if you have swelling around your eyes or in your neck area or swelling in your mouth or throat that makes it difficult to swallow or breathe, say the NHS. In general, however, Urgent Care and the ER will only be able to prescribe painkillers or antibiotics instead of being able to treat the source of your toothache. Toothache is usually considered a reason for an emergency dental appointment if it's lasted for more than a couple of days, you have swelling in your jaw or cheek area, when you have a high temperature, red gums, pain when you bite down, or a bad taste in your mouth.

Whatever the causes of bad breath, smelly breath can be a genuine nuisance. It can make you feel self-conscious and is considered by many as a social taboo. Whether you think you might need some help freshening your breath, or if you’re just curious about the causes of bad breath, this article will be able to shed some light on the subject for you as we explore 5 causes of bad breath. 

Bad breath can have many possible causes, but the good news is that a lot of them have easy fixes as well, such as investing in one of the best electric toothbrushes to take your routine to the next level. So if you follow some of the steps below, you might find that some simple lifestyle changes could help you achieve fresh breath that lasts all day. 

We’ve spoken to two dentists, Dr. Inna Chern and Dr. Anjali Rajpal, to ask them about the leading causes of bad breath and how they advise their patients to treat them. Dr. Chern earned her dental degree at the Stony Brook University of Dentistry and now practices in New York City. Dr. Rajpal received her Doctorate in Medical Dentistry from Tufts University in Boston, MA. She currently practices in Beverly Hills and works to blend art and science into cosmetic dentistry.

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare - Which toothbrush is better?

5 causes of bad breath

1.  Bacteria 

Dr. Chern told us bacteria is one of the leading causes of bad breath: "Halitosis or bad breath is caused by bacteria that live in dental plaque and tartar. When plaque accumulates around teeth, it harbors odor-causing bacteria." Maintaining a healthy oral hygiene routine should help keep bacteria at bay. 

2. Fungi

"The most common culprits of bad breath with an oral origin are from bacterial or fungal buildup on the tongue," Dr. Rajpal said. According to the Mayo Clinic, Oral thrush or oral candidiasis is a common fungal infection that can cause bad breath. While oral thrush is more common in infants or older people, it can happen to anyone at any stage of their life. It can be caused by taking some medications too. 

3. Dry mouth 

Another leading cause of bad breath is dry mouth, Dr. Rajpal told Live Science. Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth is a condition that develops when your body doesn’t produce enough saliva. The condition has several potential causes: aging, certain medications, nerve damage, and some neurological diseases such as dementia. Some healthcare providers recommend chewing on sugar-free gum or sweets to help alleviate symptoms and encourage your body to produce more saliva. Some medications can help promote the production of saliva if other remedies don’t work.

4.  Acid reflux 

Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can also cause bad breath. Research published in the journal of General Internal Medicine in 2008 found a clear link between the two conditions after surveying patients who experienced reflux to find out if they also experienced bad breath. People who suffer from GERD can find their symptoms are triggered by certain lifestyle factors, including eating large amounts of food, eating just before going to bed or laying down, and even eating particular foods, including acidic foods or fried foods.  

5.  Other health conditions  

Dr. Rajpal told us that bad breath can be a sign of other health conditions too: "Systemic conditions such as sinus issues, tonsil disorders, diabetes, lower respiratory tract infections, kidney or liver failure or carcinomas can all contribute to halitosis or bad breath as well." If you’ve tried a variety of remedies and are still struggling with bad breath, or you have other symptoms, it’s worth mentioning your issues to your doctor or dentist. They will be able to help you get to the root cause of the problem.

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

How to get rid of bad breath

Treating bad breath will ultimately depend on what’s causing the issue. But there are some general hygiene practices you can follow to help keep your mouth free from odor-causing bacteria. Some lifestyle adjustments and changes to your diet may help keep bad breath under control. Dr. Inna Chern recommends the following routine to stay ahead of bad breath: 

1. Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day 
2. Floss or water floss at least once a day 
3. Rinse with mouthwash once or twice a day 
4. See your dental healthcare provider twice a year 

If your breath doesn’t improve with a good oral hygiene routine, you will need to speak to your dentist: it may be that a deeper clean is required. Dr. Rajpal explained: "a proper hygiene regimen is crucial to mechanically remove any soft plaque buildup before it has the opportunity to mineralize, harden and attach to the tooth. At that point, we as dental professionals need to step in to remove the hardened calculus or tartar. Patients that have heavy attached buildup underneath their gums will often complain of bad breath but will see it resolve after we perform a deep cleaning treatment."

Your diet also has a role to play in keeping your breath fresh, and it’s not simply a case of avoiding foods that contain garlic! "It is important to stay very hydrated and focus on having a healthy alkaline-based diet low in carbohydrates and high in crunchy, healthy foods, green vegetables, and probiotics to reduce the bacteria’s ability to thrive in the oral environment," Dr. Rajpal explained. Alkaline foods include green vegetables, nuts, citrus fruits, and other whole foods.

Healthcare providers are on hand to help with issues like bad breath. And although it’s rare, halitosis can be caused by some chronic health problems such as diabetes or kidney and liver failure. Your dentist may advise you to consult your physician if they suspect your bad breath is caused by something other than oral hygiene issues. Once any underlying health problems are under control, you will likely find your breath starts smelling neutral once again.

Flossing your teeth is vital for good oral hygiene so how often should you floss? Flossing removes trapped food particles and plaque from the hard-to-reach areas between your teeth and around the gumline, but it's not always clear how frequently we should floss our teeth. for the best results.

Plaque contains bacteria which like to feed on the leftover food and sugar deposited around your teeth; it releases an acid that attacks the enamel, the outermost part of your tooth. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but once breached you may succumb to cavities or tooth decay, gum disease and even toothache.

So, how often should you floss? Once a day? Twice a day? After each time you eat? We aim to settle the debate, and determine whether you should floss or brush first, before taking a look at the different types of dental floss available. 

When it comes to oral health, investing in one of the best electric toothbrushes is a great place to start, but flossing is still essential to keep your smile looking perfect. 

How often should you floss your teeth?

No matter how well you brush, food debris, plaque and bacteria will still be trapped between your teeth. Flossing is a vital part of your oral health regime, yet many people still don’t realize just how important it is; it’s often regarded as an optional extra, rather than a necessity. Flossing has even been linked to a lower risk of oral cancer. Yet flossing can also seem like a bit of a chore, but not if you make it a habit, said dentist Dr Arun Narang.

"Most of us remember to brush our teeth twice a day without a problem, and that’s because it’s a habit. We do it at the same time each day, pretty much without thinking about it," Dr. Narang told LiveScience. "Adding flossing to your oral hygiene routine will pay big dividends. I suggest leaving yourself a visual cue to remind you to floss every day. You can leave your dental floss out on your bathroom counter or put a Post-it Note on your bathroom mirror."

"The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing at least one to two times per day, though flossing three times per day is excellent for a healthy oral health routine," SmileDirectClub’s DMD and Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Jeffrey Sulitzer advised LiveScience. "Flossing helps eliminate any plaque or calculus between the teeth, prevents cavities, reduces the risk of gingivitis, and flossing for two to five minutes will remove lingering food and bacteria." 

But it isn’t just about how often you floss; it’s also about how well you floss. You should take your time to ensure you cover all the hard-to-reach areas, including the gumline. The American Dental Association advises using a gentle rubbing motion; when the floss reaches the gumline you should curve it against one tooth, sliding it into the space between the gum and the tooth, before rubbing the side of the tooth, and moving the floss away from the gum in a vertical, up and down motion.

It’s also important to note that flossing shouldn’t hurt; you may experience some tenderness or bleeding of the gums at first, said the NHS, but once it’s part of your routine any discomfort should subside.

• Related: Oral B vs Sonicare - Which toothbrush is better?

Should you floss after brushing or before?

The spaces between our teeth count for around 30% of the total surface of our teeth, said Cat Edney, a dental hygienist and therapist.

"It is vitally important that we keep them clean especially as they are in hard-to-reach areas where bacteria can stagnate if left to its own devices," Edney told LiveScience. "I often suggest cleaning in between before brushing so that the toothpaste is more likely to reach these areas that are vulnerable to decay."

Dr. Narang agrees: "Do it in the right order. Floss, then brush. Flossing dislodges bits of food and plaque, and you need to brush afterwards to get these particles out of your mouth."

The ADA says it doesn’t matter when you floss as long as you do it. Sulitzer agrees: "Some dentists recommend flossing before brushing teeth and using mouthwash; however, if flossing later in your oral care routine is a better fit for someone, I recommend whatever order best ensures consistency."

What types of dental floss are there?

There is an overwhelming choice of basic dental flosses on the market but what types of floss are there, and which is best for you? Each dental floss has its pros and cons, and it might be that you need to experiment with lots of different options before you find something that works for you, Edney said.

There are unwaxed flosses, which consist of a thin nylon floss made of about 35 strands twisted together. If your teeth are close together, you may find it fits nicely into the tight spaces, but it can be prone to shredding or breaking. Waxed floss is essentially the same but has a light wax coating; although this makes it less likely to break, it may be harder to use if your teeth are close together.

"For tightly packed teeth a tape-style floss is often easier to use and you can get it as handy floss-picks which can be helpful for accessing hard to reach areas," said Edney. Tape floss tends to be slightly flatter and broader than floss, and comes in waxed and unwaxed versions.

"If you have larger spaces or any bleeding of the gums it is often more effective to use interdental brushes to keep these areas clean, they should fit snugly," Edney advised. Interdental brushes have a small bristled head that slots in the spaces between your teeth and come in a range of different sizes to suit the size of the gaps.

Flossing is just one of many ways to remove food and plaque trapped between your teeth. It doesn’t matter when you do it, or even how many times, as long as you floss daily to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

• Related: Can wisdom teeth grow back?

When it comes to Oral B vs Sonicare toothbrushes, it can be tough to know exactly which brand has the models and features to suit you. We’ve gotten into the differences that might persuade you to opt for one particular brand over another, as well as the features that make these brushes so great. 

Investing in one of the best electric toothbrushes can make the world of difference to your oral hygiene. It can prevent issues such as gum disease or yellow teeth, and give you more confidence in your smile. However, navigating the market of toothbrushes out there can be a little dizzying, which is why we’ve outlined everything you need to know when it comes to Oral B vs Sonicare so that you’re one step closer to making your decision. 

Oral B is a distinguished US brand that’s been around for more than 70 years. When it comes to electric toothbrushes, it has an extensive range to cater to all areas of oral hygiene, including one brush with a special tongue cleaning mode. In comparison, Philips Sonicare is a little newer to the toothbrush game, with its first brush launching in 1992. That doesn’t mean Philips Sonicare is one to be underestimated though, boasting the number one selling power toothbrush in the US in 2001. There’s an array of Philips toothbrushes on offer too with a focus on dentistry level care at home. 

To help you decide which of these giants of dental care is most suited to you, we’ve broken down all of the information you need to know. Once you’ve decided on your brush of choice, 

Oral B vs Sonicare: Prices and products

Oral B prices and products

At the most basic end of the spectrum, Oral B offers its Vitality model with a built-in brushing timer. In the middle of the market you’ll find the Oral B Pro 3000 with three brushing modes and 360º gum pressure control. Meanwhile, at the top end of Oral B’s offering, the latest iO range combines micro-vibrating bristles with Oral-B's dentist-inspired round brush head for fresh, clean and healthier gums.

Oral B Pro 3000 3D (MSRP $88.77)

Oral B Vitality FlossAction Electric (MSRP $19.97)

Oral B iO Series 9 Electric (MSRP $299.99)

Oral B Smart 1500 Electric (MSRP $80.49)

Oral-B Genius X Electric (MSRP $199.99)

Oral-B Pro 1000 Power Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $68.99)

Oral-B Kids Electric (MSRP $33.86)

Sonicare prices and products

There are a multitude of Sonicare electric toothbrushes that use its acclaimed sonic technology, which delivers up to 62,000 movements of the brush head per minute, resulting in micro–bubbles that really target the area between teeth and the gum line. Sonicare’s all-rounder, the DailyClean 1100 electric toothbrush, is a great transition model to help you move from a manual toothbrush with the sensitive EasyStart program, which gently increases power over time. Another highlight is the Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 with built in smart sensors, which is designed to whiten your teeth in just one week.

Philips Sonicare DailyClean 1100 Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $24.97)

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $89.90)

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500 Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $249.95)

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $69.95)

Philips Sonicare ExpertClean 7500 Bluetooth Rechargeable Electric (MSRP $168.99)

Philips Sonicare FlexCare+ Electric ($169.98)

Oral B vs Sonicare prices and products: The winner 

For us, the clear winner has to be Oral B because of its appealing price point, frequent promotions and the variety of products available. There's even a kid's range with themed and character-adorned models to make dental hygiene fun for children. The brand has far more electrical toothbrushes to choose from, including all-rounder basic models to those with more premium features, each of which is targeted at specific dental concerns. Oral B also beats Philips Sonicare on price every time.

Sub-head: Oral B vs Sonicare: Features

Oral B features

Oral B has all the flashy new features you can think of and more. With the iO9 you can expect an interactive color display and LED pressure sensor, but our favorite innovative feature is its seven brushing modes: Daily Clean, Sensitive, Gum Care, Intense Clean, Whitening, Tongue Cleaner and Super Sensitive teeth. The latter is perfect if you've recently had dental work or are waiting for an appointment to tackle a toothache or gum issue. Plus, the Tongue Cleaner setting is the perfect answer to those wondering whether you should brush your tongue. 

Another feature of the iO9 is the fact it can track 16 zones within your mouth with an AI detection system to help you achieve the best clean via real-time data that’s sent to your smartphone. The downside is the heads can be pricey to replace, like most Oral B electric toothbrushes.

• Visible pressure sensors 
• Rapid charging with the magnetic charging stand 
• Magnetic iO technology for a professional clean 
• 3D teeth tracking to guide you to your best clean 
• Interactive color greeting display 
• Charging case 
• Built in timer  
• Seven special brush settings  
• Smart-enabled 
• Variety of colourways available  

Sonicare features

One important feature of Sonicare’s DiamondClean Smart 9500 toothbrush is the BrushSync technology, which automatically selects the best mode for you with its built-in smart sensors and the accompanying app’s progress report. Oral health is designed to be improved after regular use.

However, it really is the little things we love about the Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500, such as the fact that you'll be reminded to replace your brush head when it's no longer performing. Another clever feature is that the toothbrush alerts you if you are pressing too hard. The Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500 also features:

• Proven to improve oral health 
• Whitens teeth in just one week 
• BrushSync automatically selects the best mode for you 
• Alerts you when you are pressing too hard 
• Alerts you to replace your brush heads  
• USB charging travel case  
• Specific Tongue care brush head 
• 5 brush modes 
• Built-in smart sensors 
• 14-day battery life 
• App's Progress Report  

Oral B vs Sonicare features: The winner

It’s a really close call when it comes to the features here, as both brands offer a multitude of advanced functions. We think Sonicare has the edge, due to the fact that the Smart 9500 built-in pressure sensor informs you when you are brushing too hard. This toothbrush is also designed to supplement your dental regime, as the Sonicare is designed to whiten while brushing. 

Oral B vs Sonicare: Benefits

Oral B is the electric toothbrush to invest in if you suffer from sensitive teeth and gums. The small round head brush head creates micro-vibrations and a gentle brushing experience. Plus, you get real-time data sent to your phone on your brushing performance.

Meanwhile, if a pearly white smile is what you are after, then look no further than the Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500 electric toothbrush. This product is designed to deliver that desirable white smile without stripping the teeth of its natural enamel. The Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 is also an excellent option if you're in that transition between going from a manual to electric toothbrush, as it features a beginner’s program. 

Oral B vs Sonicare: Verdict

With both Oral B and Sonicare featuring a range of powerful features, there’s no one outright winner. This means that it’s all down to personal preference and your own dental needs. Both brands feature electric toothbrushes with built in timers, rhythmic vibrations and sleek designs. 

Oral B have a variety of all-rounder models available at a more affordable price point, but Sonicare have more advanced models that really target specific dental needs and are tailored more to the user with guidance for optimum brushing. 

In this Foreo ISSA 3 review, we’ll be taking a look at the design, performance and water-resistance of this sonic electric toothbrush, so you’ll have everything you need before deciding to purchase. 

The creators of the Foreo ISSA 3 make an impressive claim that their toothbrush can last up to a whole year between charges. A simple USB charging cable designed to be plugged into a laptop or other charging socket is included for this annual charge, whilst a flap cleverly conceals the charging point at the back of the silicone-covered handle.

This 4-in-1 toothbrush is designed to clean the teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue with a unique bacteria-resistant silicone and thermoplastic toothbrush head, which the makers say helps to prevent receding gums and tooth sensitivity while being gentle on tooth enamel.

While the Foreo ISSA 3 is sonic, meaning that it operates at a higher frequency than a standard oscillating-rotating toothbrush, users are actually required to operate the toothbrush as they would a manual brush, which may feel a little strange and confusing for some users.

A QR code that comes with the toothbrush allows you to quickly access and download the user manual and activate the two-year warranty that comes with the toothbrush.

Foreo ISSA 3 review: Design

The Foreo ISSA 3 has to be one of the most sleekly designed electric toothbrushes on the market. Available in a choice of four colors - fuchsia, mint, pink and black - the ergonomically designed handle and toothbrush head have got the wow factor. The brush head itself combines thermoplastic bristles with silicone bristles, which continue down the brush head. This longer brushing surface of around 2 inches (5 centimeters) may take some getting used to if you normally use a standard brush head.

Although thick, the silicone bristles are soft and flexible, while the inner thermoplastic bristles are medium-firm. The brush head is angled slightly forward, which helps to target the back of teeth and hard-to-reach areas more effectively. 

The brush handle features just three control buttons, which are seamlessly designed into the silicone. Users push the on/off button to power on the toothbrush, and then set the intensity of the brush by pressing the + or - buttons which are located above and below the control button. This simplicity of control means users can easily dial the intensity up or down while brushing, without having to take the toothbrush out of the mouth to do so.

At the back of the handle, a small charging point is cleverly concealed beneath a flap that can be secured after charging to prevent water damage.

The very base of the toothbrush is clear plastic, which flashes white to indicate when to change position, during charging, and when you change the intensity of the sonic pulsations. It also lights up continually when the recommended 2 minutes of brushing time have elapsed (a useful reminder feature), or when the brush is fully charged. 

The packaging is similarly stylish and sleek. The toothbrush is packaged in a recyclable curved plastic box which opens to reveal minimal further packaging inside. 

Foreo ISSA 3 review: Functionality

The Foreo ISSA 3 is ready to use straight out of the box, although users may prefer to give it a quick charge using the white USB cable provided. While a small, basic paper manual is included, users need to scan a QR code to download the full online manual. This is much more detailed and features useful graphics and photographs in full color. 

Before first use, you’ll need to unlock the Foreo ISSA 3. This is done by pressing both the + and - buttons simultaneously until the indicator light at the base flashes. Once unlocked, it’s ready to go.

Using the Foreo ISSA 3 may be easy as pie or a little tricky, depending on what type of toothbrush you’ve been using previously. If you’re used to a manual toothbrush, where you brush your teeth in a circular motion, then you’ll quickly get to grips with this toothbrush. If you’re used to holding an electric toothbrush steady on your teeth while the brush does all the work, it may take you a little longer. This is because the Foreo ISSA 3 requires that you use it like a manual toothbrush instead of an electric toothbrush. With a little practice, however, this should become second nature.  

Users can set the intensity of the sonic pulsations by using the + or - buttons above and below the power button. Continuous pressing will scroll through the 16 intensity levels, or users can raise or lower the intensity one level at a time with a brief push. 

Also included at the back of the brush head is a ridged panel, designed to help brush the tongue and cheeks after brushing. Simply switch the toothbrush around to use this while keeping the brush switched on.  

During brushing, the toothbrush flashes white every 30 seconds and emits a short pulse to indicate when to switch to a new area of the mouth. At the end of two minutes, it continually lights up to indicate the end of brushing time. 

The manufacturers advise cleaning the brush head after each use with warm water while running a finger through the bristles. They also recommend using a proprietary silicone cleaning spray on the body of the brush and replacing the brush head every six months. 

Users can also purchase sensitive toothbrush heads or a separate tongue cleaning brush head which can be used in place of the in-built tongue cleaner on the standard toothbrush head. 

Foreo ISSA 3 review: Performance

In our at-home testing of the Foreo ISSA 3, we evaluated its various settings and features, including how water-resistant it is. We also assessed how noisy it is during operation with a decibel meter. We found that the Foreo ISSA 3 operates at just 33 decibels at its lowest setting, gradually increasing to 44 decibels at its highest setting. 33 decibels is the same as a whisper, while 44 decibels is just louder than a quiet library. This impressively low volume makes this toothbrush a winner for users who prefer a calm morning and bedtime routine. 

Although we worked our way through the 16 levels of intensity, we tended to find that the highest level setting gave the best results, or results closest to that of a regular sonic toothbrush, while the lower levels were largely redundant. However, users with sensitive teeth or painful gums may prefer operating this toothbrush at a lower setting. 

We gave the Foreo ISSA 3 a quick charge straight out of the box, and found it to be fully charged within 30 minutes. Unfortunately, our limited testing time frame means we can’t fully test the claim that it can go for up to a year without charging, but user reviews currently report several weeks of ongoing use without needing to charge. 

Finally, we ran the toothbrush for a full brushing cycle while submerged underwater, to see if it would continue to operate. We found the Foreo ISSA 3 had no problems during this test or afterward in terms of performance or water damage.

Foreo ISSA 3 review: What’s good about it?

We love the sheer wow factor of this toothbrush. Its cool design far surpasses any other electric toothbrushes at this price point (around $135). We’re also impressed at how unique this toothbrush is compared to most other electric toothbrushes. It looks and feels futuristic, despite how easy it is to control. This simplicity of design and function makes it feel luxurious and aspirational.

We also like the fact that the Foreo ISSA 3 has a smart memory feature, which means that it remembers your level setting for the next brushing session.

And finally, we’re impressed by the Foreo ISSA 3’s eco-credentials. Not having to charge a toothbrush every week or two saves energy, time, and money, while replacing the toothbrush head every six months instead of every three months cuts down on manufacturing and materials. The recyclable packaging is another bonus, although it would be nice to see less plastic used, even if it is recyclable.

Foreo ISSA 3 review: What’s not so good about it?

Some features of the Foreo ISSA 3 are perhaps too subtle. For example, the pulse to switch positions is so quick and quiet that it can easily be missed. The ridged panel at the back of the toothbrush head, designed to clean the tongue and cheeks, felt too smooth to be effective in cleaning these areas.

The large brush head takes some getting used to. Users may have trouble hitting those hard-to-reach areas at the back and sides of the mouth.

The toothbrush comes with a flimsy travel sleeve, which only has space for one toothbrush and head. At this price point, we’d have hoped to have a more robust travel case with room for at least one extra toothbrush head. 

Finally, users may be put off by the fact that you have to use this electric toothbrush in the same way as you would use a manual toothbrush. For many, one of the biggest benefits of using an electric toothbrush is having the physical effort taken out of brushing one’s teeth. So it feels confusing to add this effort back in, and it’s easy to wonder how much effect the sonic aspect of this toothbrush has in the final result.

Foreo ISSA 3 review: User reviews

Amazon.com reviews for the Foreo ISSA 3 are largely very positive, with users citing improved gum health and cleaner-feeling teeth after use. They also rate the longer battery life over several weeks, the stylish ergonomic design and ease of use. 

Negative reviews criticize the high price point of the Foreo ISSA 3 as being too expensive. Others say they’re not sure how well the toothbrush is cleaning their teeth, as they don’t have that ‘clean feeling’ after brushing.

Should you buy the Foreo ISSA 3?

The Foreo ISSA 3 may be the ideal toothbrush for users with gum problems or sensitive teeth because of its soft and flexible silicone bristles. Those who enjoy sleek design and simplicity may also enjoy its looks and functionality. 

However, those looking for a more powerful tooth brushing experience may find this toothbrush lacks the oomph required to get a really deep clean feeling during brushing. And despite its high price point, the Foreo ISSA 3 lacks the extra features other sonic or oscillating-rotating brushes may have, such as connected smart apps or pressure sensors to reduce gum damage.

If this product isn’t for you

If the Foreo ISSA 3 sounds like too much hard work, why not try the Oral B Genius X electric toothbrush? With an oscillating rotating brush head, six cleaning modes and a connected smart app, this toothbrush packs a lot in at a similar price point.

Or why not opt for the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0? Combining a water flosser and sonic toothbrush into one compact unit, it offers three cleaning modes, 10 pressure levels for water flossing, and plenty of accessories to boot. 

Wisdom tooth removal is a common procedure, but can wisdom teeth grow back? Wisdom teeth are surrounded by myths and misconceptions. Our wisdom teeth are so-called because they emerge later than our other adult teeth during the late teens and early twenties. 

Wisdom teeth are also known as the ‘third molars’, as they appear behind the other two molars. There are usually four in total, but it is entirely possible to have none at all, between one and three, and even more than four. According to the Dental Research Journal, between 5 and 37% of people have less than four wisdom teeth.

• Read more: Oral B vs Sonicare toothbrushes 

Whether we have wisdom teeth or not, maintaining good hygiene is an important part of oral health. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day. If you fancy picking up a great electric toothbrush at a good price, check out our guide to the best electric toothbrushes. 

In this article, we'll look at the science behind wisdom teeth and we’ll take a detour into history to understand why we have them in the first place. 

Can wisdom teeth grow back?

When a wisdom tooth comes through, it will push up from under the surface of the gum. If you’re lucky, it will emerge in line behind your other two molars. In this scenario, your dentist would likely monitor your teeth, though they would not ordinarily require removal. 

However, many people find that their jaws are too small, leading to insufficient room for these additional teeth. When wisdom teeth come through, the lack of space can cause them to push up at an angle, get stuck or not fully emerge above the surface of the gum. These teeth are known as impacted. You may even have impacted wisdom teeth that you cannot see, as they are beneath the surface of a gum. In this case, they can be picked up by a dental X-ray. 

It is these impacted teeth that are more prone to tooth decay and infections. They can be difficult to thoroughly clean as they are crowded together or haven’t fully emerged, leading to a higher risk of dental complications. There is an ongoing debate about whether impacted teeth should be removed on a routine basis even in cases where there are no complications. A 2020 systematic review published in the Cochrane Library found there was limited evidence on which to make treatment decisions about the removal of asymptomatic teeth. It concluded that dentists should take into account their clinical expertise and patient choice. 

Having an extraction procedure is still relatively common, but can wisdom teeth grow back? If you’ve had your wisdom teeth removed, you may be pleased to find out they do not come back. The misconception that wisdom teeth can grow back is likely due to some people having more than four so it may appear that teeth that had previously been removed are re-emerging. 

Why do wisdom teeth hurt?

Many of us will associate pain with wisdom teeth, but what is the science behind this? These teeth emerge at the back of the mouth, one on each side on both the top and bottom jaw. A telltale sign of wisdom teeth coming through is if you feel discomfort towards the back of your mouth and you are in the typical age group, so someone in their late teens or early twenties. Other signs may include redness or swelling of the gums. It's normal to experience some discomfort as the teeth push up through the gum and this is not a cause for concern.

Dr Safa Al-Naher, Director and Principal Dentist at Serene Dental and Facial Aesthetics told Live Science that, "most wisdom tooth pain occurs because the gum surrounding it becomes infected from reduced cleaning because the tooth is so far back or not fully emerged. Contrary to popular belief, it is not usually due to the teeth erupting." 

As wisdom teeth are often crowded, food can easily become trapped which can lead to dental complications. Whether you use an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush, maintaining oral hygiene is particularly important for wisdom teeth

When it comes to pain relief, Dr Al-Naher had the following advice: "Wisdom tooth pain is most commonly due to an infected and inflamed gum. The best advice is to try to clean the area as much as possible using a saltwater or antibacterial mouthwash, and to see a dentist if the pain persists or happens too often." Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen can also be safely used to relieve pain associated with wisdom teeth. 

Why do we have wisdom teeth?

You may be wondering why we have wisdom teeth in the first place if they can cause problems. After having four wisdom teeth removed herself, the anthropologist Professor von Cramon-Tabaudel became curious about why so many people suffer from tooth overcrowding. She led a study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America in 2011 and found that our ancestors had larger jaws than we typically do today. 

Her research concluded that the human jaw shape is likely to have evolved over time because of changes to our diets. In hunter-gatherer cultures, food was typically more gritty and fibrous, which required more chewing. Greater force was needed, which meant the lower jaw increased in size and protruded further. Therefore our ancestors had more space for those wisdom teeth. 

With the rise of agriculture, our diet shifted to more grains and processed foods, which are typically softer and require less force to chew. This means that we now typically have smaller jawbones and less space for emerging wisdom teeth. This results in overcrowding, which in turn has an increased risk of problems such as tooth decay and infections. 

In this deep dive into the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0, we’ll be giving you the lowdown on features, performance, durability and more, so you’ll have everything you need to know before committing to purchasing this electric toothbrush.

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 aims to fulfill all your oral hygiene needs in one product, by combining a separate sonic toothbrush and water flosser in one compact device. Waterpik claims up to 99.9% of plaque can be removed with the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0.

Designed to be plugged into a bathroom socket, both the water flosser and the toothbrush are charged at the unit, with the water flosser attached by a hose to the 22-ounce water reservoir.

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 comes with plenty of accessories too, including 5 water flossing tips, a tip storage case, two triple sonic brush heads and a toothbrush travel case.

This general supply of accessories means you won’t be forking out for extra toothbrush heads or water flossing tips for a while yet. The 5 tips are specifically designed for individual needs, and include: 

• Orthodontic tip: for braces and general use.
• Pik Pocket ™ tip: for cleaning below the gum line
• Plaque Seeker ™ tip: for implants, crowns, bridges, retainers and general use.
• Classic Jet tip: for general use.
• Tongue Cleaner tip: for cleaning the tongue area.

A detailed manual is provided with the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 that provides instructions for setting up and operating the device in several languages. It is well laid out and provides useful illustrations and graphics, as well as recommended techniques for using the water flosser and toothbrush.

The toothbrush itself features 3 sonic modes - clean, whitening and massage (for gum stimulation and circulation). 

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: Design

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 is a substantial piece of kit. Though compact, users will need to ensure they have a shelf or available surface for the unit in their bathroom within easy reach of the basin and an electric socket. The unit itself weighs 1.57 lbs and measures 5.25 inches by 4.40 inches, reaching a height of 10.25 inches when a brush is included.

The unit is made up of a water reservoir and a built-in charging dock for the toothbrush. It also features a side-wheel for setting the water flosser pressure and a magnetic holder for the water flosser handle. The toothbrush can be placed on a charger port to the side of this. 

Overall, the unit has a sleek and expensive look and feel, with a slightly matt finish and chrome details. It comes in a choice of white or black.

The sonic toothbrush handle is white with a clear plastic control panel, featuring a power button and a cleaning mode button. Beneath this are three mode indicator lights that light up green when the toothbrush is in operation, plus a charge indicator that also lights up green. 

The toothbrush head is white and grey, and has an unusual triangular shape, making hard-to-reach areas easier to access while cleaning. A beveled area on the back of the toothbrush head is also included for tongue cleaning.  

The water flosser handle features a simple, large on/off switch at the front and a small ejector switch to the side for removing flossing tips. 

Also included with the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 is a clear plastic storage case for water flossing tips and a sturdy white plastic travel case with room for the toothbrush handle and two toothbrush heads. 

The packaging for the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 is mostly recyclable cardboard, but also includes several small plastic bags for the individual parts and accessories provided which are not recyclable.

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: Functionality

Once you have set up the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0, it is fairly easy to use and operate. Let’s start with the sonic toothbrush.

Waterpik recommends charging the unit for 24 hours before use, however, there is some charge in the toothbrush, so you can start using it straight away. Simply turn the toothbrush on and select from one of the 3 cleaning modes:

• General clean
• Whitening clean
• Massage clean

It’s possible to change mode during cleaning if preferred. A short pause signifies when it’s time to switch brushing from one quadrant of the mouth to another, while the toothbrush stops operating completely when the recommended two minutes of brushing time have elapsed. The toothbrush does not include a pressure sensor to warn of excess pressure, which can cause gum damage.

The water flosser stays attached to the unit while in use with a short 33-inch hose, so users will need to ensure they place the unit fairly close to a basin or shower. First, you need to remove and fill the reservoir with lukewarm water before placing it back on the unit. If you like mouthwash during water flossing, you can add a small amount at this stage to the reservoir. 

Then, simply attach the preferred water flosser head to the handle and switch the flosser on, adjusting the pressure using the dial on the left-hand side of the unit. 10 pressure settings allow users to set their preferred pressure, although Waterpik recommends starting on the lowest pressure setting for the first time, and gradually increasing pressure over time. The pressure ranges from 10 PSI (pounds per square inch) at its lowest setting to 100 PSI at its highest setting. 

There is no recommended time limit for water flossing, so users can operate the water flosser for as long as they want to before powering off. 

Waterpik recommends cleaning the reservoir in the dishwasher or using a mild non-abrasive cleaner. Hard water deposits in the reservoir may be cleaned with a vinegar and water solution, with more details provided in the manual. It also recommends cleaning toothbrush heads under running water and wiping dry after each use. Brush heads should be replaced every three months.

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: Performance

Our at-home testing of the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 included checking how water-resistant it is, as well as evaluating its various modes and settings. It's worth noting, however, that we were unable to test the water flosser due to the incompatibility of plugs with our sockets.

We ran the toothbrush for a full brushing cycle while underwater, to see if it would continue to operate. We found it had no issues during this test or during subsequent brushing sessions in terms of water damage. Needless to say, we didn't submerge the entire unit underwater for this particular test!

We also assessed how noisy the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 was during operation with a decibel meter. We found it operated at between 45 and 50 decibels, similar to moderate rainfall. So while it’s not the quietest toothbrush, it’s unlikely to wake up the whole house in the morning! Sonic toothbrushes tend to operate at lower decibel levels than oscillating-rotating toothbrushes.

We tested each of the cleaning modes in turn several times. General clean mode operates at a slightly lower frequency compared to whitening mode, which adds extra polishing to a brushing session during the recommended two minutes. Massage mode was the most impressive mode to use, providing a gentle massaging pulse to stimulate the gum area, while giving that ‘deep clean’ feeling. 

The fact that the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 toothbrush continually sits on the charging base unit means that for many, anxiety around battery life is a thing of the past. However, we wanted to check how many toothbrushing sessions we could get out of the toothbrush before the handle needed a boost. The brush has a built-in Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, which is typically longer-lasting than Nickel–Hydrogen batteries. 

The manual that comes with the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 states that the battery will last for approximately 1 week of typical use (2 minutes of brushing twice a day). Our at-home testing found this was the case, with no reduced power during our week of testing.

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: What’s good about it?

We like the fact that this unit comes with everything you need to improve and maintain good oral hygiene and dental health. The unit itself is sleek and well-designed, and doesn't take up too much space on a bathroom shelf.

We also like the extra accessories that come with the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0. With a wide range of water flosser heads, it can be used by all the family, from teenagers with braces or retainers to elderly relatives with bridges. 

The sturdy travel case and flosser head storage case are also a welcome addition, making the unit easy to transport and travel with, if you have the space in your suitcase. It’s also possible to take the toothbrush separately in the travel case.

The 1-week plus battery life also means that the toothbrush can be taken separately on short trips without worrying about additional charging. 

Another nice touch is that each of the toothbrush heads come with a different base ring of chrome or white/black, so couples can each use one without worrying about using each other’s toothbrush head.

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: What’s not so good about it?

Not all users will be able to use the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0, as it requires a bathroom socket close enough to the basin for the water flosser to be used. 

The unit is fairly expensive (retailing at $139.99 from the Waterpik website), although it does combine two devices into one. However, you don’t get a lot of extra functionality that you might find with other electric toothbrushes, such as a connected app for dental hygiene coaching, multiple cleaning modes, or a pressure sensor to protect gum health. Some users may be disappointed that these extras aren’t included at this price point.

Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review: User reviews

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 scores an impressive 4.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon.com, with a whopping 76% of users scoring it the full 5 stars. Users highly rate its ability to deep clean teeth, its ease of use and its timer function. Lots of users point to the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 as resolving dental issues, such as gum infections or issues with cleaning caused by retainers.

Negative reviews mention problems with the battery if it is continually charging on the unit, leakage from the water reservoir, and the water flosser itself being too noisy during operation. 

Should you buy the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0?

Users who want the whole oral hygiene package would do well to buy the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0. Combining a water flosser and toothbrush in one sleek and stylish unit is cost-effective and handy if you’re short on space in the bathroom. 

However, a lack of extra features such as a pressure sensor and limited cleaning modes may leave some users disappointed. Plus, it’s not suitable for everyone, as it requires an electrical socket in the bathroom close to the basin.

• Related: Are teeth naturally yellow?

If this product isn’t for you

If the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 isn’t right for you, why not try the Oral B Genius X electric toothbrush? Its oscillating rotating brush head, six cleaning modes and connected smart app can take your oral hygiene to the next level without the need for a bathroom socket.

If you’re after a sleek and stylish sonic toothbrush that would look impressive on any bathroom shelf, try the Foreo ISSA 3. Swedish-designed and with 16 intensity levels, its innovative silicone bristles can help to protect your gums while delivering that ‘deep clean’ feeling. 

In this Oral B Genius X review, we'll be giving you the lowdown on everything you need to know about this electric toothbrush. We’ve tested this toothbrush’s battery life, six different cleaning modes, and its smart, connected functionality, to test whether this toothbrush lives up to the manufacturer's claims. Plus, we’ve checked out reviews to see what everyday users make of their Oral B Genius X toothbrush, to bring you the big picture.

Retailing at around $137.99 for a rechargeable handle, charging plug, brush head and travel case, the Oral B Genius X is the next step up from a standard electric toothbrush for anyone who wants to improve their dental hygiene. Featuring an interactive app that tracks and monitors brushing habits and patterns, as well as in-app features such as goal-setting and coaching programs, this toothbrush can help to tweak brushing style and set healthy habits for life.

The Oral B Genius X also includes a host of useful features, such as a pressure sensor, a two-minute timer, and a 3-second pulse reminder to switch position, plus a range of stylish colors to choose from, including rose gold and sleek black. It also offers users the ability to customize their toothbrushes further, with a fun color-changing ring at the top of the handset.

Oral-B Genius X electric toothbrush review

Oral-B Genius X review: Design

The Oral B Genius X is available in six colors, including black, white, rose gold, sakura pink and orchid purple. We tested the black version, which is a sleek and attractive addition to any bathroom shelf. 

A soft, textured rubber backing to the toothbrush handle allows for a secure and comfortable grip. A smart ring is located at the top of the toothbrush handle where the toothbrush head is inserted. This changes color depending on the functionality used:

• White: to show the toothbrush is in operation. This also flashes to indicate when to change the brushing position.
• Red: to show when undue pressure is being applied while brushing the teeth, reducing gum damage.
• Blue: to show when Bluetooth is operating to pair the toothbrush with a Smartphone.

The operation mode is also customizable via the Oral B app, allowing users to select their favorite color from one of 11 options. 

The silicone power button is at the top of the toothbrush handle beneath the smart ring is a little hard to locate at first, given the muted black colorway. Beneath this there is another silicone cleaning mode button and five backlit icons showing 5 of 6 cleaning modes (daily cleaning mode is not displayed):

• Pro clean: operates at a higher frequency, giving users a cleaner feeling after brushing.
• Sensitive: gentler mode for sensitive areas.
• 3D white: polishing mode for occasional or everyday use at a different frequency from daily cleaning or pro cleaning mode.
• Gum care: provides gentle massage of the gums.
• Tongue clean: for occasional or everyday use.

Beneath these icons are two more backlit indicators, one for when Bluetooth is active and one to show battery life.

The charging plug that comes with the Oral B Genius X is white, which may put off some users who want the continuity of the black colorway for a sleek and polished look. 

The travel case provided with the toothbrush is black plastic with a muted, brushed finish, giving it an expensive look and feel. The travel case has room for two toothbrush heads.

Users may be a little confused about how to fit the toothbrush into the case. It took us a little while to work out that it won’t fit unless you insert the toothbrush in on its side. This is indicated with a very subtle diagram on the inside of the travel case, but it is easy to miss.

• Related: Should you brush your tongue?

Oral-B Genius X review: Functionality

As mentioned above, the Oral B Genius X comes with 6 cleaning modes. However, modes can only be changed while the toothbrush is powered on, which may make switching modes a little messy if users have to take the toothbrush out of their mouths to find and press the mode button. However, familiarity with the location of the mode button over time should make this easier. 

It’s also possible to change the mode during brushing by using the Oral B app. Users can slide their preferred mode to the top, changing the toothbrush mode while it is in operation. While some Oral B Genius X models come with a chargeable travel case with a built-in SmartPhone holder, ours came with a standard travel case. It may be helpful to know that a standard Smartphone can be inserted into the travel case where a toothbrush head sits, holding the phone upright while using the app. 

The app itself is available on Android and iOS and provides a useful indicator of how well you brush your teeth. The app prompts you to start brushing and using what Oral B calls AI Brushing Recognition Technology and it tracks how and where you brush your teeth in real-time, highlighting areas that need more cleaning. This helps to ensure hard-to-reach areas are covered and sufficiently cleaned. 

The app also helps to identify brushing habits and patterns, allowing users to spot which teeth they keep missing, how much pressure they use, and more via their brushing history. Users can also set themselves challenges to combat bad breath, whiten their teeth or improve their gum health, with customizable programs via the app. It’s also possible to gather medals for positive brushing behaviors, such as brushing in the middle of the day, tongue cleaning, or achieving 100% coverage in brushing sessions. 

The pressure sensor at the top of the toothbrush handle flashes red when too much pressure is applied. It also flashes to alert users to change position after 30 seconds and to let users know when the recommended 2 minutes of brushing time have elapsed. Alongside flashing, the toothbrush also emits a stuttering sound to prompt position change and to signal the end of brushing time. 

It’s also easy to clean the Oral B Genius X. Simply rinse the brush head under running water after brushing with the toothbrush still on, then switch off and remove the brush head. Clean the brush head and handle separately before drying. Always unplug the charging stand before wiping it with a damp cloth. 

• Related: How to use an electric toothbrush

Oral-B Genius X review: Performance

We test a number of aspects during our at-home testing, including decibel level of the toothbrush itself, its various settings and modes, and how long it takes to charge and run down. We also test whether the toothbrush could handle being submerged completely in water.

First up, the average decibel level in every cleaning mode on the Oral B Genius X clocked in somewhere around 70 decibels, which is around the same volume as a washing machine or dishwasher. Pretty noisy, but that’s down to the fact that Oral B toothbrushes have oscillating-rotating brushes that operate at lower frequencies than their sonic counterparts.

We then worked our way through the various cleaning modes. Daily cleaning mode and pro clean mode were very similar, but pro clean had the edge when it came to that clean-mouth feeling after brushing. Gum care mode had a gently massaging, rhythmic oscillation that moved up and down in intensity, while 3D white mode echoed that sensation of having a polish at the dental hygienist. 

The Oral B Genius X comes with some charge already, so it’s possible to use it straight out of the box. However, the manufacturers say it takes around 14 hours for a full charge. This is less than many electric toothbrushes, which take up to 18 hours. 

Oral B claims the Genius X can operate for more than two weeks between charges. Experts recommend brushing twice a day for 2 minutes per session, adding up to 56 minutes in total brushing time across 2 weeks. However, by day 9 of use in our at-home testing, the toothbrush was already flashing red to indicate the battery needed charging, so users are likely to want to charge more often than once every two weeks. 

Finally, we submerged the toothbrush underwater for a full brushing cycle to test its water resistance. The Oral B Genius X had no problems during this test or afterward in terms of performance or water damage. 

Oral-B Genius X review: What’s good about it?

The behavior change aspect of this toothbrush and the accompanying app are powerful tools to improve tooth brushing habits. With medal rewards, reminders, and challenges, it makes tooth brushing fun, especially for a younger user. These extra features can help gently nudge users into more permanent healthy habits when it comes to dental hygiene. 

We also like the sleek, sophisticated design, soft handle grip, and customizable smart ring. The fact that the toothbrush remembers where you were in your brushing session if you inadvertently turn it off while brushing, is a useful feature that means you don't have to start all over again. 

Oral-B Genius X review: What’s not so good about it?

Unlike other toothbrushes, the Oral B Genius X doesn’t power off automatically after two minutes of brushing. For younger, more easily distracted brushers, this could mean that they end up brushing for longer periods, which can damage tooth enamel. 

We found the toothbrush head a little large compared to a standard electric toothbrush head, and it felt a little firmer than most toothbrush heads. 

Oral-B Genius X review: User reviews

User reviews on Amazon for the Oral B Genius X are overwhelmingly positive, with an average of 4.5 stars out of five. Positive reviews mention a "glossy, smooth feeling" after cleaning, while many users enjoy the coaching aspects of the app. Many users express surprise at how much coverage they were missing during brushing sessions, before using the Oral B Genius X. However, some users report quickly becoming bored and using the toothbrush as a regular electric toothbrush without the bells and whistles of the app. 

Negative reviews, while few and far between, report instability of the app, problems connecting more than one user to the app, and the volume of the toothbrush being too loud.

Should you buy the Oral-B Genius X?

If you’re looking to up your brushing game from a standard electrical toothbrush, then the Oral B Genius X could be the right brush for you. Users who have been advised to improve their brushing technique by their dental hygienist will enjoy the unique coaching programs available on the app, while data junkies will love tracking their dental habits and patterns over time. 

Users who want a quieter brushing session may find the Oral B Genius X to be a little too noisy for everyday use, while those wanting a simpler brushing experience may be put off by all the connected app whistles and bells. 

If this product isn’t for you

If the Oral B Genius X sounds too noisy or high-tech for you, why not try the sonic Foreo ISSA 3 electric toothbrush? Beautifully designed, with a simple control panel and a quiet purr during operation, you’ll only want your phone in the bathroom to take a shelfie.

Or you could opt for the similarly priced Waterpik Complete Care 9.0. Combining a water flosser and sonic toothbrush into one compact unit, it offers three cleaning modes, 10 pressure levels for water flossing, and plenty of accessories to boot, making it great value for money. 

Learning how to use an electric toothbrush might sound basic, especially when brushing your teeth is something you likely first learned to do as a kid. Usually, parents will teach their children to brush their teeth using a good old-fashioned manual toothbrush. When you got a bit older, you might have been given an electric toothbrush. It might not have been the fanciest electric toothbrush, but it likely made your teeth feel cleaner than your old manual toothbrushes. But did anyone ever take the time to explain how to use an electric toothbrush?

Sometimes we don’t think about the things we do every day. We go through the motions, brush our teeth after each meal, and don’t let it take up any headspace. But if you’ve found yourself wondering if you’ve been using the correct method to brush your teeth – or even if you have noticed a buildup of plaque despite brushing regularly – then this refresher might be just what you need.

We’re going to break down the techniques you need to get the best results from the best electric toothbrush.

How to use an electric toothbrush for a thorough clean

Most people learn to brush their teeth using what’s technically known as the 'circular scrub' or 'circular method'. But there are other methods of brushing that are more effective at removing plaque and can be used with an electric toothbrush. According to a 2020 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, plaque is the "single most important cause of dental caries and gingival diseases". Plaque is a sticky substance that can coat your teeth and forms when food debris mixes with your saliva. When bacteria starts growing on plaque, it can harm the enamel on your teeth. Buildups of plaque often form in hard-to-reach areas, such as between your teeth or behind your teeth. This is why it’s essential to reduce the amount of food and bacteria left in every nook and cranny of your mouth after brushing. 

The same 2020 study found the most effective brushing method is the Bass technique. To brush your teeth using the technique, "use a gentle circular motion with the bristles angled 45 degrees to the gum line," Dr. Alina Lee Lane, a dentist based in New York City, told Live Science, "patients that have tartar buildup may not have the best brushing techniques with a manual brush, so an electric brush can be a useful tool to keep teeth clean." To get the most out of brushing your teeth, dentist and educator Dr. David Rice, DDS, advised that brushing in front of a mirror helps: "When we try to multitask, we tend to miss the same spots every day!" 

Dr. Sara Amini told Live Science, "toothbrushes normally vibrate and oscillate in a certain amount of time, 2,000, 4,000, 5,000, etc. a minute, so you hold it against each tooth one by one and move onto the next tooth, that includes the outside surface, the eating surface and inside surface of the tooth, and using gentle pressure".

In terms of the order in which to brush your teeth, Dr. Ahmed Hussein advised you should "start from the top back molar and work your way around and over each tooth using a systematic approach to the other side of the top back molar (and repeat for the bottom teeth)". He added, "the Philips Sonicare has a quad pacer which allows you to monitor equal timing to all four quarters of the mouth". You can also set a timer on your phone to aim for 30 seconds of brushing in each quarter of your mouth.

You can also read about how to whiten teeth naturally for which teeth whitening practices you should avoid, and which may work.

How many times a day should you use an electric toothbrush?

Most people brush their teeth twice or three times a day and have done so for as long as they can remember. In short, the number of times you will need to use your toothbrush every day will depend on a few lifestyle factors. At a minimum, you will need to brush twice a day, but if you’re going through orthodontic treatment, the frequency will be much higher.

As a rule of thumb, Dr. Lane recommends her patients use an electric toothbrush twice a day. She said, "when brushing with a manual or an electric toothbrush, you should spend two minutes brushing in the morning and the evening". For most people, this will mean brushing after breakfast and after dinner, but timings will depend on your schedule. 

If you’re currently wearing braces (whether they're fixed or not), you will likely need to consider brushing more often. A 2011 study in the Angle Orthodontist journal recommended that people wearing fixed braces should brush their teeth "after every major meal". If your braces are removable, researchers in the journal of Oral Diseases recommend brushing after every meal and snack. You will want to make sure you brush your trays before putting them back in too. It’s worth remembering that if you have removable braces, you might need to change your brush heads more often than usual because of the extra wear and tear cleaning causes. 

• Related: Best electric toothbrushes for kids

Should you brush your teeth before or after breakfast?

Brushing your teeth before or after breakfast is a hotly debated topic. Some people believe that brushing after eating is effective in clearing away food debris. Others think that brushing after eating is bad for your enamel. The consensus in modern research in the journal of Contemporary Clinical Dentistry is that brushing your teeth before breakfast is the most sensible option, and avoiding brushing for at least 30 minutes after eating should be a guideline you follow when you can. 

Some people find they struggle with the leftover taste in their mouth after eating. In which case, you might consider chewing gum after you eat instead of brushing right away. If you want to use gum in conjunction with your electric tooth brushing routine, you’ll want to look for a product that contains xylitol, according to a study in the journal, Quintessence International. The chemical is considered a safe and effective agent in fighting decay-causing bacteria. 

You may long for a whiter smile, but are teeth naturally yellow? In a world where tooth whitening is increasingly common, especially among those in the public eye, it can be easy to forget what natural teeth look like. A study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Snow Teeth Whitening showed that up to 61% of Americans wish they could change the appearance of their teeth with a lack of whiteness coming out on top. 

Despite many Americans having concerns about the appearance of their teeth, the average person only brushes their teeth for 45 to 70 seconds a day in findings from the Academy of General Dentistry. Experts recommend brushing teeth twice a day for two minutes. Maintaining good oral hygiene is an important factor in the appearance of your teeth, and investing in one of the best electric toothbrushes or the best electric toothbrushes for kids can go a long way.

In this article, we will dive into the science behind the color of our teeth. We look at whether yellow teeth are a sign of poor health, and what you can do to improve the appearance of yellow teeth.  You can read more about ways to naturally whiten teeth to see which methods are worth trying and which you should avoid.

Are teeth naturally yellow?

So, are teeth naturally yellow? To find out more, we first need to delve into the composition of our teeth. They are made up of three different layers. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and forms the outermost layer, dentin is in the middle and the innermost layer is pulp. Not many people realize that it is the dentin, the middle layer of a tooth, which gives it color. For most of us, the dentin is a pale yellow but shades of red or amber are normal too. The enamel layer is fairly clear yet it has the power to affect the appearance of our teeth. For people with thicker enamel, the teeth can appear less yellow because the dentin does not penetrate so easily through the enamel. 

The color that we see is often more about the thickness of the enamel than the color of our teeth. Dr. Sameet Hindocha, dentist at My Mouth explained that: "everyone has different enamel and dentin thickness and characteristics within the tooth which can give off different colors other than just white which is perfectly normal."

While there may be variation in the color of our teeth even from an early age, most people’s primary teeth appear whiter than their adult teeth. This is why they are called milk teeth in many European countries. Dr. Hindocha explains that primary teeth appear whiter "because the enamel of babies’ teeth is thicker, which hides the yellow of the dentin underneath." 

Have a look at our feature on 'is teeth whitening safe' for a more in-depth look at the benefits and risks associated with artificial teeth whitening.

Are yellow teeth a sign of poor oral health?

It is perfectly natural to have yellow teeth and this is not necessarily a sign of poor oral health. Even with a healthy lifestyle, factors outside of our control can affect the appearance of our teeth such as our genes and the thickness of our tooth enamel. Our teeth often appear more yellow over time as part of the aging process. Dr. Hindocha told Live Science: "as we get older, our enamel thins or breaks down which means that the inner part of the tooth shows through more, making the teeth appear more yellow or creamier. Additionally, staining from certain foods and drinks, including tea and coffee, can also contribute towards the yellowing of teeth." Yellow teeth are not necessarily a sign of poor oral health, though in some cases it may signal that the enamel has eroded and that the teeth could be weak and prone to chipping. 

Dr. Hindocha added: "there are a number of other factors which may affect the color of our teeth. Silver fillings can discolor the teeth grey as they release 'corrosion' products over time. Teeth that have suffered from trauma or dental abscesses may also appear darker over time as the nerve may die away and require treatment. Some people may genetically have discoloration of their teeth and this is usually related to discoloration inside the tooth." A study in the British Dental Journal shows that some metabolic disorders are associated with tooth discoloration as well as the use of medications like tetracycline.  

Our lifestyle choices can also influence the color of our teeth. Smoking can cause teeth to yellow rapidly. The tar and nicotine in tobacco are responsible for this staining effect. Coffee, red wine, chocolate, and fizzy drinks can all contribute to discoloration. 

What can you do about yellow teeth?

While yellow teeth are not necessarily unhealthy, for many people the appearance of their teeth can affect their confidence. Luckily, there are changes we can make to improve how our teeth look. Maintaining good oral hygiene is an important preventative strategy. Experts recommend regular tooth brushing and flossing, plus mouthwash can be beneficial. When it comes to toothpaste, Dr. Hindocha advises that: "whitening toothpaste or activated charcoal toothpaste may help to remove stains more effectively, keeping the teeth whiter. You should always check with your dentist or hygienist whether a whitening toothpaste is good for you as some can be abrasive." 

Lifestyle changes can help improve the appearance of your teeth. Quitting smoking can make a huge difference, as can reducing consumption of food and drinks which stain the teeth such as coffee.

If you’ve already tried these options and are looking for alternatives, you may be considering tooth whitening. Dr. Safa Al-Naher, Director and Principal Dentist at Serene Dental and Facial Aesthetics told Live Science that tooth whitening is safe if prescribed by a dentist. This can make a significant improvement to the appearance of teeth which gives many people a confidence boost. 

You should be aware that tooth whitening treatment does not change the color of fillings and crowns; these would need to be replaced if you wanted to change their appearance. Common side effects of tooth whitening are sensitivity and gum irritation. Dr. Al-Naher warns against procedures carried out by non-dental professionals or without a prescription. She explained that: "they do not have the same accountability to a professional organization so there is a risk the product may not be safe and could cause damage." 

As everyone’s teeth are different, the amount of time needed to whiten will vary. Dr. Hindocha said: "you will also need to ‘top up’ the whitening occasionally as the color may relapse over time depending on your diet."

For more advice on oral hygiene, find out; should you brush your tongue?

Wondering whether you should brush your tongue? We’ll be telling you all you need to know about maintaining a healthy tongue and improving your oral health.

Eastern and oriental cultures have practiced tongue cleaning for centuries. Old records refer to scraping your tongue as part of the 3000-year-old Ayurvedic medicine system in India where it remains a regular part of their regime today. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses the tongue’s appearance as an indicator of overall health, like a diagnostic tool to understand the root cause of a condition. Implements have been made from materials such as thin strips of wood, whalebone, and various metals for oral and tongue cleanliness.

A recent CDC report states 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Although tongue hygiene hasn’t been researched as extensively as gums and teeth, there is a growing body of information to help you decide whether tongue brushing is worth incorporating into your daily oral routine, alongside one of the best electric toothbrushes.    

Should you brush your tongue?

A recent image of the microbes coating the tongue has been captured from Cell Rep. Fluorescence spectral imaging was used to investigate the organization of around 20 billion microbes that live on the tongue. The report aims to extend our knowledge of the crucial relationship we have with the oral microbiome living symbiotically within us. 

These organisms form complex communities creating biofilms on the tongue as well as on the teeth and gums. Biofilms offer an important ecosystem for bacteria and some of these microbes benefit us, but others can grow out of balance creating thick sticky coatings. According to The Role of Dental Plaque Biofilm in Oral Health the nature of the oral biofilm creates a defense to protect itself, and if not removed regularly, it reaches 'maturation’ and can become problematic causing dental cavities, decay, gingivitis, and periodontitis.

Tongue coating and tongue brushing: a literature review concludes that a build-up of biofilm on the tongue is one of the most common causes of bad breath, also known as halitosis. The review correlated that the amount of tongue coating in patients complaining of halitosis was significantly greater.

The tongue has a rough surface with various types of papillae that are the raised bumps we can feel. Food debris, bacteria, fungi and dead cells can reside within these crevices. It is understandable why mouthwashes alone may not be enough to help remove build-up on the tongue. This is why brushing makes sense, helping to dislodge and remove this oral debris.   

Should you clean your tongue with a toothbrush?

The Effect of Tongue Cleaning Methods and Oral Mutans Streptococci Level compared tongue brushing and tongue scraping. A flat plastic tongue scraper and a nylon small-headed toothbrush were the two tongue cleaning devices used. It found both methods were efficient in reducing levels of bacteria and observed that importance should also be placed on the action of physical removal as well as the instrument itself.  

Another study, from Odontostomatol Trop, found that the bacteria mutants streptococci and Lactobacilli that contribute to dental cavities and gum disease could be reduced by tongue scraping. Here the patients participating in the study were given very specific instructions in cleaning the tongue and used a tongue scraper twice daily for at least two minutes per day for seven days. This was found to have a significant effect on reducing bacteria and also decreased oral halitosis. 

Different types of tongue scrapers and brushes appear to be effective at removing build up. According to a study in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, some scrapers may be more likely to induce the gag reflex than others.

It may be down to personal choice, and simple convenience to ensure regular practice.

Some toothbrush models, such as the Sonicare electric toothbrushes, now include a tongue-brushing attachment that is flat in appearance and resembles a combination of the brush and scraper.

What does a healthy tongue look like?

According to Tongue 101: Facts our tongue is as unique as our fingerprint and it’s the most flexible muscle in the body. 

As noted in the study Tongue coating and salivary bacterial counts in healthy/gingivitis subjects and periodontitis patients the color of a normal tongue is either pinkish or is pink with a thin white coating.  

Oral health expert Louise Langdon at the Oral Health Foundation told Live Science: "A healthy mouth generally will have a pink tongue. We don’t want to see any inflammation. Usually, anything that is red or white or standing out is a sign that there is something there that needs looking into."  

Langdon added: "Our tongues are always going to look different, depending on whether you’re a smoker, have medical conditions, or have a dry mouth."

Langdon suggested that tongue cleaning is a good part of an oral hygiene routine: "Most would use their own toothbrush. Some brushes will have a knobbled effect on the back of the toothbrush depending on the manufacturer."

Also, advice was given not to brush or scrape the tongue aggressively as it might become dry and sore and it was recommended to clean once per day.

What happens if you skip brushing your tongue?

Discoloration of the tongue is the first sign we might notice to inform us something is off. You may have heard of 'black hairy tongue’, a condition where the papillae (those raised bumps on our tongue) become elongated and discolored, caused by factors such as poor oral hygiene, too much coffee, or certain medication.  

It appears that brushing the tongue is a good preventative measure as documented by A Novel, Simple, Frequent Oral Cleaning Method Reduces Damaging Bacteria in the Dental Microbiota where they addressed the impact of oral cleaning on biofilm formation before it reaches maturity, which is the point we see a thicker coating on the tongue or feel the plaque biofilm on our teeth. They introduced the "frequent disruption of biofilm" concept and demonstrated that a model of cleaning the gums, teeth, and tongue with an index finger, followed by rinsing the mouth with water after eating was significantly sufficient to reduce bacteria.   

Regular tongue brushing or scraping followed by rinsing could reduce the build-up of problematic bacteria that lead to oral health problems.

Other factors such as diet, water intake, and lifestyle also play crucial roles in the oral microbiome and its healthy function. Perspective is shifting towards how we can further support beneficial microbes within our oral ecosystem, using interventions such as probiotics and herbal mouthwashes.  

Oh, and one more thing...don’t forget to clean your brush!