Over the past few years, we have seen technological development come on leaps and bounds in all aspects of our lives, from our smart kitchen appliances, to the phone that is permanently glued to our hands – and of course personal hygiene is no different - particularly in the area of toothbrushes.
From multiple brushing modes and pressure sensors to show if you are brushing too hard (which can irritate your gums and cause recession), to timers and app connectivity so you can see where you are missing, electric toothbrushes have far overtaken their manual counterparts.
“Electric toothbrushes are superior when it comes to cleaning due to the oscillating action”, Claire Berry, Oral-B Ambassador and Dental Hygienist explains. “Oscillation removes plaque much more effectively than manual brushes benefiting you for both long and short term. Not only does this feature clean well, but it is much gentler on the gums and helps to reduce gingivitis which is crucial for overall oral hygiene.”
They also require far less effort and can target those hard to reach areas. Dr Krystyna, Cosmetic Dentist & Facial Aesthetician confirms, “electric toothbrushes are also good for those who have limited manual dexterity, such as the elderly and they are also good for people with braces or Invisalign, as you get better cleaning around the brackets.”
But they are not only reserved for adults. “Electric toothbrushes are designed for all age groups, starting from age three. They often come in colourful designs and can play music which adds some fun to the sometimes challenging daily oral hygiene routine,” Dr Michael Myint, dentist at Bupa Dental Care in Bank, London explains. “Remember though, children typically don’t learn to brush their teeth properly until they are about seven years old, so adults should supervise brushing when they’re younger,” he adds.
With so many models to choose between, it can be difficult to know which option to go for, so we have taken the advice of the dental experts above as well as our own personal experiences to find the best electric toothbrushes.
Don’t forget to regularly change up the brush head attachment every two to three months, otherwise, according to Matthew Rose, the award winning Restorative Dentist at The Implant Centre Hove, “all you’re doing is just transferring bacteria to your mouth therefore making your teeth appear more yellow.”
The best electric toothbrushes for adults 2021
*Scroll down to see the best electric toothbrushes for children
Philips DiamondClean Electric Toothbrush
The Phlilips DiamondClean uses unique sonic cleaning technology with around 62,000 oscillations.
If you are reluctant to swap your traditional manual for an electric variation, it may shock you to hear that this toothbrush completes more brush strokes in two minutes than a manual toothbrush does in one month and removes 10 times more plaque.
If money is no object, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Electric Toothbrush is the amped-up version of this model, offering Smart App features, Bluetooth connectivity and three different brush heads — plaque removal, gum health and whitening and a tongue brush.
If you're tech obsessed, it's worth forking over the extra £125 for the DiamondClean Smart. In our testing, both toothbrushes provided a deep and effective clean and the choice will ultimately come down to cost and dedication — the additional brush heads are no doubt useful but if you know you won't use them regularly, opt for the Phillips DiamondClean sans the Smart features and add-ons.
The Phillips DiamondClean offers five modes; clean, white, sensitive, gum care and deep clean. We definitely noticed an immediate improvement to our oral hygiene — if you are an everyday coffee or tea drinker, this is one of the best electric toothbrushes to help break up plaque and keep stains at bay. We also liked that the vibrations in the handle are more subtle compared to other models.
At just under £100, this is an impressive electric toothbrush offered at a competitive price. It also offers a 14 day battery life and a two year warranty.
Charging travel case and a puck charger included. Available in black, white or a pearly pink.
£99 | Amazon *On sale from £299
Oral-B iO
Oral-B’s latest brush - the iO - not only gives you the best, most efficient clean of your life but also offers real-time feedback with daily, monthly and yearly tracking.
Six years in the making, with 250 patents worldwide, this brush certainly looks the part: inspired by precious metals and stones, you can get it in onyx black, rose gold and of course, pearly white. It may look like a slick piece of bathroom kit, but it’s not all froth and fluff. The iO performs like a dental hygienist, complete with daily coaching to help you achieve and maintain a perfect, gleaming smile.
The Smart Pressure Sensor flashes red when you’re brushing too hard, white when you’re too soft, and maintains a green light when you reach Goldilocks-level of pressure perfection.
You can link the toothbrush to an Oral-B app on your phone to keep track of your progress, changing in-built behaviours to improve tooth health and prevent gum disease.
It’s the closest you’ll get to a professional clean at home, and means the experts can spend longer on other issues or treatments like whitening the next time you’re in the dentist’s chair.
Read our full Oral-B iO electric toothbrush review here
Oral B Genius X Electric Toothbrush
The Genius X is one of the most hi-tech toothbrushes to date and one of the most advanced on the market. It uses Artificial Intelligence to detect the areas in your mouth that you are missing when brushing and gives you personalised, detailed information so you never have to worry about nasty surprises at the dentist again.
We found this helped improve our brush habits and oral hygiene — the device will inform you if you a pressing too hard, the duration, and the coverage to ensure you are getting the most out of it and features six cleaning modes.
It comes with a brush head, rechargeable battery with a two week life, a smart USB travel case and a charging station.
Philips Sonicare Protective Care 5100 Electric Toothbrush
Given the dentist seal of approval, Dr Nyree Whitley, Group Clinical Director at Mydentist reveals, “My personal recommendation is the Philips Sonicare Protective Care 5100 as it offers three modes of cleaning, plus pressure sensor.”
The device is full to brim with handy features like an alert if you are brushing too hard, three modes for cleaning, whitening and gum care, a reminder when it is time to replace the head and a quad pacer that helps you give each quarter of your mouth equal attention.
The brush has a two week battery life and comes with a travel case and spare brush head.
Oral-B Genius 9000 White Electric Toothbrush
There is a reason why this is one of Oral-B’s best-selling toothbrushes. The device uses oscillating-rotating and pulsating technology to gently polish teeth and remove stains from the surface.
The toothbrush has six cleaning modes; pro clean, daily clean, sensitive, tongue cleaning, whitening and gum care as well as a longer battery life than its predecessors. It is offered alongside four replacement brush heads, a charger, refill holder, a smartphone holder and a smart travel case that has extra USB slots.
Other useful features include a sensor that glows red when you are brushing too hard, an automatic speed reduction if you are overzealous and position detection technology that ensures no zone is left unbrushed.
Forea Issa 2 Electric Sonic Toothbrush
Certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing electric toothbrushes, the Swedish tech brand – known for its facial cleansing brushes – have two iterations of the ISSA electric toothbrush, and the updated model has an impressive range of 16 cleaning modes.
The brush head is made up of a combination of PBT polymer bristles on the interior that sweeps plaque away, while the outer is designed to give your gums the attention they might be sorely lacking. We found this brush didn't provide the same deep-clean feeling as its competitors but it did feel especially nice on the gums.
The device is lightweight, waterproof and the battery life is unrivalled – a whole year’s worth with just an hour of charge.
Oral-B Vitality Plus Electric Toothbrush
Oral-B Vitality Plus is a no-fills, no-fuss model that works to effectively brush your teeth without added complications .
It features an in-built timer to ensure your teeth are getting the full two minutes of cleaning, the signature Oral-B oscillating, rotating and pulsating action for a thorough plaque removal and bristles that change colour when they need to be changed.
The toothbrush comes alongside a charging port and two replaceable brush heads. As a budget option, this is a confident buy.
Also available at Amazon and Superdrug
The best electric toothbrushes for kids
Philips Sonicare For Kids Electric Toothbrush
Put the fun into the daily chore of teeth cleaning for your kids with this model from Philips that are embellished with playful and brightly coloured designs.
It uses sonic technology to remove plaque more efficiently with rubberised heads that are gentle for your little one’s teeth. There is also an in-built timer that increases gradually over three months until the optimal two minutes in order to ease them into the routine. You can opt between multiple brush heads depending on the age of your child between small for kids four to six and large for seven and older.
The toothbrush is offered alongside a brush head, charger and stickers that will allow them to customise the model.
£39.99 | Amazon *On sale from £52
Oral B Kids Frozen Electric Toothbrush Giftset
Kick-start a lifetime habit of effective oral hygiene with this toothbrush that is adorned with fan-favourite Frozen stickers that they can use to customise the model.
The brush works to effectively clean your little one’s teeth but more gently that its adult counterpart thanks to extra-soft bristles. It has an in-built timer, can be used alongside the Disney Magic Timer app and comes alongside a travel case.
Verdict
The Phillips DiamondClean is a solid buy and our top pick right now — it's effective, good looking and not too expensive. The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Electric Toothbrush is superior if you consider the additional brush heads and Smart app features — but it does come at a cost.
Want whiter teeth? Dr Kamala Aydazada, founder of the Kensington Cosmetic Dentistâ, gives us her top tips and recommendations:
"As a Cosmetic Dentist with over 12 years of experience in a private dental clinic, I have seen an increasing demand for cosmetic dental procedures over the past few years with more and more patients wanting that perfect white smile.
Teeth whitening is certainly the most desired cosmetic dental treatment that I come across in my practice, with the most commonly asked question being "Is it safe?". There are many over-the-counter products, from bleaching kits and toothpastes to in-chair procedures provided in non-professional environments such as salons and "teeth whitening stations".
"The major problem with those is the unknown content of the products. The levels of bleach are often higher than the recommended threshold and some "whitening toothpastes" are abrasive to the tooth enamel. This can cause irreversible damage to the tooth structures as well as the gums. I always warn my patients of these risks as we need to remember that teeth whitening can only be provided by a registered dentist.
"Teeth whitening is suitable for most people, but there are some instances when it must be avoided or postponed. For example, people who have extensive dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, veneers, white fillings need to be aware that these won't whiten, leaving the unsightly differences in shades between your teeth."
Favourite teeth whitening options recommended by Dr. Kamala Aydazada:
- Zoom! in-office whitening treatment. For this procedure to work, a dentist will polish the surfaces of your teeth and apply a bleaching gel. Then Zoom light is turned on to activate the process. This can be complemented with the customised home whitening kit to enhance the results.
- Enlighten whitening. This is similar to Zoom! as it includes an in-office treatment in conjunction with the at-home teeth whitening kit. This one is my personal favourite as it provides a more predictable and longer-lasting effect.
- Day whitening products such as PolaDay and DayWhite by ACP. These consist of customised trays that are made by your dentist, which are to be worn at home for about 30-60 minutes per day.
- Opalescence and PolaNight. These kits are similar to the ones mentioned above, but differ by the level of bleaching agent, duration of wear, the expiration period of the gel etc. but are similar in the way they work - they remove stains on the surface of your teeth, making the overall appearance brighter. Because of this process, it is very important to avoid consumption of dark coloured foods and drinks for the first 48 hours after the procedure as stains can accumulate back into the porous tooth enamel.
Dr. Kamala Aydazada continues, "The results of teeth whitening may last up to several years, but it depends on an individual's personal habits and therefore, can vary significantly from person to person. After getting your teeth whitened, you should avoid smoking as it produces stains which are very difficult to get rid of, and dark coloured drinks such as coffee, tea, red wine and coca cola as they all have staining chemicals that are likely to change the shade of your teeth".
