Let’s be honest, nobody likes going to the dentist. You sit inverted in an uncomfortable chair while a dentist has four different utensils in your mouth for what seems like a lifetime. To top it off, they often want to hear your life story while opening your mouth wider than you ever thought possible.
So what can you do to keep those dreaded dentist visits short and sweet? While we don’t recommend skipping the dentist altogether, there are plenty of viable options to keep your pearly whites, well, pearly white.
Just like your dentist tells you, the best way to an impressive set of teeth is with proper oral care. Don’t worry, we won’t harp on you to floss–we’ll leave that to the professionals–but we will tell you how to be on the cutting edge of brushing your teeth. The secret? Electric toothbrushes.
While the traditional toothbrush was a key invention in hygiene, many companies have taken them a step further to make oral care easier. From pulsating brush heads and real-time feedback to a model packaged with a water flosser, there are a wide variety of electric toothbrushes for you to choose from. We’ve sifted through the various selections and found the best electric toothbrushes worthy of your consideration.
Additionally, take a look at our picks for the five best electric razors as well as our look at Kolibree’s upcoming smart toothbrush.
Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean & Floss Action Precision 5000 ($115)
We kick off the rundown with Oral-B’s impressive Professional Healthy Clean & Floss Action electric toothbrush. Not only does Oral-B’s toothbrush vibrate, it also pulsates to help break apart plaque build-up while its oscillating head brushes the plaque away.
Included in the packaging is Oral-B’s revolutionary wireless SmartGuide which is like having a dentist with you every time you brush. When brushing the SmartGuide helps you brush for the recommended two minutes and even tells you when you are brushing too hard.
Oral-B offers several types of brush heads for use with this model allowing for a wide range of brush styles. The Indicator Bristles even fade halfway when it’s time to replace the toothbrush head.
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean ($175)
Philips’ Sonicare DiamondClean may be a bit expensive but it makes up for it in function. Featuring patented “Sonic” technology, the DiamondClean is one of the top plaque removal brushes on the market. Each of the brush heads are diamond shaped–hence the name–which gently and easily brush away plaque. The brush offers close to 31,000 brush strokes per minute with its Sonic technology and drives fluid between your teeth and gum line to assure a healthy mouth.
The DiamondClean uses five different cleaning modes which offer users a custom cleaning experience. Choose between Clean, White, Polish, Gum Care, and Sensitive depending on your desired brush style. The chosen mode illuminates on the brush’s display and goes invisible when finished.
Packaged with the toothbrush are two separate timers that partner with your brushing. The Smartimer urges you to brush for a desired two minutes while the Quadpacer beeps in 30 second intervals to assure you cover each of the four quadrants of your teeth. Philips also includes a convenient charging glass and a USB charging travel case so you’ll never be without this impressive toothbrush.
Colgate C600 Proclinical ($240)
Another electric toothbrush on the expensive side, the Colgate Proclinical is like the DiamondClean. Featuring nearly 30,000 strokes per minute the Proclinical polishes teeth while removing surface stains and plaque.
The Proclinical also features two separate timing functions to alert you when to change quadrants and when to finish brushing after two minutes. Though it has just one mode you do have the ability to change the speed and brushing action of the head to suit your style.
Emmi-dent 6 100% Ultrasonic Toothbrush ($190)
Emmi-dent’s Ultrasonic Toothbrush isn’t your typical electric toothbrush. Rather, this device uses ultrasound to clean your teeth. Though this may seem a ludicrous way to “clean” your teeth, the manufacturer’s at Emmi-dent believe ultrasound is on the cutting edge of brushing innovation.
The ultrasound technology destroys bacteria and germs in the nooks and crannies which brushing or flossing won’t typically reach. For users with sensitive teeth or receding gums, this style of brushing is not only revolutionary but ideal.
With up to 96 million oscillations per minute the Emmi-dent Ultrasonic Toothbrush gets right to cleaning your teeth and the results are impressive. Everyday stains such as coffee, tea, wine, etc. can disappear after just a few days of use. It even offers different brush heads tailored for use by people with braces.
Next page: More of our favorite electric toothbrushes…
Panasonic Compact Battery-Powered Toothbrush ($14)
Though a travel toothbrush, the Panasonic Compact is still a great electric toothbrush option. Featuring a low 37 decibel noise level (little more than a whisper in a quiet library), Panasonic’s toothbrush averages around 16,000 brushstrokes per minute. The triple edged brush head makes cleaning plaque a breeze and the product itself is completely washable and waterproof.
Panasonic’s offering operates on just one AAA battery and is so compact it fits in to small bags, purses, or your pocket if you’re on-the-go. A great inexpensive selection if all the bells and whistles of the previous brushes are too much for you.
Philips Sonicare Healthywhite ($75)
Philips makes another appearance on our list with its Sonicare Healthywhite. Though considerably less flashy than the DiamondClean, this model is still a worthy electric toothbrush option.
The Healthywhite’s claim to fame is its Clean and White mode which whitens teeth two shades in just two weeks. This model uses the same Sonic technology as the DiamondClean meaning it cleans plaque and improves gum health with repeated use. You’re also able to use the Healthywhite safely with braces, dental restorations, and periodontal pockets.
Its Easy-Start Program helps new users by slowly increasing the brushing power over the first 14 uses. Like the DiamondClean it uses the Smartimer and Quadpacer timers to alert you when to move on to another quadrant of your mouth, and when the desired two minutes is complete.
Waterpik WP-900 Water Flosser and Sonic Toothbrush ($80)
WaterPik’s Water Flosser and Sonic Toothbrush is a 2-in-1 product any dentist would be happy to see in your bathroom. This product comes stock with an electric toothbrush and an innovative water flossing device which helps achieve total oral care.
The Sonic Toothbrush part of the product uses a fast bristle speed to clean plaque from especially hard to reach places on your teeth. Though it features just one mode, it is an effective electric toothbrush which is soft on your gums and hard on stains and bacteria.
WaterPik’s flossing device uses a steady water stream to clean between your teeth and is 50% more effective than traditional flossing. Its forte is assisting in combating gingivitis and improving your gum health in just two weeks. Lab tests with the product have shown it removes 99.9% of plaque from treated areas with just a 3 second application. With impressive stats like these, WaterPik’s Water Flosser and Sonic Toothbrush is the perfect all-around oral care product.
Health HP-STX Ultra High Powered Sonic Electric Toothbrush ($50)
Our final selection is the Health Ultra High Powered Sonic Electric Toothbrush and its features may sound familiar. It uses a sonic wave technology, which is great at clearing away plaque hidden deep between your teeth, and averages up to 30,000 strokes per minute.
Health’s product offers three different modes to brush with: Power/Clean, Soft/Gentle, and Massage. The unit comes with removable brush heads which come in a variety of colors if other people use the brush besides just yourself. The charging dock station has an enclosed brush head holder to ensure sanitary storage between brushes.
At $200 it isn’t the cheapest model on our list though it does tout cheap replacement heads at under $2. This kind of cheap replacement structure allows you to save money long term and avoids the need for expensive mandatory brush head upgrades.
Did this list help you find your next electric toothbrush? Sound off in the comments section below.
