Supersonic SMILE
Which hi-tech toothbrush gives you a . . .
WE KNOW the drill: dentists recommend you brush your teeth for a minimum of two minutes, twice a day.
Anything less, and you’re risking tooth decay, gum disease and more. But can’t you do it in, say, ten seconds? That’s the claim made by the makers of a toothbrush new on the market.
The Amabrush (right) looks like a sports mouthguard and contains two rows of silicone bristles (one on the top and one on the bottom) at a 45-degree angle (the optimum for teeth brushing), and vibrates thanks to a rod attached to a motor.
The idea is you add toothpaste via the built-in dispenser pod, place the guard in your mouth, turn it on and make a chewing action for five seconds.
Claire Coleman put the Amabrush and other high-tech models to the test, and got the verdict of leading dental surgeon Dr Guy Barwell.
CHARGE ONCE, AND IT WORKS FOR A YEAR
Foreo Issa 2, €189.99, boots.ie CLAIMED to be the ‘world’s first silicone sonic toothbrush’ with one hour’s charge that can last a year. Sonic technology creates up to 11,000 pulsations every minute, with 16 speeds.
BRUSH HEADS: Replace after six months at a cost of €21.99 for one. Cost per year: €44.
CLAIRE SAYS: Feels nice, but I didn’t feel it gave my teeth a really good clean. The ribbed back of the head, meant to be a tongue-cleaner, wasn’t effective.
DR BARWELL SAYS: Sleek-looking, but the claim of one charge per year may mean it is less powerful than others. The silicone bristles are too wide to get between teeth. This leaves the central bristles, which should be effective if the user has perfect cleaning technique. Verdict: 2/5
BRUSHING WITH BLUETOOTH
Xiaomi Mi Electric Toothbrush, €34.99, funtech.ie THIS sonic toothbrush, with three modes, vibrates more than 31,000 times a minute. Like most brushes we tested, it pauses every 30 seconds to indicate you should move to the next quarter of your mouth.
BRUSH HEADS: They are €16.54 for three, if replaced every three months. Cost per year: €22.06.
CLAIRE SAYS: It syncs, via Bluetooth, with an app that shows if you’ve reached every tooth, and the time spent brushing each one. DR BARWELL SAYS: You have to use sonic brushes perfectly for them to work well. Excess pressure means the bristles stop vibrating and it just becomes a noisy manual toothbrush — leading to ineffective cleaning. Verdict: 4/5
3D IMAGE SHOWS THE AREAS YOU MISSED
Colgate E1 Connect Smart Electronic Toothbrush, €105, apple.com AVAILABLE exclusively at Apple stores, this provides realtime feedback to improve brushing habits. Features sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms to detect brushing effectiveness in 16 zones and displays the results via an app.
BRUSH HEADS: €22 for three, if changed every three months. Cost per year: €29.33
CLAIRE SAYS: Surprisingly light. The brush head clicks into place, so it feels more stable. The app was the most sophisticated and it shows a 3D representation of your teeth, highlighting the bits you’ve missed.
DR BARWELL SAYS: The Apple link means you might be more likely to brush appropriately. Verdict: 4/5
THE GUMSHIELD LOOKALIKE
Amabrush, €150, amabrush.com WITH Amabrush you simply insert the flexible easy-clean mouthpiece, press a button and just wait for ten seconds. It brushes all your teeth at the same time automatically, with bristles that vibrate more than 10,000 times per minute. The toothpaste is foamed and supplied directly to your teeth.
BRUSH HEADS: No indication of how often you should replace the mouthpiece.
CLAIRE SAYS: I didn’t think I had a small mouth, but I really struggled to fit this in place and it hurt my gums at the back. The bristles buzzed against my teeth, but it didn’t feel like they were cleaning them at all. DR BARWELL SAYS: This will give a false sense that you’ve made some effort, but will miss so many areas. Verdict: 1/5
I’M PICKING UP GOOD VIBRATIONS
Philips Sonicare 6100 Protective Clean, €154.99, boots.ie UNIQUE technology produces 62,000 brush movements a minute. A sensor alerts users when they apply too much pressure, and it tracks how long the brush head has been used. BRUSH HEADS: €30 for two, if changed every three months. Cost per year: €60 CLAIRE SAYS: One of Philips’ more affordable brushes. I liked the idea that it pulsed when I was brushing too hard. DR BARWELL SAYS: The market leader for these types of brush that vibrate the bristles to help the cleaning. Loved by many dentists and hygienists. Verdict: 3.5/5
THE PRESSURE’S OFF WITH THIS ONE
Oral B Genius 9000, €249.99, argos.ie A ROUND head surrounds each tooth with oscillating, rotating and pulsating technology — 8,800 rotations and 40,000 pulsations per minute — with a visual pressure sensor. Connects with the Oral-B app via Bluetooth.
BRUSH HEADS: €12.99 for two, if replaced every three months. Cost per year: €25.98.
CLAIRE SAYS: A bulky head, but I loved the pressure sensor.
DR BARWELL SAYS: The one I push for patients to use. The rotary action is more ‘mechanical’ cleaning than sonic brushes, so less technique sensitive. Verdict: 4.5/5
. . . AND A FLOSSY WAY TO FINISH
Waterpik Cordless Plus Water Flosser, €64, superdrug.com CLINICALLY proven to be more effective than traditional dental floss and Sonicare Air Floss (Model HX8181) for reducing plaque and gingivitis.
CLAIRE SAYS: Not a brush, this is cordless and has different heads. I sprayed water all over.
DR BARWELL SAYS: The Waterpik is only an addition to your cleaning regimen. Use these to help clear debris before brushing, but they are unable to remove the tough plaque biofilm that is attached to teeth.
This requires the more mechanical nature of brushing. Ideally, you’d use this before brushing then floss afterwards. Verdict: 3/5