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Home dental care? Completed it, mate Power Juicer
They say you’re never fully dressed without your smile, but if your teeth are in need of a little TLC, you’re unlikely to want to flash those less-than-pearly whites.
Is prioritising dental care on your 2023 to-do list? Ours too. And the good news is that the best electric toothbrushes could potentially save you from an eye-wateringly high dentist's bill. There are lots of options on the market, but we’ve found the very best after rigorous real-life testing in the Women's Health Lab.
Ultimately, this choice comes down to personal preference, but celebrity dentist Dr Richard Marques recommends going electric.
‘Electric toothbrushes are more effective because they take a lot of the work and worry off your hands,’ he says. ‘Many modern models have variable functions so you can control the speed and intensity to suit your needs. They also have the edge over manual brushes because the oscillation (that’s the rotating and pulsating movement of the brush), removes surface plaque from teeth much more effectively.’
The beauty of electric toothbrushes is that they do most of the work for you. That said, Yusra Al-Mukhtar, dental expert and founder of dryusra.com, advises that holding your toothbrush at the right angle is key to achieving a proper clean.
‘Hold the brush head at 45 degrees to the tooth, aimed towards the gum, and apply minimal pressure,’ she says. ‘Then focus on each tooth surface for three to five seconds before moving onto the next one.’
Most electric toothbrushes have multiple settings and brush heads that are designed for specific purposes including whitening or freshening breath. Look for rubber sections to help with stain removal and softer bristles if your teeth are sensitive.
Sonic toothbrushes vibrate the fastest, but they tend to cost more than a standard oscillating toothbrush, and there is little evidence to suggest that they are much more effective at cleaning, so it's really down to preference.
You’ll find our favourites below, but Dr Marques recommends Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes to his clients. ‘They’re tough on plaque but gentle on the gums, and are a lot quieter than most other electric models,’ he says. ‘They’re at the higher end of the price bracket but they provide a superior clean.’
The Women’s Health Lab asked 317 people to trial a range of electric toothbrushes for a fortnight, judging each model on its ease of use, design, features, battery life and overall performance. They also used a disclosing tablet before and after brushing their teeth to determine how effective their toothbrush had been at removing plaque.
This one doesn’t look like your traditional toothbrush. It's made from medical-grade silicone that's both super hygienic and a breeze to clean. The best part? It can last a staggering 365 days on a single charge – so you basically only have to charge it on its birthday.
It was comfortable and straightforward to use, but some found the brush a bit difficult to manoeuvre at times. Performance-wise, testers said it gave a thorough clean, without causing any sensitivity.
Our panel unanimously raved about this toothbrush, finding it gentle and fuss-free to use with a slim oval brush head that comfortably reached the back of their mouths.
It left their teeth feeling as clean as if they’d just been to the hygienist. The three cleaning modes and long-lasting battery impressed too, with everybody planning to keep using it after the test.
This toothbrush is great all-rounder from Oral-B. It cleans brilliantly, successfully reducing plaque, and its six cleaning modes make it a trusty buy for tackling all teeth concerns.
Our testers loved the accompanying free app that offers real-time personalised brushing advice and reminders to change your brush head. It even lets you change the colour of the LED battery life indicator!
This jet black brush won’t just add a hint of sophistication to your bathroom, it will do a great job at cleaning teeth, too. Designed with carbon-coated bristles, it aims to gently remove discolouration.
Easy to use, all our testers said it was gentle on gums – although some did miss having a pressure sensor – and reported that their teeth felt much cleaner after use.
If you want to be able to use your electric toothbrush without waking anyone up in the morning, this could be the brush for you, as it was the quietest model we tested.
Other plus points include its super soft fine bristles, which testers said were soft on their gums, but are still strong enough to give a thorough clean, thanks to the head's 40,000 micro vibrations per minute. With five cleaning modes (and each having five intensity levels), one happy tester even said they noticed their teeth were whiter after using for just one day.
Tech-wise, this brush has an interactive display screen that will visually guide you through your clean, helping you get into those hard-to-reach areas, and it has a timer to ensure you're brushing for long enough. It uses emojis to encourage you, which some of our testers found a little childish, but that’s down to personal preference. It also comes with a handy magnetic wall mount for space-saving storage.
Philips’ latest launch is its snazziest yet. Not only did this model's sleek look go down well with testers, but it performed well, too, with all of our testers saying their teeth felt much cleaner after use.
It even tackled tough plaque, with our panel seeing a visible reduction, leaving a better-looking, but also healthier smile. It did register as ‘loud’ in our lab test, but that didn’t stop testers wanting to use it in the future.
Still using a manual toothbrush? We promise this model will make the switch worth it.
Almost all testers found the gentle vibrations just tough enough – especially for sensitive teeth and gums – leaving teeth squeaky clean. The pressure sensor was also a crowd-pleaser, although it wasn’t the quietest in our lab test.
If its luxury price tag doesn’t put you off, this top-of-the-range toothbrush is a solid all-round choice. Simple to use, it was one of the quieter and more comfortable models that we tested.
Our testers found it powerful and effective, giving a big thumbs-up to its sleek design and hi-tech interface. Its flashing pressure sensor warns you when you’re brushing too hard, which those with sensitive teeth appreciated.
If you’re struggling with braces, implants or sensitive gums, this toothbrush has been designed with you in mind.
It comes with three different brush heads, including one especially for gums, while seven cleaning modes make reaching every nook and cranny a breeze. It’s a tad noisy and the battery life could be better, but it cleans well with an attractive, modern design that our testers rated highly.
This good-looking toothbrush boasts a generous three-week battery life, making it a smart buy for frequent travellers.
It offers a customisable clean with four brushing modes, including whitening and sensitive, and our testers found it easy to control. Gentle yet effective, it's also available as part of a monthly oral care subscription. It comes with a travel cap for tossing into your overnight or weekend bag, too.
If you want to get your smile sparkling without the use of harsh chemicals, look to this teeth whitening set. The toothbrush vibrates powerfully, working hard to banish stains, while blue light activates the whitening gel to help neutralise discolouration.
It shuts off automatically after two minutes, taking the guesswork out of brushing, but some testers found the brush head too bulky. It could be better at cleaning in-between teeth, but it’s a saviour for big coffee drinkers!
Going back to basics, this battery-operated toothbrush from Philips may only come with one cleaning mode but it gave our entire panel whiter teeth.
The brush managed to reach every tooth, with many loving its slim design, which also makes it convenient to travel with. No one reported any sensitivity issues either. A great first electric toothbrush if you don’t want to spend big.
If you're looking to upgrade your current toothbrush for a more eco-conscious option, try SURI. The brush heads are made from plant-based castor oil and corn starch, and they can be sent back to the brand to be recycled.
This model also comes with a case featuring a UV light to clean your brush while you're not using it. And when it came to the brushing experience, most said the bristles were soft on teeth, yet provided a powerful polish.
Orla is our Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester and has extensive knowledge of skin and hair composition thanks to her bachelor's degree in cosmetic science. Orla uses her years of product testing experience, market research and technical lab skills to put a wide variety of products to the test. In the past year Orla has tested more than 147 beauty products, including all the latest innovations to launch within the market.
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