Guides
Background reading for choosing well: how the brush types differ, what heads really cost, and new launches worth a look.
Dyson CameraJet: price, what it does, and why we’d waitDyson’s first toothbrush has a camera in the head and a jet that sprays mouth rinse between your teeth. It costs $499.99 in the US, and within two weeks of launch it vanished from Dyson’s own stores in several countries.
How long an electric toothbrush lasts, and what kills it firstThe battery is the end of the brush. Almost nothing in this category has a cell you can change, so the question is not how many days a charge lasts but how many years before a charge stops holding. Here is what each brand claims, what owners report, and how to stretch it.
Electric toothbrush heads: which fit, what they really cost, and when to replace themOver three years you’ll spend more on heads than on most brushes. We priced genuine head packs for every brush we recommend on Amazon US on October 30, 2026. The cheapest head costs a sixth of the dearest.
Electric toothbrush model numbers, decodedThe box says HX7133/02. The review you read says Sonicare 5900. Same handle. Philips and Oral-B both sell one motor under several numbers depending on what is in the box, and that is where most buying mistakes start. Every code below is one we read off a listing on October 30, 2026.
Electric vs manual toothbrush: is it worth switching?Switching helps most people, mainly because an electric brush does the motion for you and times the two minutes. Here’s the evidence, the cost, and the people for whom a manual brush is perfectly fine.
How to tell a fake brush head from a real oneCounterfeit Oral-B and Sonicare heads are the most common complaint under cheap multipack listings. They fit, they brush, and then the bristles splay in three weeks. Here is what to check in the listing, in the box and on the head itself.
How to use an electric toothbrush, and the one habit that undoes itMost people brush an electric toothbrush like a manual one, which is the fastest way to wear a notch into the necks of their teeth. Hold it still, move it slowly, and stop pushing. Here is the whole method, with a timer you can run while you brush.
Sonic vs oscillating toothbrushes: which cleans better?Oscillating brushes have a small lead in clinical trials; sonic toothbrushes are gentler and last longer per charge. Below: how big the difference really is, how to use each one, and which brands use which.
Electric toothbrush varieties: the eight types, explainedOscillating, sonic, hybrid, ultrasonic, battery, flossing, U-shaped and now camera brushes. What each one does, who it suits, and which ones to skip.
What to change for your own mouth
The setting and the head matter more than the handle, and some of this a brush cannot fix at all.
What is actually going on in your mouth
A brush canClear the plaque at the gum line that is causing the inflammation, which is what stops the bleeding.
A brush cannotTreat gum disease that has already reached the bone. That needs a dentist.
Setting and headSensitive or Gum Health mode, a soft or gum care head, and no extra pressure. Expect two weeks.
Start withPhilips Sonicare 4100Price
A brush canStop the mechanical part of the damage by removing the sideways scrub and warning you about force.
A brush cannotGrow the gum back. Recession does not reverse on its own.
Setting and headA pressure sensor you can see, a soft head, and the gentlest mode. Angle the bristles into the gum line rather than along it.
Start withOral-B iO Series 3Price
A brush canLet you clean exposed necks of teeth without scrubbing them, and run at a lower power.
A brush cannotSeal the dentine. That is what a sensitivity toothpaste or a dentist does.
Setting and headLowest intensity, a sensitive head, and a fluoride toothpaste for sensitivity. Skip whitening heads.
Start withPhilips Sonicare 5900Price
A brush canLift surface stain better than a manual brush, especially with a polishing head.
A brush cannotChange the natural colour underneath. No brush does.
Setting and headA whitening head two or three times a week, a normal head the rest of the time.
Start withOral-B iO Series 3Price
A brush canSlow it down by clearing plaque before it hardens, especially behind the lower front teeth.
A brush cannotRemove tartar once it has set. Only a scale and polish does that.
Setting and headAn oscillating head suits heavy depositors; spend extra seconds on the inside of the lower front teeth.
Start withOral-B Pro 1000Price
A brush canClean around brackets far faster than a manual brush, which is where decalcification starts.
A brush cannotReach between the wire and the gum. You still need interdental brushes or a water flosser.
Setting and headAn orthodontic head where one exists, a gentle mode, and a slow pass along the bracket line.
Start withPhilips Sonicare 7300Price
A brush canDo the work while you hold the handle still, which is the whole point for a weak or painful grip.
A brush cannotHelp if the handle is thin and slippery. Weight and grip matter more than modes here.
Setting and headA wider handle, a simple button, a stand you can drop it on rather than a cable to line up.
Start withOral-B Pro 1000Price
A brush canClean the margin of a crown or the neck of an implant gently and consistently.
A brush cannotFix a leaking margin or a loose implant. Both are dentist work.
Setting and headSoft or gum care head, gentle mode, and keep abrasive whitening heads away from the margin.
Start withPhilips Sonicare 5900Price