We’ve all been forced to slow down and adjust ourselves over the past year. It’s given us the time to take inventory of everything in our lives. Some of us are sleeping more, reading more, picked up new hobbies, and adjusted old routines. There’s never been more attention paid to “self care” than ever before. Brushing teeth? Yes, that too. With more challenges of going to the dentist and/or dental hygienist these past few months has made me also revisit ways to weather through these uncertain times. But I can hear her saying, “hey, great brushing...but how often are you flossing?” Every time I visit. Of course, I always respond with, "can’t you tell?" Which is funny. I think.
It was maybe 10 years ago that inquired about electric toothbrushes after repeatedly seeing displays in the dental office. She mentioned that they were beneficial for a better overall clean for someone like me. What did that mean? She knew I didn't have the patience to do the suggested two minutes of brushing. Maybe I needed some sort of incentive. Heck, if anything she thought it would be probably better than what I was doing.
I had first went for an entry level electric toothbrush and at the next check up she noticed an improvement. She may even did a little cheer. Then I began investing in better versions. Over the course of the years, she noticed even bigger improvements. So, I was convinced and even switched out my kids and they won't turn back either.
Then, a whole other level of electric toothbrushes came into the market. In recent years, the category of electric toothbrushes have vastly changed and constantly finding ways to help us take one of the most mundane daily routines better and more efficient. I recently had the opportunity to try out the latest ORAL B iO Series 7.
This is not your average electric toothbrush—consider it a power brush. I say power because it’s been designed with over six years of product research and insights. This rechargeable toothbrush’s gentle micro-vibrations are offer up a clean that gives you that fresh dental office clean feeling. Not just to help with keeping us brushing for at least the recommended two minutes of brushing but its built-in intelligence learns the user's brushing habits and then helps to guide for a smarter and more efficient clean. This brush has many well thought out and innovative features offering more advancements for better brushing. Paired with the Oral B app on your smart phone, the toothbrush keeps the user on track. Having said that, you won’t necessarily need to have your phone near the sink to keep track. The toothbrush will store the info and sync the next time you use the app.
Right out of the box are the toothbrush handle (that holds all the intelligence), two rounded heads, a magnetic charging base, and a travel case. Pretty straight forward and new users are instructed to download the app onto their smart phone. If you have a previous Oral B connected toothbrush, simply add the new one to the app. Very straight forward.
So what features stand-out?
The toothbrush wakes up each time it’s picked up to be used. There are 5 modes offered on the Oral B iO offers a more tailored clean depending on individual preference and needs. The modes include Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whiten, Gum Care, and Intense. I’ve been alternating between Daily Clean and Gum Care.
When paired with the app, a visual guide on the app is offered while you’re using the brush. An overview of the teeth being cleaned is shown while in use. BTW, it doesn’t matter what kind of brusher you are. All around? One area at a time? The app, shows you real-time movement and if you’ve spent adequate time cleaning each area—the visual of the teeth gradually turns sparkling white as you move along. It took no time to understand how this all worked.
I also tried using the toothbrush without the app and noticed it had every so often send out a few quick vibrations. I learned that this happens when the brush senses when you’ve spent enough time (30 seconds) cleaning an area. The vibrations suggests when it's time to move onto another area. There's also a timer on the handle that helps you see how long you've been brushing.
The brush also has a built in pressure sensor. A light ring indicator on the toothbrush handle glows in colour to let you know if you’re apply the right amount of pressure to your teeth and gums. Green light obviously means you’re good. Red indicates that you’re applying too much pressure that you might not realize otherwise.
The head of the brush is circular which is supposedly designed after what the dental hygienest uses in the office when cleaning. An important feature within this round head is the Frictionless Magnetic Drive. This helps to direct the energy of cleaning to the bristles on the toothbrush head that stays consistent for better plaque removal.
There are several programs built into the app if you want to get more out of your oral hygiene. It will also offer you a history of your brushing habits so you can track your progress. Users can opt for "Dental Care Journeys" to address specific interests including fighting bad breath, dealing with plaque as well as how to take better care of your braces. With that in mind, the "journeys" or challenges are designed to help but not to overwhelm. For example, I'm on an active "plaque buster" challenge that lasts 28 days. The brush will actually hold back and let you know if it learns that you're taking on too many challenges at once. When you've completed an active challenge you earn virtual medals - even better is that you've probably instilled some sort of cleaning habit for long term.
Another helpful feature for me is the gum bleeding tracker where the app will check in once a week and you can log in your condition. Many of these features within the app are optional. You can also connect the Oral B app with the Apple Health app.
The app will also let you know when it’s an ideal time to change the toothbrush head. It calculates the timing based on the number of minutes you’ve also used the toothbrush. A handy feature since changing the head is commonly the most often forgotten about. You can also check within the app the estimated date so you can plan ahead with purchasing new heads.
Personalized Encouragements... Well, I’m calling it that. I was THAT person that chuffed at the thought that I needed any kind of encouragement from a toothbrush but within a few days, I found myself looking at the interactive display for that happy face at the end of every brush. Not going to lie, the sad face and the meh face have popped up a few times.
The Magnetic Charger Base is impressively quick to juice up the handle. A full charge from zero to 100% is done in less than three hours. Its minimalist design takes up very little counter space even when the charger is in use.
In terms of battery life, I’ve noticed the battery holding its charge for about 9 days without having to sit on the charging base. What’s important is the power of the toothbrush remains consistent in pressure. No fading in power. A battery indicator keeps you informed.
The kit also comes with a sleek and safe travel case so you can take it on the go when you need to for that weekend getaway, extended vacation or office for busy lifestyles. Our family does take our electric toothbrushes when we are away.
I'm heading to the dental hygienist tomorrow so I'll see if she will notice. I've hesitated to go in since early pandemic lockdown in March but confident this has helped me manage through these crazy times.
The Oral B iO Series 7 is available in White Alabastar or Black Onyx. At time of publishing I've noticed the prices anywhere between $224.99 to $299.99 (Canadian) with various online retailers. Also worth putting on your list for Black Friday sales.
