I Tried Oral-B’s Most Advanced Toothbrush (and Then I Fired My Dentist)

Our phones have completely taken over our lives, but that can be a tough pill to swallow. I didn’t want to believe I was completely reliant on my phone, but I recently took a look at the cold, hard facts. I use a digital scale and app to perfect my coffee brewing; at the request of some of my film nerd friends, I’ve started using Letterboxd to keep track of the movies I watch. I use a fitness watch to track my workouts, sleep, and general health; I even use apps to watch yoga and pilates videos and track my progress, and run my recovery that way as well. And those are all things I actually enjoy doing! But digital tools are seeping into more and more of our lifestyle habits—even our oral hygiene. Sure, I did upgrade a few years ago to the rechargeable Oral-B Pro 1000, because a ton of people told me it was great. (Our resident toothbrush philosopher, staff writer Nicolette Accardi, considers it one of the best in the game.)

That said, I recently had the chance to try Oral-B’s new top-of-the-line iO Series 10 toothbrush, the main hook of which is its integration of high-tech artificial intelligence features that improve your brushing experience and your health. The thought of using a toothbrush so hardcore that it involved A.I. and required its own app was not something that sounded fun or important to me. At first I was skeptical, because I knew it might add to the ever-expanding list of reasons to look at my phone. But eventually I came to consider it a nice opportunity to 1) mitigate decades of aggressive coffee and red wine consumption, and 2) convince myself that it was a good substitute for going to the dentist, which I haven’t done since [redacted]. I actually get pretty good reports from my dentist (when I do go), but am nevertheless still haunted every time I look in the mirror because of a poor whitening job that was done when I was a child. (My family wonders why I never smile in family photos, and it’s definitely because of my teeth, and not at all because being around them fills me with that special brand of rage and frustration that only your blood relatives can induce.) Anyway, here are my takeaways from trying the Oral-B iO Series 10.

What’s special about the iO Series 10

First of all, the Series 10 is a gorgeous toothbrush—I tried the “stardust white” color, a speckled panna-cotta-looking print that is extremely appealing and calming. The dock isn’t just a generic dock—it’s magnetic, and the toothbrush easily and securely sits upright, which is a pretty cool feature, plus it’s also a clock, a brush timer, and a series of lights that indicate whether you’re brushing too hard or soft (more on this soon). There’s also a travel case that doubles as a charger, so you can literally put it into the cable to charge your brush if you’re on the go. This is by no means a necessary feature, but it’s an awesome one that shows off Oral-B’s attention to detail.

The brush itself is wild. It uses “A.I. Position Detection” to determine which teeth you’re brushing and for how long, in order to let you know whether you’ve covered everything. The motor uses “micro-vibrations and oscillating action” to brush, and it feels more powerful than the less fancy models of electric toothbrushes I’ve tried in the past. Oh, and there’s a screen on the toothbrush that tells you which mode you’re in (like “daily clean,” “intense,” “whiten,” “sensitive,” and “gum care”), and a ring light around the top of the toothbrush’s main body also indicates whether you’re brushing with the proper level of strength. The sensor on the brush is excellent at determining whether you’re hitting the right amount of pressure there, and after a few brushes, you’ll have fine-tuned your abilities so that you’re mostly staying within the lines.

Do you really need an app for this?

The app is pretty crazy, TBH. When you brush, it shows a 3D image of your teeth, pointing out where you’re currently brushing and whether you’ve done it long enough. At the end, it gives you a report that tells you how your coverage was, how much of the brush was within the proper pressure zone, and how you did on time. It also collects and stores information, such as whether or not your gums bled during brushing, or, if you’re trying to whiten, what color your teeth are (there’s a scale). Basically, it tracks your skills and habits over time, like some kind of fitness app—you literally get a score at the end of each brush, which makes you want to do a good job. Like, if I cut out early or fail to hit the mark, my toothbrush’s screen will show me a frowny face, which makes me feel bad about myself. (If I wanted that, I’d just take a picture with my family.)

The app also has goals you can set for yourself, like having fresher breath, achieving better gum health, and fighting plaque. I decided to do the whitening program, which involves using the “whitening” brushing mode twice a day for two minutes, brushing your tongue, and using mouthwash. It’s a two-week program, and halfway through, I’m already seeing major results. You know that feeling when you leave the dentist and you run your tongue over your teeth and can’t believe how smooth they feel? That happens to me every day now. 

What isn’t perfect (yet)

The technology here is pretty remarkable, but the app can be frustrating, at least until you really learn how to finesse it. There have been a few annoying brushes where the 3D model just couldn't seem to figure out where I was actually brushing, meaning it didn’t accurately track my brush. Also, I had a maddening experience the other day where I tried to pause the brush so I could spit (two minutes can be a long time), and it wouldn’t let me resume, meaning that the app considered the brush incomplete and bad, and it frowned at me. It’s a weirdly dystopian psychological problem to feel like your toothbrush is disappointed in you for something you didn’t even do wrong. 

Also, I’m not going to beat around the bush here: This toothbrush costs $399. The older I get, though, the more I’m aware that spending a few extra bucks now might prevent spending a lot more bucks later. Anyway, that’s how I went into understanding this price tag. And it turns out that you do get a lot for your money. 

TL;DR

Yes, this toothbrush is expensive, but you’re basically getting a dentist-level assessment every day, plus an app that records your data and helps you reach your goals. It’s a smartly designed piece of technology that’s (mostly) very user-friendly and easy to learn. If you’re committed to really upping your brushing game and achieving excellent results, whether it be whitening, improving your breath, having better gum health—or just having an all-around improved mouth situation—the Oral B iO Series 10 is very worth it. My teeth really do look whiter every day, and I like always feeling like I’ve just left the dentist. 

All that remains is the final boss: the famous cheeseburger with onion mayo and charred onions I will face on Thursday. I’m confident my toothbrush will be up to the challenge (but still grateful that my fiancée will be out of town).

Check out the Oral-B iO Series 10 here.

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