At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. The design makes cleaning easy, and the brush comes with a slim leather travel case and USB-C travel cable, making it easy to take the toothbrush on the road. It comes with an all-purpose brush head, but it’s compatible with the many Philips Sonicare heads on the market. Like most other electric toothbrushes, there’s a two-minute timer (with 30-second indicators), but after the two minutes is up, the toothbrush will keep on going. This is great for those looking to brush for longer, but you’ll have to remember to switch it off when you’ve had enough. However, the dental professionals we consulted all reiterated that an electric toothbrush won’t do all of the work for you. You still have to use it correctly, positioning the brush at the proper 45-degree angle to your teeth and gums and gently moving the brush head with proper pressure to cover the entire tooth surface.

We tested the rechargeable version of this toothbrush, but there’s also a cheaper battery-operated version available. The design is identical and functionality is similar save for offering only two intensity levels instead of three. Dr Richard Marques, a private dentist based on London’s Harley Street, says: “By now, so much research has gone into them that any electric toothbrush you can buy is better than a manual toothbrush. They either use rotation and oscillation or vibration, and you’re able to clean your teeth without scrubbing too hard.” The brush is powered by sonic pulse technology that cleans at a maximum of 11,000 pulsations per minute. The head is made of silicone and PBT polymer bristles, which are now super flexible, which gives it a very different feel to other toothbrushes. Unlike the others, you’re supposed to use it like a regular toothbrush, scrubbing up and down and in circles rather than holding it against the teeth. Skin Care Wellness All Skin Care Moisturizers Mineral Sunscreens Sunscreens for Kids Sunscreens for Dark Skin Acne Teen Acne Rosacea SPF Lip Balms Under Eye Patches We found the replaceable brush head to be very similar to a manual brush, with W-shaped bristles that let us get into tight spaces (Philips doesn’t offer any alternative brushes like it does for its main Sonicare lineup). The bristles were soft and gentle, leaving our teeth feeling extremely clean and much better than a manual toothbrush.

One of our favorite features of the toothbrush — and one we didn’t find with some of the other lower-priced toothbrush options — is the pressure sensor. While using an electric toothbrush, you’re meant to let the brush head do the work rather than scrubbing. So during the brushing session, if you press too hard and apply too much pressure, the Sonicare 4100 will vibrate and an indicator light will flash, giving you a warning. Dr. Mark Wolff, professor of restorative dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of controlling the pressure while brushing since “brushing too aggressively can wear the gums and tooth structure, resulting in recession and tooth sensitivity to cold.”

The only real downside is that the Brightline doesn’t have a pressure indicator — one powered toothbrush feature that is highly recommended by dental professionals we spoke to. It also doesn’t have different head options and is a little bulkier than most, but it gets the job done at an affordable price. We have been asked several times about options for charging your electric toothbrush from a 12V DC supply as available in cars, caravans, RV’s, boats, yachts, etc. for when you are travelling or living off-grid. You can read the various options in the article below. The USB toothbrush charging optionAs we learned, brushing for a full two minutes is extremely important when brushing your teeth. Fortunately, every toothbrush we tested included a built-in two-minute timer, which allowed us to not cheat on our brushing session. Additionally, many toothbrushes also include a vibrating alert every 30 seconds that reminds you to move on to the next quadrant of your mouth, making it easier to remember to cover all of your teeth. Many toothbrushes, although not all, allow you to pause your toothbrush for up to 30 seconds without resetting the timer. For those new to electric toothbrushes, the Phillips 4100 has an EasyStart feature turned on by default; this gently increases the power over the first 14 brushings. Since electric toothbrushes feel different than a manual toothbrush, this allows you — and your teeth — to adapt to the toothbrush over a week’s time. Yes, electric toothbrushes can damage your teeth, but so can manual toothbrushes and other dental hygiene products you use incorrectly. That’s why it’s so important to practice proper brushing technique, regardless of what toothbrush you use.