Brush off the
competition
Oral hygiene is
undeniably important, and we all need to make sure we're brushing our
teeth properly. However, no matter how many YouTube videos, TV
commercials, or weird lectures from your slightly scary dentist (just
us?) you receive, it can be difficult to know how to do the job
right. Our advice: let your toothbrush tell you. It is in your mouth,
after all. And so we check out the very smart Oral-B Genius 9000.
This is an electric
toothbrush. However, whereas as traditional electric toothbrushes
merely vibrated and wiggled away inside your mouth, it seems like
modern versions are capable of telling you exactly how to brush, and
even how hard you are pressing. Our minds have been blown (but our
teeth are really clean).
The Oral-B Genius 9000
Toothbrush set includes the main unit itself, three additional
brushing heads, a hard carry/charging case, a brush head holder, and
a smartphone stand. Everything sounds pretty conventional... with the
exception of the phone stand, right? That is because the main selling
point of the Oral-B Genius 9000 is not just that it knows what you're
doing with it, but that it can connect via Bluetooth to your phone
running the Oral-B app which displays even more information in real
time.
But first, the
toothbrush itself: it is refreshingly slim for a gadget so completely
packed with features, and light, too. It is comfortable to hold for
long periods, and you certainly never feel like you're wielding a
heavy mace while brushing. Oh, and you'll only ever hold it for two
minutes at a time, anyway. And you'll know how long two minutes is
because it will be displayed on your phone while you brush.
The interchangeable
heads come off easily enough, and as well as a unique
multi-directional brush head, that felt like it was reaching parts of
the teeth and gums but easily reached by normal brushing, our eyes
we're also caught by the polishing head. Yes, you can give your teeth
a polish once you've done cleaning. Fun!
The Oral-B Genius 9000Toothbrush features a glowing ring at the top of the handle which
will flash and pulse to communicate several different things
(Bluetooth connection the most useful in our opinion). You can also
use the app to set it to glow in one of 12 different colours, just to
add a personal touch you to your brush. As well as the useful
functionality, it just looks cool, too.
The carry case is rigid
and tough, closing securely around the brush. It features a groove to
rest your phone in, too, so even if you're travelling and don't what
to take the dedicated suction-cup stand, you'll still have a safe
place to lean your phone while brushing. Just keep it clear of water,
if you don't own a waterproof phone.
So, in use, the Oral-BGenius 9000 feels great. For all the bells and whistles it is still
possible just to switch it on and clean your teeth, and the resulting
job feels very clean indeed. However, connecting to the app is
definitely worth it, and not just for the on screen timer. The app
will walk you through all her areas of your mouth you need to visit,
so you'll never miss a certain spot out. It will also display
warnings in case you apply too much pressure, as this can lead to gum
damage.
We discovered there
were entire parts of our mouths that we we were simply never
brushing; like seriously, every one of us that tried. Even those who
prided themselves on pristine oral hygiene learnt a thing or two
about technique and timing. And, after a few days, our teeth
definitely seemed cleaner and brighter.
Yes, it is quite a lot
for a toothbrush, but the benefits really seem to make it worthwhile.
Plus, as you can swap out the heads, you could always buy it for the
whole family to use. Just a suggestion.
£119.99
Available from
www.amazon.co.uk