Oral B iO smart electric toothbrush review

Get one USA: https://amzn.to/34JhEPS
Get one: Canada: https://amzn.to/3iDRl2E


How much thought do you give to your toothbrush? If you’re like most of us, not a lot. But if your dentist has told you you are an aggressive brusher, you have gum disease, recession or cavities, you might have been told to check out a better toothbrush than the old manual option. I’m here to tell you there’s lots of choice in the electric/ultrasonic/smart toothbrush category and I’ve reviewed many of them. The latest to cross my sink is the all new Oral B iO smart electric toothbrush. In this review, I’ll look at what it’s like to use, how well I think it cleans and what kinds of special features it has.

What is Oral B iO?


Oral B iO is a rechargeable electric toothbrush, with an Interactive Display that guides you as you brush. The brush also has a unique L-shaped head with a circular brush that’s a bit different from the standard horizontally-oriented brush. More on that in a sec. Paired with the Oral B app, it can help you slow down, stop brushing so hard, and to brush for long enough to be truly effective. Important for a toothbrush is should be effective and Oral B says the iO is validated by Canadian Dental Association to remove plaque, and reduce and prevent gingivitis.

What’s in the Box?
In the package there’s the brush handle, two?? Toothbrush heads, a magnetic base for charging and a travel case.

Set up and prep
There’s not too much to do to get ready to brush with the Oral B iO: plug in the charger and ensure it’s full of juice to start. Download the Oral B app to your phone. Pair?? That’s it

Linear Magnetic Drive
In what sounds like the flux capacitor of the toothbrush world, Oral B touts something called Linear Magnetic Drive. Linear magnetic drive is supposed to “direct the cleaning energy to the point of every individual bristle and integrates Oral-B's iconic round brush with gentle micro-vibrations for better plaque removal* and an amazing brushing experience.” While that sounds like a lofty promise I think it translates to ‘the brush head vibrates around your mouth’. I wouldn’t say I felt cleaning energy at the end of every bristly but I appreciate a good sales pitch.

Round Brush Head
The brush head is “Dentist-inspired” and is circular. It’s supposed to “expertly clean with micro-vibrations and oscillating action.”. Oral B doesn;t say on its website what a round brush is supposed to do better than a rectangular one

Smart Pressure Sensor
What’s it like using Oral B iO?

This toothbrush has been an experience. I’m going to try to describe the experience without ending up being overdubbed j. for an adult video.
For starters, the round brush and L-shaped head take some getting used to. The configuration of the brush head really means you need to open up our mouth more and it can be a bit awkward to manoeuvre it into your cheeks. Because of its taller L-shape if feels really big and like it’s getting in the way of my teeth. I have to be really deliberate about brushing because it feels more like your operating a tool than just mindlessly brushing easily. But I guess that’s partly the point.

Brushing with this device does require your attention: you need to work to get it around your mouth. You need to apply the smaller circular brush head to every tooth. And of course you’re supposed to brush for the full two minutes or risk frowny face,.

The truth is, for me personally, I didn’t like the round L-shaped brush head; it was too big and awkward. I did appreciate how it made me slow down and brush more deliberately though.

Battery Life:
I got about 10-14 days


Overall:

Overall I liked a lot of things about this brush and some things I didn’t. The round L-shaped brush head is a bit like using something shaped like a rake in your face. I jest, it’s not that bad, but it is like using a whole new tool. I didn’t care for it. The round brush head is okay; the brush itself is a lot smaller than I’m used to so it forces me to brush more deliberately, aiming to hit every tooth.

I like the colour screen, but I don;’t love the battery life. Compared to another toothbrush I have that lasts months, this one feels like I should be keeping it plugged in. I found a lot of the brushing modes to be too much for me personally. But at the same time, I really did feel like it cleaned really well. Selling for about $279 CAD, it’s also much more of an investment than some other options.

This is a tough one for me: I like the clean it delivers but the tool just isn’t my fave because I honestly prefer mindlessly brushing my teeth so I don’t think I’ll keep using with this one and will revert back to my other brush, whcih happens to be the Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean. That review by the way is also here on the channel.

The Oral-B iO is available in 4 different colours – Black Onyx, White Alabaster, Violet Ametrine and Rose Quartz, sold at local retail stores from $279.99.