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13 best electric toothbrushes 2023
Home dental care? Completed it, mate
They say you’re never fully dressed without your smile, but if your teeth are in need of a little TLC, you’re unlikely to want to flash those less-than-pearly whites.
Is prioritising dental care on your 2023 to-do list? Ours too. And the good news is that the best electric toothbrushes could potentially save you from an eye-wateringly high dentist's bill. There are lots of options on the market, but we’ve found the very best after rigorous real-life testing in the Women's Health Lab.
Is an electric toothbrush better than a manual toothbrush?
Ultimately, this choice comes down to personal preference, but celebrity dentist Dr Richard Marques recommends going electric.
‘Electric toothbrushes are more effective because they take a lot of the work and worry off your hands,’ he says. ‘Many modern models have variable functions so you can control the speed and intensity to suit your needs. They also have the edge over manual brushes because the oscillation (that’s the rotating and pulsating movement of the brush), removes surface plaque from teeth much more effectively.’
How should I use an electric toothbrush?
The beauty of electric toothbrushes is that they do most of the work for you. That said, Yusra Al-Mukhtar, dental expert and founder of dryusra.com, advises that holding your toothbrush at the right angle is key to achieving a proper clean.
‘Hold the brush head at 45 degrees to the tooth, aimed towards the gum, and apply minimal pressure,’ she says. ‘Then focus on each tooth surface for three to five seconds before moving onto the next one.’
Most electric toothbrushes have multiple settings and brush heads that are designed for specific purposes including whitening or freshening breath. Look for rubber sections to help with stain removal and softer bristles if your teeth are sensitive.
Sonic toothbrushes vibrate the fastest, but they tend to cost more than a standard oscillating toothbrush, and there is little evidence to suggest that they are much more effective at cleaning, so it's really down to preference.
Which electric toothbrushes do dentists recommend?
You’ll find our favourites below, but Dr Marques recommends Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes to his clients. ‘They’re tough on plaque but gentle on the gums, and are a lot quieter than most other electric models,’ he says. ‘They’re at the higher end of the price bracket but they provide a superior clean.’
How we test
The Women’s Health Lab asked 317 people to trial a range of electric toothbrushes for a fortnight, judging each model on its ease of use, design, features, battery life and overall performance. They also used a disclosing tablet before and after brushing their teeth to determine how effective their toothbrush had been at removing plaque.
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Orla is our Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester and has extensive knowledge of skin and hair composition thanks to her first class bachelor's degree in cosmetic science from the Universy of the Arts London. She also spent time as a Formulation Chemist intern at Amelia Knight Cosmetics.
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