Customer Reviews

Oral-B Professional Care Deluxe Electric Toothbrush -

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I had been happily using Sonicare for about seven years. I read positive reviews about Oral B and decided to try it. A key reason I decided to try the Oral B is that I had to unscrew the brush head of the Sonicare once a week and clean the gunk out of it. I hated doing this and often needed a cotton swab to clean the gunk out of the inside of the brush head.

In contrast, the Oral B is much easier to clean. After each brushing I just pull the bush head off and rinse it off and wipe everything off with a towel. It takes less than a minute and the toothbrush is always clean. The Sonicare takes much longer to clean and the process is less pleasant.

But how does the Oral B clean? The smaller brush head of the Oral B makes it easier to clean my back teeth and they are cleaner than they were with the Sonicare. For my front teeth the two products are comparable.

If you want to take the charger with you when you travel the Sonicare charger is smaller than the Oral B charger. But for trips of a week or two taking the charger just isn't necessary.

They both have 2 minute timers that prompt you to switch to different quadrant of your mouth every 30 seconds. The Sonicare shuts off after 2 minutes but the Oral B signals that 2 minutes are up but keeps going in case you want to go for extra credit by brushing more than 2 minutes. I just shut it off after 2 minutes. I prefer the Sonicare approach on the timer but it's not a big issue for me.

After 2 minutes, the Oral B leaves my teeth -- front and back -- squeaky clean and the brush and handle are easy to keep clean, which is nice considering that this is a tool that you put in your mouth. There is also a device to attach to clean your tongue which seems to work well.

I'm glad I switched from Sonicare and wouldn't go back. The Oral B leaves my mouth cleaner and is easier to maintain.

I have been using a Sonicare Elite 7500 for 2 years and have had the Oral-B 8850 for about 4 months. Here's a point-by-point comparison.

Cleaning: Too close to call. Both do an excellent job. If you still use a manual brush, you'll be amazed when you first try one of these. Completely different level of clean. The Oral-B has a slight advantage, because the head is a bit wider, and you can cover each tooth without moving it around.

Durability: Strong edge to Oral-B. The Sonicare has battery problems (ours died after 18 months). Sonicare replaced it, but only because we were within the 2-year warranty.

Maintenance: Strong edge to Oral-B. The Sonicare needs to be cleaned regularly, because gunk builds up where the head attaches to the body. Cleaning is not easy, because the gunk gets in hard-to-reach places, and you need a cue-tip to get it out. The Oral-B just requires a quick rinse.

Multi-person use: Edge to Oral-B. If two or more people use the brush, then you will need to switch out the heads. This is easy to do for the Oral-B, as the heads slide on and off with little effort. The Sonicare heads need to be screwed on, which takes a little more time. Also, the Oral-B heads come with nice color-coded rings so you can keep them straight.

Price: The Oral-B is cheaper.

Replacement heads: Oral-B replacement heads are cheaper.

Accessories: The Sonicare doesn’t come with any accessories. The Oral-B comes with a bunch of accessories (flosser, tongue cleaner), but they are useless.

Other stuff. The Oral-B is noisier (sounds like a Dentist’s cleaner) but not obnoxiously so. The “charging” light is annoyingly bright on the Oral-B (so much so that you’ll need to close the door from the bedroom to bathroom if you want to sleep).

Bottom line: go with the Oral-B.

I was a dental nightmare. For years I got failing grades from my hygienist and lived with greyish teeth, bleeding gums, and bad breath that made my wife turn away in the morning. One day about a year ago I decided it was time to make a change in my life.

I switched to the 8850 DLX machine from a low-end $20 power brush and started using various Rembrandt whitening toothpastes and finishing with Dr Ken's mouthwash. I also began using Johnson and Johnson Stim-U-Dent Plaque Removers before the mouthwash.

For several weeks, my gums bled moderately and hurt after cleaning. I persisted with my new routine, the bleeding stopped, my breath was much improved and my latest annual checkup got me a perfect score. All this with a single brushing every morning followed by a rinse with a good plaque fighting mouthwash.

The 8850 did a lot to help me get where I am today. The 30 second quadrant time signal kept me honest, so I put in a full two minute brushing. The speed control let me use a slower more comfortable speed for a couple of months until my gums adjusted to the more serious routine - now I use maximum speed all the time. The round Oral B brush heads (I sugguest you avoid the oval style) let me get into the tight spaces way back in my mouth and clean every inch of my gumline.

The negatives are pretty trivial. The gadgets that ship with the deluxe kit are pretty much a joke in my opinion. After a few days I threw them away. The flashing blue charger light seems silly, but I've learned to ignore it.

The positives boil down to just one. This is a powerful aid to healthy gums if used daily. It took some getting used to, but it's now changed my life - my wife no longer turns away in the morning and I can face my mirror and my dentist with a smile.

I have owned earlier Oral B's and a Sonicare. This product is superior, IMO, to both.

I stopped using my Sonicare some time ago because my teeth just did not feel that clean after I finished - particularly in back. I thought it was just me until I switched back to manual brushing and found my teeth to be far more clean. At that time I assumed that I was not using the Sonicare correctly, which may have been the case. Recent studies suggest, however, that the Sonicare does no more for cleaning than a standard toothbrush and only those using a rotating action actually remove more plaque - albeit a marginal difference.

This sold me on the Oral B. So far, the brush seems to clean very well. The speed is good without being punishing. The brush head size is comfortable to reach the back teeth. A slimmer shaft would be nice like the newer Sonicare.

My only complaint in the product's operation is that I cannot feel or hear the difference when the pulsating action stops due to excessive pressure. I would like to have a better idea of the sweet-spot, as it were, for pressure. Without this feedback, which the documentation indicates should be obvious, I am unsure as to the effectiveness or functioning of the pulsating action. The 2 minute timer is great and I like that it does not shut off after the 2 minutes has been reached. I always felt like I was racing against the clock with the Sonicare.

A carrying case would have also been nice and the charging indicator is like having a airport landing beacon in your bathroom.

The Oral B seems like the best product out there right now to me. I would encourage anyone thinking of spending the $$$ to do some research regarding the effectiveness of these products to develop a realistic expectation of their advantages over regular brushing.

I used some previous Oral-b electric toothbrushes in the past, and I was always very satisfied with them. The new toothbrush seamed to be a perfect choice, especially for the new features I didn't have before:

1. 3D Excel Brushing Action with 40,000 pulsations and 8,800 oscillations:

My expectation: Much more power and a different 3D brushing should improve cleaning.
My conclusion: Didn't note any difference comparing to the previous ones.

2. Speed Control:

My expectation: Good to clean the tongue and gingival at lower speed.
My conclusion: The control is too bad. You have to press a unique button for a long time to reach the lower velocity, and if you stop the power, for example, to move the brush from one side to another (up to down), and want to resume it again at the lower velocity, you must press the button again until you reach the lower velocity. It sucks. After an initial period I ended using always the standard velocity. Oral-b, you should put another switch where you can select the proper velocity in which the power will work: low, medium or high.

3. Pressure Sensor:

My expectation: Great! I always put too much force to clean my teeth.
My conclusion: Didn't note any difference, even when I tested it, didn't note that pulsations stop when you brush too hard.

4. A 2-minute-total and 30-second-for-each-side Timer:

My expectation: Good to control if you clean more time or less time than appropriate.
My conclusion: not much useful. Many times you should stop the power, and in this case, the timer (it is not a sound, but a vibration instead) goes to zero. Other times you should keep cleaning one side for more than 30 seconds, but when you move to the other side, you lose the control of how much time you should stay in the new side.


5. FlexiSoft brushhead:

My expectation: To be the same as previous ones.
My conclusion: They are the same as previous ones. Very goods.


6. PowerPolisher brushhead:

Sorry. I cannot use it, until I finish my orthodontic treatment.

7. DualAction brushhead:

My expectation: To clean better.
My conclusion: Not useful. The FlexiSoft are better ones.

8. Tongue Freshener:

My expectation: To clean my tongue better. Maybe it has some mint or freshener liquid or something.
My conclusion: No better, not worst, than a regular tongue cleaner. No mint, no freshener liquid, no nothing.

9. Interdental Cleaner:

My expectation: a good rapid substitute for flossing.
My conclusion: KIDDING! Useless. No substitute for flossing AT ALL! A waste of money!


As a final conclusion, the power tooth bush continuous to be good, but the extra accessories and functions are not much useful. As written in the title, I recommend you buy the Oral-b 7850 DLX instead. It is cheaper, and you would not need the extra brushheads (you can buy the PowerPolisher brushhead separately).

First, Oral-B offers three lines of power toothbrushes: CrossAction, Sonic, and ProfessionalCare. The Oral-B ProfessionalCare series is the top-of-the-line offering, and arguably the best in the industry. My first Oral-B ProfessionalCare toothbrush finally started to wear out after ten years, so I certainly got my money's worth - especially if you count my dentist crediting my improved tooth and gum condition to my improved brushing. All toothbrushes, chargers, and brush heads within the ProfessionalCare line are interchangeable. They all perform the same cleaning action on your teeth, yet there is a wide disparity in price range between models. This review helps guide the choice within Oral-B's ProfessionalCare line.

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= OVERVIEW =
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Amazon currently offers the 7400, 7850, 8850 DLX, 8900 "OxyJet", 9400 "Triumph", 9900 "Triumph Smart Guide", and 9950 "Triumph Special Edition". You can find most of these on Oral-B's web site, but it is hard to use and difficult to compare. Here's the summary:

- 7400 is a short-base fully functional basic model.

- 7850 and 8850 DLX are tall-base models storing extra brush heads under the lid. The 8850 DLX includes extra brush heads in the package.

- 8900 "OxyJet" is a 7850 plus a second appliance (NOT another toothbrush): "an oral irrigator with innovative micro-bubble technology".

- All Triumph models have Oral-B's newer "attractive design" for both brush handle and base, but still use the same brush heads and cleaning action as all other ProfessionalCare models.


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= BASE =
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The 7400 has a short squat base that charges the toothbrush like any other base. For a single user, this cheaper model is the one to get as you will just keep your brush head on the toothbrush.

The 7850 and 8850 have a taller base that includes storage for up to four brush heads under a lid that provides protection from dust - and from sink area sprays.

The 8900 OxyJet has a dual base for charging the irrigator at the same time.

All Triumph models have a mid-height base with storage under a clear plastic lid. The 9950 Special Edition also includes a travel charging base. Personally, I pack a manual toothbrush for trips and leave the Oral-B at home for a few days.


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= HANDLE =
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All the handles are the same to me. Admittedly, some will find the Triumph handles slightly more attractive. Also, I suspect there is an increase in battery capacity as you move up from the 7000 series through 8000 and up to the 9000's, but I have not been able to verify through documentation. The 8000 models I used personally have plenty of charge for two people to brush in the morning - and probably more, though I never tested.

The 9950 Special Edition of the Triumph model includes a second handle so that two people can brush at the same time.


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= BRUSHES =
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As noted in the introduction above, all brush heads are interchangeable. Buying a more expensive model does not affect the cleaning action on your teeth. The 8850 DLX bundles one of each type of brush head into the package. See my uploaded photos for details.


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= TIMERS =
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This almost inconsequential feature was a major differentiator that set Oral-B power toothbrushes apart from their competitors in early reviews by dental professionals. All ProfessionalCare models have some degree of timer built-in so you'll know that you've brushed your teeth long enough. The basic timer interrupts the brush spinning action three times in rapid succession after two minutes of brushing, so you hear a brief "stuttering" as your signal. All of today's models do this, along with a single spin interruption every 30 seconds so you can perceive progress.

The Triumph models add an actual LCD display into the brush handle so you can see exactly how many seconds you've been brushing. But who can look at the handle while brushing? The higher-end Triumph Models, specifically the 9900 and 9950, include a separate "Smart Guide" displaying your brushing time on the sink counter. It seems like expensive overkill to me personally, but at least you don't have to stop brushing to see how long it's been. The same is true for the spin stuttering models, so it's really a matter of choice.


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= GENERAL RECOMMENDATION =
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From years of experience I can recommend the Oral-B ProfessionalCare line with confidence. Ultimately the choice between models comes down to individual preferences. Generally speaking, the cheapest model (7400) is a good fit for single users because there is no need to store extra brush heads in the charger base. A tall base with storage is a good fit for couples, such as the 7850 or 8850 DLX. The high-end Triumph series is for those willing to pay more for gadgetry and aesthetics.

I've been using this for about four months. I think it's better than the Sonicare I tried, but which you prefer is going to be an individual choice.

I've used manual toothbrushes for most of my life, but about nine months ago my dental hygenist prompted me to try an electric as a potential time-saver.

I first went with an inexpensive Oral-B which ran on AA batteries, and found it was a bit easier to use than a manual. The small round brusheads are easier to fit behind my back teeth, and electric toothbrushes in general seem to stimulate the gums a bit more. The big advantage for me is that it's faster; I used to brush for 3-4 minutes with a manual, and I find 2 minutes with an Oral-B seems to work just as well.

I didn't find it was earth-shakingly different, though. Since my dental hygiene before switching was "near-perfect" (I get checkups every three months and only rarely does my hygenist have to do anything at all) neither I nor my dentist have noticed any differences. I'm not convinced that electric brushes in general are more effective than a properly-used manual.

The cheap Oral-B brushes are... really cheap, and I think they're overpriced given how often they fail. If you want to spend $50-$100 a year replacing toothbrushes, that's certainly one way to do it. I tried two of them, and both of them failed in different ways within 3 months.

I next tried a top-of-the-line Sonicare; a local store offered a 30-day money-back guarantee so I figured it was worth a try (they don't sell any non-cheap Oral-B products or I would've done that instead). Yes, it was probably built well... and heavy, and the handle was immense compared to the Oral-B. I found it very awkward to use, and I don't think it was doing a very good job of cleaning because I noticed substantially more gunk from flossing than before I started using it.

I don't mean to complain about the Sonicare or claim it's a bad product. My point is that there *are* differences, and you may very well find one electric works better than another. My hygenist mentioned that some people greatly prefer the Sonicare brushes, and they can't be that bad all around because many people are successfully using them. They just didn't work for me (more accurately, I should say the one I tried didn't work).

The 8850 is built quite a bit better than the cheap Oral-B brushes and it should definitely last longer. It's certainly more waterproof (I had problems with water getting into the housing of the others). The size fits my hand well, and it seems just as easy to use as their others. I also like the variable-speed feature, though I wish there were a way to set it once rather than having to reset it every time I use it.

Plan on securing the base to a wall. If it's sitting on a sink or shelf it'll probably need cleaning more often, and it's pretty easy to knock over. Also note that the tongue cleaner or vibrating pick attachment don't quite fit in the attachment holder; it's apparently meant for brushes only, which could be a minor irritation if you use them regularly.

The timer feature might be useful, but that depends greatly on how you brush. I don't use quadrants, instead I brush my lower teeth (doing the fronts, then the tops, then the backs), then the uppers. Thus the 30 second timer doesn't help me very much, and I could never quite figure out what the 2-minute timer was for--what happens when the two minutes are up and I haven't finished the backs of my upper teeth yet?

I've never needed to use anything other than the ultrasoft heads, and since I usually brush 4-5 times a day I prefer using the most gentle brush I can find. (The general advice is that stiffer brushes don't clean any better anyway.) The other attachments (tongue scraper, vibrating pick) seem OK, but I prefer using floss, a manual gum stimulator, and a plain tongue scraper instead.

The pick replacements are very expensive and, in my opinion, just aren't a viable alternative to floss. Some people prefer using a vibrating tongue scraper because they don't stimulate the gag reflex as much.

The Oral-B head replacements in general are expensive, and they really do need replacement every three months (mine start visibly fraying around that time). It's worth taking that into account when looking at prices, because they're a substantial investment. And shop around, occasionally they can be found for much less than the usual retail prices.

If you haven't used an electric (or an Oral-B) before, I'd suggest trying one of the cheap/disposable electric brushes first... and you may want to try two or three different brands so you can get a feel for which style you prefer. Money-back guarantees are important here, because some people seem to really dislike certain types of brushes.

If you've used and like the cheap Oral-Bs and want something that will last for more than a month, the 8850 would be a good alternative. I'm not convinced the uber-3D cleaning action (or whatever they're calling it this week) really works any better than their others... but it probably doesn't hurt, and the two-year warranty on the 8850 is a win.

I actually look forward to using this toothbrush each time. It leaves your gums and mouth feeling stimulated and fresh. My dentist says my teeth have never been cleaner -- better placque removal than during all the years I used successive Sonicares. The Flexisoft Oral-B brushhead (included in the package) fits well into all crevices and corners, and seems to cup each tooth for a very thorough cleaning. The Polishing brushhead, also included, whitens my teeth as well as any bleaching product I ever tried. I'm happy not to use those bleaching chemicals anymore, and it's great to now be free of the painful sensitivity they caused. Thank you Oral-B for such a superior and well-made product.

We never considered an electric toothbrush, thinking it would be just another unnecessary gadget cluttering up the house. Then my oral hygienist casually mentioned that her patients with the healthiest gums all seemed to use the Braun toothbrush, and interestingly, "not Sonicare." My gums had been receding at an alarming rate, and the exposed tooth roots were being grooved by aggressive brushing. Yikes. Well, the Braun has been a revelation; the plaque is pretty much gone, and the "fuzz," especially on the sides of the molars, is gone too. So the functioning is 100%. As for the product design, I was afraid the stand wouldn't fit on the narrow ledge of my ceramic sink. Not a problem here; it's skinny, has a non-skid rubber base, and is superbly weighted - it is not tippy at all. The bonus is the blue LED light, which doubles as a night light by the sink. Like most things German and Braun, this thing is thoughtfully designed (e.g., a little rubber stopper prevents the unit from rolling around, should you lay it down on a flat surface) and of top quality, not junky at all like those other units imported from elsewhere. Worth every penny. Note: this package comes with a bunch of other gizmos, most of which qualify as "clutter"; we would just get the basic unit if we had to do it over again.

I'm giving this a 4 only because you will still need to floss if you want to really take care of your teeth. As far as brushing goes, it does a 5-star job and it has already (after 2 months) improved my gums.

Someone said it felt too unsubstantial after having had a Sonicare. I, for one, am happy to have a lighter toothbrush do a better job than the heavy one (I admit, I had a really OLD Sonicare--the charger must have been over 10 years old at the least, maybe 15, and I was on my second handle--they could be different now).

All in all, I'd recommend this highly. Hope it lives as long as the Sonicare brushes lived.