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We tested brushes from Oral-B, Colgate, Philips and more to find the best for your teeth.
Brushing your teeth correctly is key for preventing decay and gum disease. The better you look after your teeth and gums now, the less likely you are to face costly and invasive dental treatment in the future.
In order to maintain good oral hygiene, brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Dr Reena Wadia, periodontist and founder of gum clinic RW Perio, says: "The timing depends on if your teeth and gums are healthy. For those with established gum disease, you will probably need more than two minutes."
With prices varying from £30 to £300, an electric toothbrush can be an investment. So you need to make sure you're buying the right one for you.
To help guide you, we tested a range of sonic and oscillating models to find the best on the market:
Electric toothbrushes are battery-powered brushes that make oscillating or sonic vibrating movements to remove plaque build-up, debris and bacteria. Most modern models feature two-minute timers, multiple cleaning modes and pressure sensors to help ensure optimum brushing.
If you’re vigilant about looking after your teeth, both manual and electric toothbrushes can keep them healthy. However, dentists recommend going electric.
"They do the work for you and their bristles move in more directions than you could move the brush yourself," says Dr Wadia. "They are effective at removing plaque because they’re designed to gently massage teeth and gums correctly, with many now featuring a pressure sensor that warns you if you’re pressing too hard."
Sonic refers to the side to side vibrating motion of the brush filaments, while oscillating refers to the rotating and pulsating movements of the brush head. There is little evidence to show which is more effective.
Oscillating toothbrushes have round heads that can reach the back of teeth and effectively dislodge plaque. They have a brushing action of 2,500 to 8,000 rotations per minute and have more directional changes than a sonic brush.
Sonic toothbrushes have diamond or oval-shaped heads and can reach up to 24,000 to 40,000 vibrations per minute, making their motions faster than oscillating models. They help to clean a bigger surface area, as any fluid in the mouth is forced between the teeth and gum line by the powerful vibrations.
Brushing correctly will clean effectively without causing any harm. If you’re concerned about teeth sensitivity, look for toothbrushes that offer a gentle/sensitive setting or a softer brush head.
"Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the spot where the gums and teeth meet," says Dr Wadia. "Angle upwards for the upper teeth and downwards for the lower teeth. Clean between your teeth – flossing or use of interdental brushes is the best way to get into these nooks and crannies.
"Use a toothpaste containing fluoride. If you have specific issues such as sensitivity, find a toothpaste that helps tackle this. Remember to spit and don’t rinse out your mouth after using the toothpaste, else it will wash away all the good stuff."
Timer: The best electric toothbrushes will have a buzzing timer to help you brush for the dentist-recommended two minutes. Look for brushes with quad pacers that buzz every 30 seconds to guide you through each quarter of your mouth (upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right).
Cleaning modes: Some toothbrushes offer different cleaning modes, such as deep clean and sensitive, which is useful if you have a specific concern, such as sensitivity or yellowing.
Pressure sensor: Good electric toothbrushes include a pressure sensor that lights up when you’re pushing too hard on your teeth to keep you from damaging them.
Electric toothbrush apps: Some toothbrushes released over the last few years are "smart", with an app that connects to your phone. They provide you with tips on how to brush your teeth better, such as telling you if your pressure was too hard, if you missed a spot or if you didn't scrub well enough.
We recruited a panel of 242 beauty testers to trial 15 electric toothbrushes for a fortnight. They were asked to judge each model on its ease of use, design, features, battery life and overall performance. They used a disclosing tablet before and after brushing their teeth to determine how effective their toothbrush was at removing plaque.
Our winning electric toothbrush is as gentle as a manual one, with the deep clean effect of a hygienist session. Its rapid sonic vibrations push toothpaste and air to hard to reach areas, successfully removing plaque, reducing staining and freshening breath.
It has three cleaning modes, including sensitive and whitening, and comes with three different-sized brush heads for effective and comfortable use throughout the mouth. Our testers liked its cleaning power, overall design and long battery life, with everybody planning to continue using it. The only downsides were its high-pitched noise and overly sensitive on/off button.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 3 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer Included accessories: Three brush heads, travel case
Our testers found this great-value Oral-B toothbrush simple to control and agreed that it cleaned brilliantly, with noticeably reduced plaque levels. It offers an extensive six cleaning modes, a pressure sensor to alert you when you’re brushing too roughly and a pacing timer to help you cover every area of your mouth.
It also offers real-time brushing feedback and advice via a free Bluetooth phone app. If you don't always use the app, it stores the data and syncs it when you next open it, meaning you don’t miss out on this innovative feature. Its chargeable travel case is handy, if a little bulky. Key specifications Brush action: Oscillating Number of cleaning modes: 6 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor Included accessories: Four brush heads, chargeable travel case, phone holder
So you’ve made the decision to switch from manual to electric – congrats! If you’re a newbie and sceptical about the power of an electric toothbrush on sensitive teeth and gums, look no further than this one.
Everyone agreed it left their teeth feeling squeaky-clean, removing plaque without causing any discomfort, while 93% found the vibrations weren’t too overpowering. The pressure sensor also came in useful, and it was also easy to manoeuvre. Our lab test did flag it was on the noisier side, but the majority of testers didn’t find this to be an issue.
Key specifications Brush action: Oscillating Number of cleaning modes: Six Features: Bristle usage indicator, charge light, pressure sensor Included accessories: Charger stand, travel case (some models only)
One of Oral-B’s most advanced toothbrushes yet, this top-of-the-range model boasts seven cleaning modes, including super sensitive, tongue cleaning and whitening. Its pressure sensor has coloured lights to warn you if you’re brushing too hard, too softly or just right, and its interactive display shows a two-minute timer and brush head replacement reminders.
It even makes use of AI to monitor your brushing with 3D teeth tracking. Suffice to say, our testers were impressed with all this tech, with nearly everybody finding it powerful and effective at cleaning thoroughly. Our only niggle is the lack of a replacement head in the box, which seems mean given its high price.
Key specifications Brush action: Oscillating Number of cleaning modes: 7 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer, timer display, pressure sensor Included accessories: Magnetic charger, chargeable travel case
This toothbrush claims to help prevent cavities and improve gum health. It offers three cleaning modes, with a separate, purpose-built brush head for each one. It automatically detects which brush head you're using and selects the right setting.
Overall, our testers were impressed by this solid all-rounder. It enhanced their brushing experience and left their teeth feeling cleaner. Our lab tests found that it reduced plaque, too. It has a good pressure sensor and lasts for two weeks on one charge.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 3 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor Included accessories: Two standard brush heads, travel case
This elegant sonic toothbrush delivers a punchy 62,000 vibrations per minute, removing up to 10 times more plaque over a fortnight than a manual could muster. Its bristles are soft and flexible - great if you suffer from sensitivity - and its two-minute timer is broken into 30-second intervals to make sure all quarters of your mouth get adequately brushed.
Its five cleaning modes cover all the most common brushing needs, leaving almost all testers with considerably cleaner teeth, and it comes in a choice of pink, white, black or rose gold. Our panel rated its two-week battery life and USB travel case that doubles up as a charger. It’s just a shame that there isn’t a pressure sensor to keep us from brushing too rigorously.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 5 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer Included accessories: USB travel case
One of the quietest electric toothbrushes we’ve ever tested, this was not only silent but gentle on sensitive gums for 93% of our panel. All found it comfortable to hold, and easy to clean.
The sleek and premium look made it stand out from the crowd, with one tester describing the magnetic charger and pad accessory as a “revelation”. Many found the battery was so good they didn’t need to charge it during the entire trial period. One thing to note – the brand website is in US dollars but ships internationally.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: Four Features: Charge light, touch screen design Included accessories: Wireless charger, wall mount
If you’re fed up with braces, implants or bridges getting in the way of your brushing, look to this cleverly designed sonic toothbrush. It comes with three differently sized brush heads to help you clean both teeth and gums thoroughly, while seven cleaning modes allow for sensitive and more abrasive brushing according to your needs.
Our testers found it easy to control, with many praising its good looks and compact size. Their teeth felt much cleaner after use and the majority were satisfied with its battery life. It lacks a pressure sensor, which is disappointing at this price point, and it turned off easily while testers were adjusting the settings. But overall, we loved it.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 7 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer Included accessories: Three different brush heads, charger, travel case
Here’s another hi-tech entry. This sonic toothbrush has a UV LED light that reacts with a titanium dioxide bar in its handle, creating ions that suppress the plaque-causing bacteria. It’s all very scientific, but essentially, it works with your body’s natural electrical charge to inhibit bacterial growth and pull bacteria off your teeth and onto the brush.
It has three cleaning modes and is surprisingly gentle on gums, but our testers were nonplussed by its big oval brush head, which they found too large to reach all teeth comfortably. Still, they liked its chic design and were happy with its battery life.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 3 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer Included accessories: USB cable, charger stand
This sleek matte black option comes with carbon-coated bristles, designed to gently remove discolouration, which our testers found did just that. It didn’t cause any gum discomfort, with 93% finding the brush head was gentle on teeth too.
Some missed a pressure sensor and thought the visual cues for the cleaning modes could have been clearer, however, everyone said they’d stick to this model in future.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: Three Features: Charge light Included accessories: Travel case, 2x brush heads, charger
This brush doubles up as a water flosser to make your oral care routine more thorough and help with gum health. It claims to clean deeply between the teeth and below the gum line, removing up to 99.9% of plaque.
It offers three cleaning modes and a recharge indicator. Our testers loved that it includes a flosser for a more powerful and advanced clean. Some said that it was like visiting a dentist or hygienist, with our lab tests showing that it effectively removes plaque.
Key specifications Brush action: Oscillating Number of cleaning modes: 3 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer Included accessories: Two brush heads, five water flossing tips, travel case
The newest offering from Philips' legendary Sonicare range, this lived up to its predecessors, leaving all of our testers with a thorough fresh clean. What’s more, 86% also saw a visible reduction in their plaque, which should earn some brownie points with your dentist.
Testers raved about the “glamorous feel” to the design, with one saying teeth were visibly whiter after using. The lab test let it down – which found it to be ‘loud’ on our noise scale – but this didn’t deter our testers, with 93% wanting to keep using it after the trial.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: Five Features: Bristle usage indicator, pressure sensor, charge light Included accessories: Travel charging case, charging stand, charging cable
This Ordo toothbrush is available either as part of a subscription or on its own. Our testers liked its four different brushing modes that offer a customisable clean and appreciated its impressive three weeks of battery life. They found it easy to control and gentle, yet effective.
If you opt for the subscription package, you can get a refill delivery of oral care products and a replacement head every one, two or three months.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 4 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer Included accessories: Travel cap, USB charger
Coffee addicts keen to make discoloured teeth sparkle again should give this whitening set a go. The sonic toothbrush vibrates quickly to tackle surface stains, while the included toothpaste and whitening gels target and neutralise yellowing.
The brush head proved a tad too big for some testers, with others finding that it did not clean between their teeth as well as they had hoped, but it’s a top buy for anyone wanting to whiten their teeth gradually without using harsh chemicals. It helpfully turns itself off after two minutes of brushing and its charge lasted well on test, with most testers planning to use it again.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 2 Features: Charge light, two-minute timer Included accessories: Travel cap, replacement brush head, USB charging lead, toothpaste, LED accelerator tray with batteries, silicone mouth tray, three 3ml whitening gel syringes
A standout for its unique look, this toothbrush is made from medical-grade silicone, which is not only super easy to clean but bacteria resistant too. It impressed everyone with its long-lasting battery life and proved to be straightforward to use.
The oval shape of the head was a tad awkward at times and only half noticed it powered through plaque. However, 73% found teeth felt much cleaner after use, while 87% of testers said it felt gentle on teeth.
Key specifications Brush action: Sonic Number of cleaning modes: 16 Features: Charge light Included accessories: Travel pouch, USB charging cable