Last month Oral-B sent our family new toothbrushes. The kids got Disney Pixar spinning brushes and they’re big fans of the Magic Timer App. My wife and I got Oral-B Genius 8000 Electric toothbrushes. We took our time gathering our opinions, and here is our review.
First Reactions
I’m a simple guy, not particular about much. When I brush my teeth, I’m in and out. Nothing fancy. I always figured the expensive toothbrushes were for people that look to spend more just to feel better about themselves.
After a one-minute test drive, my mouth felt brand new! I immediately threw my manual toothbrush in the garbage where it belonged. Who knew!? I haven’t been brushing my teeth all these years!
My wife had the same reaction after her first brush as well. She ran out of the bathroom stating, “THIS is brushing your teeth. I felt like I just had a cleaning at the dentist.”
Apparently, motorized toothbrushes aren’t just for people that don’t want to move their arms when brushing. It actually does a much better job of cleaning your teeth.
After a Couple Weeks
I set up an Oral-Bme account. It asks you a few more questions for goal tracking and oral health. I like how this puts you on a regimen tailored to your specific oral hygiene needs: whitening, bleeding gums, bad breath, etc. It feels like one of those weight loss or activity tracking apps.
The battery lasted for 22 brushing sessions before needing to be recharged. On a full charge, you don’t need to bring a charger on vacation.
Position Detection
My wife found the “Position Detection” feature useful and she still uses it. This is when you mount your smartphone to the mirror for visual feedback on how well you’re brushing. It does have a glitch where it tells her she’s brushing too low on the top teeth and she really isn’t.
Brushing without a Phone
Personally, I didn’t try the “Position Detection”. You have to have your phone with you. When I’m getting ready for the day or winding down, I intentionally keep my phone away from me to avoid distractions. I found the toothbrush valuable even when I didn’t always have my phone. The toothbrush still tracked my brushes and sent updates to my phone. The timing indicators are awesome at letting me know when to move to the next area.
Personalization
With two of the same toothbrushes in the house, I wondered about us confusing them, as well as our smartphones confusing the two. One way to differentiate is selecting your preferred LED glow color that lights up when you brush.
The Bluetooth pairing doesn’t get confused between toothbrushes. We don’t brush at the same time, but I’d suspect pairing to not get crossed if you’ve paired with your toothbrush beforehand.
Another personalization is within the free Oral-B app. You can set up your ‘Journey’ to a healthier mouth. As mentioned earlier, this tailors the tips and suggestions to your desired goals.
The Feature List
- Connects to a smartphone for user interactions, detailed instruction, and toothy status during brushing.
- Position Detection – mount your smartphone to a mirror and the camera will observe how your brushing. It will tell you whether off track.
- Travel Case: sleek design that holds 2 brush heads and the toothbrush. Can change while in the case: USB port for phone charging (not necessary, but a nice perk).
- Battery operated – it lasted 22 brush sessions before needing a charge.
- Gum Protection Feature – asks you if your gums are bleeding, offers tips
- Logs brushing, flossing, & mouthwash sessions with or without the phone.
- Asks when your last dentist visit occurred
- Visual Pressure Indicator – Turns red when you’re pressing too hard on your teeth
- Timer Indicators – the vibration stutters a little every 30 seconds, then 3 times after 2 minutes is up.
- Six Brushing Modes:
- 1. Daily Clean
- 2. Gum Care
- 3. Sensitive
- 4. Whitening
- 5. Pro-Clean
- 6. Tongue Cleaning
Overall
The Oral-B Genius 8000 is a game changer for manual brushers looking for cleaner teeth. A purchase like this is not only buying into a product but the full echo system: app, Oral-B Me account, tracking history, brush heads. There are a lot of different options for different heads and brushing modes, so there seems to be something for everyone.
I thought things like this would be a waste of money, but taking care of myself is becoming more of a priority than it ever has. It’s worth the price. A product like this is a great way to help you keep track of your oral health as life continues to run full speed ahead.
Full Disclosure: We received free toothbrushes in exchange for our honest opinion and review. This post includes affiliate links.
