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Proper dental care relies on the right equipment.
Looking after your teeth is much easier if you've got a great toothbrush and toothpaste. But with so many options on the market, how do you choose which to buy?
Here's our guide to the top electric toothbrushes, and the best toothpastes to clean with:
Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes have been proven to be more effective than manual brushing. This is particularly true for people with limited manual dexterity.
Studies have found that using an electric brush can promote a good brushing technique, even for individuals that struggle with a non-powered toothbrush.
But, even once you've decided to buy an electric toothbrush, there's overwhelming choice. Here are some of the best-powered brushes, to help you to improve your dental health:
Oral B Smart 4
Buy the Oral B Smart 4 on Amazon.co.uk
Oral B brushes are always amongst the top-rated. Their best feature is the small rounded head, which can help to brush in tight spaces.
If you have braces fixed to your teeth, the Oral B toothbrush works around them. If you use clear aligners, the small brush head can fit inside to clean them properly.
Another top feature is the Oral B Pressure Sensor. Many people brush too hard, which can lead to permanent gum damage. With an electric toothbrush, hard pressure isn't needed to achieve an effective clean. The Smart 4 toothbrush will light up if you're brushing your teeth too hard, which is a valuable warning for those that might not be aware of their own strength.
Oral B toothbrushes can help with whitening, and the Smart 4 has a mode just for this. The toothbrush is also rechargeable, so you don't need to buy extra batteries.
Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean
Buy Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean on Amazon.co.uk
The Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean brush using sonic side-to-side movements, rather than rotations or vibrations. These fast movements clear away plaque, with five modes including gum care and deep clean.
If you're a frequent traveller, this electric toothbrush may be the right choice for you. It's provided with a standard charger, and also a USB charging case that you can use on the go.
The Sonicare toothbrush comes with a Quad Pacer. Your two-minute brushing session will be split into four sections, helping you to focus on each quarter of your mouth. At the end of your two minutes, a final timer tells you that it's time to stop brushing. The deep clean mode adds an extra minute, for times when your teeth need more attention.
Colgate ProClinical Whitening
Buy Colgate ProClinical Whitening on Amazon.co.uk
In recent years, Colgate products have focused on creating a whiter smile. If that's your goal, the ProClinical Whitening toothbrush may be the one for you.
One of the great things about this brush is that it's a budget option. It's a cheap electric toothbrush from a brand you know and trust.
Like the more expensive Sonicare, this brush uses speedy sonic vibrations. It has a two-minute timer but lacks some of the other features that come with a more expensive brush.
The brush heads on the ProClinical toothbrush are quite small, which may put you off. But, this means that they're easy to manoeuvre right to the back of your mouth.
If you have problems with grip, the ProClinical brush could be ideal for you. It's very lightweight, which means it's easy to hold even if you struggle with joint pain.
Just be aware that this is not the most powerful option. For a more powerful and effective brush, you will need to pay slightly more.
Xiaomi Mi Electric Toothbrush
A bit of an outsider, the Xiaomi Mi earns a place amongst the best brushes. You might not have heard of Xiaomi, though this Chinese company is becoming increasingly well-known for its high-spec budget smartphones. Their toothbrush follows the same pattern, bringing top of the range features to a product that's very affordable.
There are 6 sensors within the Xiaomi toothbrush. These record the duration of cleaning, and which part of the mouth you've been brushing. Connecting by Bluetooth, this brush generates reports to show you how well you've been doing. See your personalised score, and tips to help you get more from each brushing session.
Everything connects to an app, so you can customise your brush timer and set a 10-second starting delay. You can even see, on your phone, how much battery power is left. The rechargeable battery should last around 2 weeks for a new brush.
Sonic Chic Urban
Buy Sonic Chic Urban on Amazon.co.uk
The final addition to our ‘Top Electric Brushes', the Sonic Chic Urban is not a brush for everyday use. Instead, this handy travel brush is great for when you're away.
Don't expect this brush to give you a shining white smile. The quality isn't on par with the other toothbrushes on our list. But, it benefits from being small and lightweight. It has its own lid for hygienic storage.
The Sonic Chic electric brush is small enough to keep in your bag. You don't need any extra accessories or a bulky travel case. Just pop the lid on, put it in your bag and carry it to your hotel.
If you're worried about carrying your expensive electric toothbrush, or if you want something small and easy to carry, then the Sonic Chic toothbrush could be perfect. Buy it as an addition, not as your only powered toothbrush. It'll help you to keep up your electric toothbrush cleaning, even on a weekend away.
The Sonic Chic brush also comes in a variety of colours and patterns, which means that you can choose a brush to suit your style. It's also ideal for families, so that everyone knows which is theirs.
Toothpastes
If choosing a toothbrush is a challenge, then you might also struggle to find the best toothpastes. There are hundreds on offer, promising all sorts of things from whiter teeth to long-term plaque resistance.
Here's our guide to some of the best toothpastes to add to your bathroom shelf:
Pearl Drops Pro White 4D
Buy Pearl Drops Pro White 4D on Amazon.co.uk
Pearl Drops toothpastes were very popular through the 1990s. Now, their brand is not as well-known though their products are amongst the market leaders.
Pearl Drops now sells specialist whitening toothpastes. Their Pro White 4D is formulated for effective teeth whitening and could be five times more effective than a regular whitening toothpaste.
When you start using Pearl Drops, you'll need to brush three times a day. This helps to remove stubborn stains, whilst protecting and polishing your teeth. After six weeks, you can return to usual twice-a-day cleaning.
You can no longer find Pearl Drops in stores, so you will need to buy it online.
FREZYDERM Plaque and Tartar Toothpaste
Buy FREZYDERM Plaque and Tartar Toothpaste on Amazon.co.uk
If you struggle with plaque that solidifies into tartar, FREZYDERM could be the answer. This specialist toothpaste, in its unusual tube, should be used twice a day.
FREZYDERM is formulated to remove tartar, which many other products can't remove. It's a thick toothpaste providing long-term effects, including protection against cavities.
Scobuty Baking Soda Toothpaste
Buy Scobuty Baking Soda Toothpaste on Amazon.co.uk
Scobuty toothpaste comes in a pump dispenser. This baking soda toothpaste has whitening effects, made with natural herbs and fresh mint.
The pump dispenser makes it easy to control how much toothpaste you use. If you struggle with traditional toothpaste tubes, then you might find this really useful. This is also a hygienic option, for families that share their toothpaste.
Scobuty toothpaste is a great choice for people that struggle with bad breath. It neutralises the scents of cigarettes, coffee and other strong scents and odours.
Perhaps the best thing about the Scobuty Baking Soda Toothpaste is that it's free from abrasives and chemicals. It's also completely fluoride-free.
Georganics Toothpowder
Buy Georganics Toothpowder on Amazon.co.uk
For something a bit different, why not swap your traditional toothpaste with Georganics Toothpowder?
All of the ingredients in this product are completely natural and organic. This is one of the best toothpastes for vegans. It naturally whitens teeth, removing stains that come from food and drink. Even the jar is recyclable, made from glass with an aluminium lid.
To use this product, wet your toothpaste and dip it in the powder in the jar. This is not one to share with other people. A little goes a long way, which means that one small jar should last for up to 8 weeks.
If you don't like the fresh peppermint flavour, this Georganics toothpaste also comes in an orange option.
Colgate Max White
Buy Colgate Max White on Amazon.co.uk
Colgate Max White is a top choice at an everyday price. It's one of the best toothpastes, for customer ratings, that can be found on a supermarket shelf.
Whilst many of the best toothpastes need to be bought online and are specialist products at higher prices, Colgate Max White toothpaste is available to buy on a budget.
This toothpaste can whiten your teeth over time. It also has a strong minty flavour for long-lasting fresh breath, protecting your enamel with fluoride.
In recent years Colgate have become whitening specialists, which means that their products are great for people that want to bring a shine to their smile.
Euthymol Original Toothpaste
Buy Euthymol Original Toothpaste on Amazon.co.uk
Euthymol's old-fashioned packaging will either catch your eye or make you scroll straight past it. But, its antiseptic ingredients make it a top toothpaste choice.
Euthymol has a distinctively strong and quite medical taste, that will make you feel confident it's working. It protects against plaque and keeps gums in top condition, leaving your mouth with a tingling freshness.
If you suffer from regular mouth ulcers, the antiseptic ingredients in Euthymol toothpaste could help to stop them in their tracks. It's also effective against the early signs of gum disease.
This has been one of the best toothpastes for more than 100 years, launched in the 1800s and still going strong today.
OraMD Original
Buy OraMD Original on Amazon.co.uk
The last in our list of best toothpastes, OraMD is somewhat different from the rest. Rather than a paste, you're purchasing a liquid that works as a 3-in-1 product.
Use OraMD as a toothpaste by adding 2-5 drops to your brush. It also works as a mouthwash and breath freshener, when you mix the product with water.
OraMD has an extremely strong and fresh minty taste that can feel overpowering. But, over time, you should get used to the flavour. OraMD combats gum disease, bad breath and the build-up of plaque.
If you're trying OraMD for the first time, this product can take some getting used to. It doesn't foam or froth, which at first will make it feel ineffective. After you've brushed, you should find that your teeth feel clean and smooth.
If you have a water flosser, you can add a few drops of OraMD to the tank. This can strengthen your flossing routine, and help with long-lasting fresh breath. As this product is natural, it can also be used when rinsing clear aligners or dentures.
Summary
Finding the right toothbrush and toothpaste is not quite as easy as it seems. But, by considering your own goals and aims, you should find the products that best meet your needs.
It's always worth investing in good dental health. The higher priced brushes and toothpastes are certainly worth it. That said, if you're on a tight budget, there are many great affordable products.
