We’ve discovered an electric toothbrush that claims to remove up to 10 times more plaque than a manual brush for a brighter and healthier smile – who doesn’t want that?
They say it takes 21 days to change a habit so I took the Philips DiamondClean Smart Toothbrush – which comes with its own phone app - for a test run to overhaul my (very subpar) teeth cleaning routine. Here’s how it went…
Week 1
My first tip for players at home – wait until you put the toothbrush in your mouth before turning it on. Otherwise, you’ll turn your bathroom into a toothpaste Jackson Pollock.
Being technologically challenged, it took me a little while to get the Sonicare app downloaded and my toothbrush linked via Bluetooth but it was actually surprisingly easy! I dove in, setting the brush to ‘clean’ - it seemed like a good idea to start with the basics - but by the end of the week I had given it’s other settings: whitening, gum heath and even the tongue pad a whirl.
‘Patience is a virtue’ quickly becomes my mantra as I’m prompted every 20 (very long) seconds to move the brush to another of the phone app’s designated ‘zones’ in my mouth until after two minutes it tells me I’m done. (The ‘whitening’ setting takes longer, adding more time to focus on your front teeth, while ‘gum health’ spends additional time on your molars.)
Week 2
I’ve begun welcoming people to my house with “Have you seen my new toothbrush?”
The last time I had an electric toothbrush I was 10, and it was fluorescent orange with bright flowers. This is a sleek improvement. The black and rose gold handle feels very on trend and the sophisticated glass contactless charger leaves me feeling very technologically superior.
A point system rewards you for giving your tongue a scrub or trying a new setting. I haven’t received kudos for brushing my teeth since I was young and I’ve got to say, it feels good.
UPDATE: I got a little lazy and just discovered if you don’t connect the app when you brush then it doesn’t register and you don’t earn points. I’m devastated.
Week 3
Last week, the app kept telling me I scrub too hard and move too quickly, so I made a few changes and I think my gums are starting to thank me for my more considerate brushing.
I’ve realised two minutes cleaning my teeth doesn’t feel nearly as long as it did 21 days ago. (I’m worried to think how short my previous teeth cleaning routine was.)
If it’s possible, I now even think less about brushing because I know that even if I am spending the time brushing by multi-tasking and rearranging my bathroom cabinet, I’m not skimping on making my pearly whites… pearly and white.
I’ll admit I almost had a heart attack when I saw the $469 price tag. But is it worth it? Short-term it seems like a totally over the top price for a toothbrush – but taking the long view, it has improved my brush strokes and so it may save me from forking out on eye-wateringly expensive dental work in years to come.
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