These 9 Dentist-Recommended Toothbrushes Do More Than Just Clean

This Phillips electric toothbrush features sonic pulsating technology, which pulses water between the teeth to help break down plaque and reach hard-to-reach places in your mouth. It also has pressure sensors that let you know if you’re brushing your teeth too hard or too soft.

There are three brushing modes: Clean Mode is standard for “superior cleaning,” White Mode helps to remove surface stains, and Gum Care Mode adds an additional minute of reduced-power brushing (Full-Power Mode would be too rough for gums), so you can massage your gums, which helps to improve plaque and bacteria from the gum line, but also improves blood flow to the gums which can help reduce inflammation and aid in overall health. The brush head is similar to a manual toothbrush most people are used to, so it’s more familiar for first-time electric toothbrush users.

“It’s a great option for patients with braces, extensive dental work, or sensitive gums,” says Fatima Khan, DMD, and cofounder at Riven Oral Care in New York City. A handy light alerts you when it’s time to switch out the head.

What helps justify this toothbrush’s price tag is that it has AI brush recognition and 3D teeth tracking when you brush while using the Oral-B app with Bluetooth. The toothbrush creates a map of your mouth and helps you keep track of your brushing habits. Overachievers will love that the app gives you a “grade,” letting you know how much coverage you got during brushing.

Like other models on this list, there’s also a smart pressure sensor. The interactive display shows charging status, mode setting, and more. Like most newer electric toothbrushes, it also has a two-minute timer and vibrates every 30 seconds, reminding you when to move to the next section. The toothbrush also has a satisfying magnetic charger that feels luxe, as the charger and the toothbrush snap together effortlessly. The price is undeniably high for an electric toothbrush, but it does include three replacement heads.

You don’t have to break the bank to get a quality electric toothbrush. Quip is a no-frills electronic toothbrush, but it has everything you’ll need to get started, including a countertop stand, a USB charging cord (though no adapter), and a travel case. It has three intensity levels: Gentle, Daily, and Deep Clean. It also has a built-in two-minute timer with 30-second pulses, a pressure sensor, and an automatic shut-off that saves battery life.

“Quip offers a small, circular, oscillating brush head and a convenient subscription model for replacement tips,” says Chris Salierno, DDS, and chief dental officer at Tend dental offices. That’s really all you need, according to Dr. Salierno. “A fairly standard feature these days is a timer to help track your length of brushing. Pressure sensors to alert you to more aggressive brushing are less common but are important for heavy-handed patients,” he says, adding that other automated brush features are nice to have, but not essential.

You may think your gums are too sensitive for an electric toothbrush, but there are actually toothbrushes created with this sensitivity in mind. This toothbrush is one of Oral-B’s only offerings with a pressure sensor that lets you know if you’re brushing too hard, which can aggravate gums. Applying the right amount of pressure to remove plaque without damaging the gums is important. This brush also uses gentle micro-vibrations that are soft on the gums, plus a “super sensitive” mode that goes at a slower speed with reduced pulsations.

This toothbrush also has a circular head that can help reach areas that rectangular brushes can’t get to. The iO Series 5 toothbrush has five cleaning modes: Daily Clean, Intense Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, and Whitening. It also has a timer that plays a sound after two minutes of brushing. The lithium-ion battery has a long-lasting charge. Like the Oral-B iO Series 9, this brush can also connect to the Oral-B app for insights into your brushing habits. It can also remind you to clean your tongue, floss, and use a mouth rinse. This Oral-B model doesn’t have a specific tongue-cleaning mode, but you can use the brush in Sensitive mode to brush your tongue.

When choosing a gentle manual toothbrush, it’s all about the bristles, and this toothbrush has end-rounded bristles designed to be gentle on the teeth and gums. “Many people think they need a very hard or stiff-bristled toothbrush to properly clean their teeth, but this can actually cause major damage,” says Steven Ghareeb, DDS, and national spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). “Stiff bristles can irreversibly injure your gums and create grooves and notches in the enamel of your teeth.” He recommends patients use a soft-bristled toothbrush and tells them to think more about “polishing” their teeth rather than “scrubbing” when they brush.

You can buy these in packs (the price listed is for a 4-pack), so having a few on hand to replace your toothbrush every few months is convenient. “When that soft toothbrush bristles start to curl out, it’s time for a new one,” says Dr. Ghareeb. The Oral-B CrossAction All-in-One toothbrush also has a tongue and cheek cleaner to help remove bacteria.

If your gums bleed or hurt while brushing, this G.U.M. Technique Deep Clean toothbrush is made with extra-soft bristles that are gentle on enamel and gums and features a compact head that makes it easy to reach deep into your mouth. This toothbrush will help clean under and around the gumline without causing bleeding. In addition to a compact head, tapered bristles help get to hard-to-reach areas between teeth and gums. The trademarked Quad-Grip handle helps you hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, which is the recommended position by the American Dental Association (ADA) and is comfortable for both right- and left-handed people. (The price listed is for a 3-pack).

This unique U-shaped toothbrush resembles a mouthguard with bristles on both sides. The idea is that you can clean many teeth at once; they’re sometimes called “360-toothbrushes” or “whole-mouth brushes.” You still have to move the toothbrush back and forth, but the bristles are automatic and move on their own (like any automatic toothbrush).

The autobrush also has three cleaning modes: Care, Deep Clean, and Massage. Speedy brushers will appreciate that autobrush claims you only need to brush for 30 seconds (because you’re brushing all your teeth at once instead of in quadrants). The bristles are soft, and the brush heads are ADA-approved. It has a pressure sensor, like most of the options on this list. Something to consider is that because of its shape, it’s not easy to clean your tongue, so you may still want to keep a manual toothbrush on hand.

Kids' toothbrushes should have a small head and a wider grip, which makes them easier to hold. “For kids, I would go with an extra soft bristle toothbrush because they can be aggressive when brushing,” Khan says. This toothbrush features a suction cup handle to stay upright, plus a tongue scraper on the back of the head. The multi-height bristles help reach teeth of different sizes, which is helpful as your child transitions from baby to adult teeth.

Ultimately, the best toothbrush for kids is one they’ll use, and sometimes, a bright color and a familiar character work wonders. “Children need to be excited about brushing and prefer brushes with characters,” she adds. When your child is a little older (around 6 and up), understands the mechanics of brushing, and is in the habit of regular brushing without assistance, you can introduce an electronic toothbrush if you’d like. But a simple, small toothbrush with a wide handle is ideal in those early years.

This rechargeable electric toothbrush uses LED blue lights for added whitening when paired with toothpastes that contain hydrogen peroxide or other whitening gels. It has four distinct brushing modes: Clean, Whiten, Polish, and Sensitive. With 39,000 sonic vibrations per minute and soft bristles, this brush can gently reach deep between teeth and along the gum line. The price includes the toothbrush base, two charging heads, and a charging base. Note that the charger does not include the adapter, which can be purchased separately.

This toothbrush's battery life is impressive, lasting up to 14 days. The brand recommends an initial charge of about 24 hours (this is true of most electric options) and then about 12 hours thereafter, though some reviewers mention it charges in as little as four hours. An indicator light glows either red or green to let you know how you’re doing on charge (and it flashes green while actively charging). There’s also a newer version of this toothbrush that contains all the features of the original, plus a UV disinfecting travel case, a separate tongue scraper attachment, and a face brush attachment, so you can use one handle for both your skin and toothbrush.