What About U-Shaped Toothbrushes?
There are many U-shaped toothbrushes available now that use a mouthpiece full of bristles to brush one section of teeth—or sometimes the entire mouth—all at once in around 30 seconds. We've tried a few and think they're fine to use in addition to regular brushing. None of them are as effective as standard electric toothbrushes. Bill Busch of North Kansas City Dental and Joseph Salim, owner of Sutton Place Dental Associates, agree that these aren't replacements.
“I find the best use for it is for children and in nursing home environments, where to get quick and easy compliance to brush is critical,” Busch says.
Photograph: Adrienne So
Willo AutoFlo+ Fully Automatic Kids Toothbrush - Starter Kit for $249: This toothbrush is ridiculous. The amount of maintenance is appalling—approximately a 20-minute cleaning cycle with a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide, every two weeks. The liquid toothbrush bottles ($28) are expensive and don’t have fluoride, and should you lose the included cleaning plug and bottle, it will be impossible to replace. It’s also hard to fit correctly. According to Willo’s size guide, my 7- and 10-year-olds should have had medium brush heads, but they fit the small brush heads. Also, the bubble gum liquid toothbrush flavor tastes disgusting, or so my kids say.
Nevertheless, brushing your teeth isn’t always simple for young kids. It’s a constant battle to make sure my kids brush for an adequate amount of time and get full coverage on the top and bottom, and this toothbrush solves our problems. My kids love it. They just place the vibrating brush head in their mouths and the light-up countdown timer shows them exactly how much time they have left and I can be sure they’ve gotten the back right molars. I’m no longer cleaning up a gigantic smeared toothpaste mess every day because the spit/water/toothpaste mix drains directly into the sink. My 10-year-old finds the Super Scrub setting to be a little harsh, but Daily Clean works great. —Adrienne So
AutoBrush Sonic Pro for $94: AutoBrush is the original in the category, and Medea has tried both the old silicone-bristle model and the new nylon version. She wasn't wowed by either, but if you want a U-shaped brush and can get this one on sale, try it. You can read about AutoBrush's study with Salus Research here.
SymplBrush for $99: Former WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar used SymplBrush, which looks like a mix of Willo and AutoBrush, and liked it. “I can tell it hits each tooth and each side of it that might be missed with a standard toothbrush,” she says. “It's a nice, all-around, clean-type feeling.” But she notes that it didn't always get the buildup around her gumline, so she'd have to go in with a brush anyway. As someone who brushes too hard, she felt this offered a gentler brushing experience for her gums.
Y-Brush DuoBrush Sonic for $80: This is a great option because it has a U-shaped attachment and a standard brush head and isn't crazily priced. Medea was impressed by how clean her teeth felt, and having both reminded her that she still needed a deep clean in between quick sessions.
More Electric Toothbrushes to Consider
... continue reading