The Oral B iO10 electric toothbrush is the newest in the brand's long line of high-spec oscillating devices, and it's not here to play about. Before it came the iO5, 6 and 7, all the way up to the more recent iO8 and iO9 models, with new technical improvements in each shiny iteration. They're not the cheapest offerings from Oral-B and, indeed, you can buy one of the Pro Series electric brushes for sub-£30. But there are some unique features that set the top-of-the-industry iO series apart from your everyday toothbrush, and a £400 discount in the January sales is a very good place to start.
The most notable improvements between the iO9 and iO10 models? iO Sense™. What is iO Sense™, you ask? iO Sense™ provides users with brushing guidance in real time as you work around the six zones of your mouth. While the previous devices offered users Oral-B's Smart Pressure Sensor to protect gums from excess and/or inadequate brushing pressure (which the iO10 has, too), iO Sense™ uses the brand's app to grade your brushing performance using a three colour system. For instance, all six zones will show as dark blue as you begin your morning and evening cleans, fading through white blue and eventually white as you reach a full, adequate clean in each zone. Plus, even if you're unlikely to bring your phone with you for all 730 brushes throughout the year (we don't blame you) the Oral-B iO team have anticipated this, including in the iO10 model this colour grading system upon the surface of the toothbrush's charger.
Now, with these new features promising a ‘professional clean feeling’ we, naturally, had to put the product to the test. Let's see how we got on…
The product: Oral-B iO10 electric toothbrush
Oral-B iO10Key features
- iO Sense™ guided brushing with a timer, AI 3D teeth tracking and a graded performance indicator
- Smart Pressure Sensor gum protection
- Oscillating micro-vibrations on a ‘dentist-inspired’ round brush head, using iO magnetic technology to power the clean
- An interactive colour display to monitor battery life, brush mode, cleaning time and performance, plus when you'll need to change your brush head
- Seven brushing modes from daily clean to gum care
- 30-day risk-free trial
- 2-year warranty
- Magnetic charger and Power2Go charging travel case
The reviewer
Lucy Smith, Commerce Writer at British GLAMOUR.
The assignment
As someone who, previously, had only dabbled with a manual brush, using a new iO brush was going to be a big step up. If I'm coming completely clean, I've been subject to perhaps a few too many dentist's visits after what can only be described as a sugar-filled childhood (that's what said dentist puts it down to, anyway…). As such, my oral health was in need of a bit of a boost prior to the Oral-B iO series brush and, in terms of my tooth brushing goals, I was hoping to see improved whitening, improved plaque removal (no-one likes a rough feeling on the surface of your teeth) and reminders to floss and replace my brush more often. A big task!
The verdict
I've had my Oral-B iO series 10 toothbrush now since September last year and, four months on, I would be lying if I said that using my manual (when I lazily ignore the iO10's charging alerts) is anything less than a chore. With the iO10, the brushing experience is thorough, provides the ultimate clean morning and night, and my teeth? They've never been in better nick.
Coincidentally, I've actually visited my dentist since starting with my new, sleek oral care device, only to be greeted - to my relief - with confidence that I'm now brushing my teeth to a good standard. For context, I'd previously been left with my tail between my legs after the dentist once recommended I use plaque-disclosing tablets to give me a broader overview of the areas I was missing in my twice daily manual brushing. Mortifying.
To my Oral-B iO10, thank you, for protecting my self-esteem (what was left of it, anyway) on my follow-up dentist's visit.
In term's of the performance of the device's impressive technical specifications, I'm a big fan of the quad pacers which cleverly vibrate every 30 seconds to indicate how far you've progressed into your clean. The app-assisted guidance, too, is impressive and, when I feel like I've got my life together, it's definitely something I reach for to glean a more in-depth idea of how I'm brushing. That said, when I'm bleary eyed at 7am, getting ready for work in a rushed haze, this sort of guided organisation is rarely the first thing on my mind and, in those circumstances, the quad pacers help to mark when to progress from one quarter of your mouth to the next. Of course, the Oral-B iO Sense Smart Charger offers the same artificial intelligence-led guidance as the brand's app, so you needn't be wide awake to sustain good brushing habits daily. For me, however, this wasn't actually helpful as I don't have a plug socket, let alone a two-pronged shaver socket, to plug the charger into. Not the biggest deal, naturally, but it's something to keep in mind if your bathroom isn't especially smart home equipped.
Other praises I should sing? The quality of the clean really is unmatched; when a brand describes a ‘dentist-inspired' product that promises a ‘professional clean’, more often than not my actual judgement ends up falling short of those lofty claims. The iO10 is not like that and, rather, leaves your teeth with that same smooth, squeaky clean feeling you leave the hygienist with, not to mention heightening my gum health tenfold. In fact, prior to the iO10, I would frequently spot blood in the sink after brushing my gums. Now, with the device's intuitive feedback - asking whether your gums bled during brushing, subsequently offering solutions and extra steps to boost your routine generally (mouthwash, flossing etc.) - I can honestly say I'm doing the most for my oral health. A 360 clean, if you will.
One bug bear I might flag, or should I say one that my hygienist flagged to me, is the power of the device's clean. While it does offer Smart Pressure Sensor protection, my hygienist did note that my Oral-B electric toothbrush had been pushing the edges of my gums back. Indeed, the firmness of the toothbrush head combined with that iO ultimate clean oscillating action had caused my gums to retreat a smidge and, as such, she recommended I opt for the brand's Gentle Care replacement heads next time the device alerted me to the need for a head replacement. Once again, not the be all and end all, but another one to take note of when you're considering the amount of pressure you want to be putting on your teeth and gums.
Overall, with options on the electric toothbrush market spanning from the Oral-B Pro to the Oral-B Vitality and (outside of the Oral-B remit) the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean, I'm confident that the Oral-B iO10 is one of the best electric toothbrushes out there. With its interactive display, sleek black & white colourways (Cosmic Black & Stardust White, to be exact) and equally aesthetic charging stand, together with the Oral-B app, the iO technology on this, the newest iO device, is exceptional. You won't see me scrubbing away at my teeth with a manual Oral-B brush and toothpaste again. Scout's honour.
Oral-B iO10For more from GLAMOUR UK Commerce Writer Lucy Smith, follow her on Instagram @luceeeeesmith.
After more wellness and health content? Check out our Oral-B Genius review, our guide to the best probiotics for women, and our guide to the best vitamin D supplements.
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