The Oral-B PRO 5000 is an innovative toothbrush. It’s got enough impressive features that I imagine most manual toothbrushes would just look at it and give up.
It sits in the middle of the Smart Series range and is aimed at users who are looking for some of the high-end features found on the top models but without the extra expense.
Like all electric toothbrushes, the motor makes a head full of bristles oscillate at high-speed to remove plaque and debris from on and in-between your teeth. However, what sets it apart from most other electric toothbrushes is the fact that it has a dedicated smartphone App that connects via Bluetooth to give you real-time updates on how frequently and effectively you’re brushing your teeth. For those who need a little extra motivation with their brushing regimen, this could be a useful feature.
Key Features & Technologies
This brush is said to remove 2X as much plaque along the gum line as a normal manual toothbrush, thanks to its 3D Cleaning Action. This means that it oscillates, pulsates and rotates to break up plaque and food debris. The ‘3D’ part of the name probably comes from the fact that the bristle head is moving quickly in different directions, so it makes sense that plaque would have a tougher time hanging on to your teeth.
Each Pro series brush has a timer built in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30-second intervals and then at the end of the 2-minute cycle.
The Oral-B PRO 5000 has 5 cleaning modes:
- Daily Clean
The standard mode gives you 2 minutes of cleaning, with 30 seconds for each quadrant of your mouth. It works at 8,800 oscillations and 40,000 pulsations per minute. The brush heads designed for this mode are Cross Action, Floss Action, TriZone and Precision Clean. - Gum Care
This one is gentler and best suited to people with sore, inflamed or bleeding gums. The idea is that a gentle gum massage stimulates blood flow and this promotes repair of the gum tissue. Naturally, this is achieved with slower speeds, 2,600-8,800 oscillations and 12,000-40,000 pulsations.The Cross Action, Floss Action, TriZone or Precision Clean brush heads are best suited to this cleaning mode. - Sensitive (Also known as Massage)
This also gives a gentle clean to more sensitive areas of the mouth. Some dentists recommend this mode over the Daily Clean setting as it is less aggressive. It works at 6,500 oscillations and 30,000 pulsations a minute.The Sensitive brush head works best for this cleaning mode. - Whitening
This mode is designed to give your teeth that “dentist clean” look and feel and it’s safe to use every day. Its cleaning cycle is a little longer, with the first 2 minutes spent on completing your normal clean, and 20 seconds at the end to focus on the front teeth.This runs at between 6,100-8,800 oscillations and between 28,000-40,000 pulsations per minute.The 3D White brush head is best suited for this cleaning mode. - Deep Clean
This mode works just like Daily Clean but lasts 3 minutes, with a pause in the brushing every 45 seconds for each quadrant compared to the normal 2-minute clean and 30-second intervals. It runs at 8,800 oscillations and 40,000 pulsations per minute.The Cross Action, Floss Action, TriZone or Precision Clean brush heads are best suited to this mode.
The Oral B Pro 5000 body is Bluetooth 4.0 technology-enabled, which means that it can manage two-way communication with your Bluetooth enabled smartphone and keep track of your brushing. The App stores up to 6 months of brushing data which you could then share with your dentist. It will also let you choose specific dental care goals, such as whiter teeth or fresher breath.
The Oral-B App is free to download from the App Store. When the App on the smartphone connecting with the Pro 5000, it will provide the real-time feedback, which can help you to monitor your daily brushing activities and improve the overall oral health. You can learn how it works from the video here.
The handle has a charging level indicator and a red light flash to let you know when the charge is running low. I found this useful as I don’t have an outlet in the bathroom which means that it runs down regularly.
When comparing the features of PRO 5000, if you are tempted by other models, the Oral-B Pro 3000 and Oral-B Pro 7000 are worth to mentioning here, these 3 products are assigned to the same series.
The Oral-B Pro 3000 does not feature the Tongue Cleaning, Whitening and Deep Clean modes, and it also doesn’t have the brushing App. It’s a cheaper option though, so you’ll need to decide whether the extra features are worth the extra spending.
The more expensive Oral-B Pro 7000 has a wireless smart guide App to coach your brushing, and it includes 4 brush heads in the kit. It doesn’t feature any more modes, but it does claim to remove 300% more plaque from along the gum line. None of the cheaper options feature this number, so it may well be enough to make you buy one.
How It Works
As I mentioned, the Oral B Pro 5000 is different from many other entry-level electric toothbrushes because it has a dedicated phone App that tracks how long you brush for, warns you if you use too much pressure while brushing, and reminds you if it’s time to swap in a new brush head.
The APP including 4 major portals – Focus care, Dental care, Professional guidance and Pressure sensor indicators. It can display your brushing habits in the form of graphs and charts, so if you need reminders and motivation to brush properly, this brush might be very appealing.
I was skeptical about using the app at first. I’m not the most organized person and wondered if it would just be a gimmick that I would forget to use. But I found it reassuring to be encouraged to brush regularly, properly and for the right amount of time. I treat my phone as though it’s an extra limb. It’s always with me, so I don’t have it, and I’m always ready to use the brushing App. I’m also a bit geeky, so collecting brushing data for me is like collecting bubblegum cards for kids (sad, I know).
Besides, I should say the battery life is good for 7-10 days, so if you’re ever away from home without the charger for a week you should still be fine.
A word of caution – if this is your first electric toothbrush then make sure you use it on the lowest setting first as going too fast too soon may make your gums bleed. Also, it’s fast, so don’t turn it on until you have it in your mouth, otherwise it will spray your mirror.
Accessories & Packages
In the pack, you’ll find:
- 1 rechargeable toothbrush handle
- 1 Floss Action brush head
- 1 charging unit with brush head storage
- 1 premium travel case.
You can also purchase another 5 different brush heads designed for specific cleaning needs.
I like the included travel case – it keeps me everything together and clean. I found this useful when traveling.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Comfortable grip for easy use
- Lots of cleaning modes
- Timed brushing system
- Pressure feedback to avoid pressing too hard
- App can be motivational
- Takes a multitude of different brushing heads
CONS
- Only comes with one brush head will be problem before you decide to buy it(if you look at the selling price)
Conclusion
The Oral-B Pro 5000 is a good investment for the tooth health. A reasonable price with enough great features to make brushing more of a pleasure and less of a chore. Pro 5000 has attractively designed and a pleasure to use every day. Timed brushing is a great feature, after using it for a while I don’t think I’d be without it. It really does make you stick to a good habit.
