As someone who intermittently switches between a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush, I’m always on the lookout for the latest oral hygiene gadget that will limit my dental visits to one a year. I’ve been a fan of the electric toothbrush for a while because I like the way it cleans every tooth individually unlike a regular toothbrush that often just glides over hard to reach places. Or, maybe it’s just my hasty brushing technique. Either way, there’s something about an electric model that encourages you to take your time and give your teeth a little better-deserved attention. So why do I still bother with a regular toothbrush? Simple, old habits die hard!
For years Oral-B has held the coveted title of No.1 Brand Used By Dentists Worldwide. Let’s see if this latest dental gadget created by the masterminds who brought us the Oral-B Pro 3000 and later, the 5000 SmartSeries lives up to expectations. From a product design perspective, the New Oral-B PRO 7000 with Bluetooth Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush certainly delivers the wow-factor. Cool features coupled with a sleek black or white frame is a winning combination. But take away all the flashy real-time information alerts and Bluetooth technology, is it still worth its recommended retail price?
Key Features & Technologies
Boasting a German engineered design by Braun, the Oral-B PRO 7000 has some pretty sophisticated features that are sure to appeal to every member of the family. I’m talking small kids 3+ and teens, all the way up to the grandparents. It offers excellent grip so very important for little hands; real-time data which the teens will no doubt love (for 5 whole minutes, possibly longer); and it’s waterproof too; so in case it accidentally falls into the bath your investment capital won’t be drained away with the bath water.
- Oral-B PRO 7000 comes with 4 brush heads that oscillate, pulsate, and rotate with precision 16 degree angled bristles for deep cleaning action. They promise to remove 300% more plaque along the gum line than a regular manual brush. The brush heads are a nice compact size and the bristles feel gentle against gum and teeth. It certainly makes brushing behind molars or with braces much easier.
- The Oral-B PRO 7000 handle is compatible with ALL of Oral-B electric toothbrush heads. One device can easily be shared between two members of the family. Just make sure you remember to switch those heads.
- It offers 6 high-performance brushing modes: Daily Clean, Deep Clean, Whitening, Massage, Sensitive, and Tongue Cleaning. New to the SmartSeries are the whitening and sensitive modes. The whitening mode is designed to provide exceptional natural whitening by gently polishing and removing surface stains. The sensitive mode works best with the sensitive brush head. Suitable for those with a weak gum line, it offers a gentle massage to stimulate blood flow and strengthen the gum tissue.
- The Pulsation/Oscillation technology helps with the removal of staining and gum health. The rotating bristles feel gentle against the tooth’s surface while it removes dental plaque.
- There is a Timer to help you brush for the dentist-recommended 2 minutes.
- For someone like me who’s always rushing, the Oral-B PRO 7000 comes with Pressure-Sensor Technology to alert you if you’re brushing too hard. It flashes red and slows down the motor as soon as it senses you pushing down.
- For the techno-geek, the Wireless SmartGuide gives real-time information on the smartphone about brushing modes, times and areas. Awesome if you like tracking your performance.
- Promises ‘Bad Breath Protection’. The gentle tongue cleaning mode helps remove buildup at the back of your tongue, where most odor-causing bacteria are found. Along with your daily brushing and flossing routine, this can greatly reduce or eliminate bad breath.
How Does It Work?
I found the Oral-B PRO 7000 super easy to operate. The handle is large and offers a nice comfortable grip. It comes with a great selection of brushes, all of which have quality bristles which felt gentle against tooth/gum. The CrossAction and FlossAction head won me over instantly, always leaving a clean, fresh feeling after each brush. It took a little playing around to figure out which head to use with which mode. But every new gadget requires an adjustment period.
The vertical flat charging station keeps things neat and organized. It comes complete with brush head storage and wireless SmartGuide. The portable SmartGuide features an adhesive holder to stick beside your bathroom mirror or wall. It pairs via Bluetooth and counts down towards your two-minute goal and displays a smiley or sad face depending on your brushing technique. Some might consider this a juvenile feature but I loved it. When you’re tired or sleepy, it’s so easy to mistake 40 seconds for 2 minutes. The Bluetooth function connected immediately to my phone once I had downloaded the Oral-B app. The app is easy to navigate and very much designed to offer an enjoyable user experience.
Accessories & Packages
The Oral-B PRO 7000 can afford the selling price at least it provides enough accessories to consumers in the pack, including:
– 1 Oral-B SmartSeries Handle
– 1 CrossAction Brush Heads
– 1 ProWhite Brush Head
– 1 FlossAction Brush Head
– 1 Sensitive Clean Brush Head
– 1 Premium Charger with Refill Head Storage
– 1 Premium Travel Case
– 1 SmartGuide
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Luxurious travel case to store and organize your Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries while on the go. A stylish alternative to the plastic ziplock bag.
- Waterproof. A definite Pro if you like brushing in the shower or if you have little kids around who seem to be constantly making big mistakes.
- 10-day charge with regular use. By regular use, I mean the twice a day two minutes routine.
- SmartGuide wireless display to promote better brushing habits. It reminds you to floss and brush for the dental recommended 2 minutes. How many of us floss as often as we should? A reminder to get that piece of string between your teeth is not a half bad feature.
- The Oral-B’s Pulsation/Oscillation technology is great for removing stains and polishing teeth. Poor dental hygiene leads to yellowing of the teeth and plaque buildup. This eventually gives way to inflammation of the gum and infection. The Oral-B pulsation/oscillation technology certainly left my teeth feeling cleaner and looking less discolored.
- The Tongue Cleaner helps clean bacteria from the tongue.
- The great Pressure Sensor system, that alerts you when you’re not being gentle on your teeth. When using a regular manual toothbrush I automatically brush harder and faster. The pressure sensor on the 7000 forced me to take my time and be gentle with my teeth.
- Easy to set up with a large handle that offers a good grip. The handle is compatible with all of Oral-B electric toothbrush heads. Which means one device can easily be shared between two members of the family.
- The Oral-B app is very well designed and engaging.
CONS
- Expensive for what it is, an electric toothbrush!
- Can take up to 12 hours to charge which is a long time to wait. Annoying if you forgot to put it in charge the night before and you’re catching a flight in the morning.
- Makes a noise when in use. Admittedly, not as loud as a hairdryer but nevertheless mildly irritating.
- The flickering blue light while brushing is an unnecessary feature. I can see how some people may find it a tad annoying.
- I didn’t like that while in use the toothbrush head would slow down every 30 seconds. I felt it got in the way of a steady momentum.
- The black version of the 7000 still has a white head which in my opinion takes away a little for the smooth, sexy black look.
Conclusion
As someone who intermittently switches between a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush, I’m always on the lookout for the latest oral hygiene gadget that will limit my dental visits to one a year. I’ve been a fan of the electric toothbrush for a while because I like the way it cleans every tooth individually unlike a regular toothbrush that often just glides over hard to reach places. Or, maybe it’s just my hasty brushing technique. Either way, there’s something about an electric model that encourages you to take your time and give your teeth a little more well-deserved attention. So why do I still bother with a regular toothbrush? Simple, old habits die hard!
I give this product a definite thumbs up. Expensive it may be but when you consider the possible savings from fewer visits to the dentist it works out as a great investment. The app is an awesome tool to help you form good habits and technique. The SmartGuide timer certainly helped me stick to my two-minute brushing goal (especially during those times tempted by tiredness to cheat).
Like learning how to ride a bike or swim, good oral hygiene is best learned young. The Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries is a useful device to encourage young and older members of the family to develop and maintain a great dental routine.
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