This might seem like a review of two toothbrushes because the Oral-B Vitality comes in two models. One is called Floss Action and the other Dual Clean, but in either case, you are buying the same handle and getting a different brush head.
if you want both the floss action and dual clean features but don’t want to pay for two toothbrushes, don’t worry. The great thing about Oral-B heads is that they are all interchangeable and will fit any of the handles in the range, although some will work better on some handles than others. Just buy one handle and whichever different replacement heads you want to try and you’re good to go.
Key Features & Technologies
You get a white handle with a blue button area that’s well sealed so you won’t get any ingress from toothpaste foam or water, and it sits on the charger that offers about a meter of charging cable, so if you have a shaving outlet in the bathroom you can keep it in charge the whole time. Do remember to let it run down completely every six months or so, as this extends the battery life.
If you’re new to electric brushing, you’ll notice that the Oral-B Vitality leaves your teeth feeling much cleaner than a regular manual toothbrush although the Vitality series only provides one basic brushing mode – Daily Clean. The Floss Action head has a round shape which makes cleaning from tooth to tooth much easier. It has four yellow and green “MicroPulse” bristles positioned to get deep between the teeth, and they are responsible for most of the flossing.
Along with this the head oscillates and rotates in what they’ve dubbed a ‘2D cleaning action’. It provides for better plaque and debris removal compared to a regular manual toothbrush. Regarding the advantage of using an electronic toothbrush to remove the plaque, I will suggest you to read follow introduction from Oral-B, which can help you to learn more about their technologies:
Electric Toothbrushes Remove Plaque Better Than Manual Brushes
How to Remove Plaque and Prevent Tartar Buildup
Although the Oral-B Vitality series is an entry-level product, it still in keeping an in-handle timer/built-in timer that tells you when you’ve been brushing for 2 minutes as dentists recommend just like a lot of their other models.
The Dual Clean toothbrush head also removes more plaque than a manual toothbrush and has two moving heads, one circular, and one which resembles that of a small manual toothbrush. So, with double the surface area, and both of them oscillating at high speed the heads cover the same area more quickly and thoroughly.
So, the key difference is that the Dual Clean has two moving brush heads that clean a greater surface area. The Floss Action cleans a smaller area but also cleans between the tooth more effectively.
It’s worth comparing both of these versions to another popular model in the Oral-B range, the Pro-1000. The Vitality model probably costs about half as much, depending on where you buy yours, and is less feature-rich. It works at 7600 oscillations per minute, compared to 8800 oscillations per minute of the Pro-1000, but frankly, I can’t say that I really notice a great difference. That many oscillations feel pretty quick, but a thousand more or less either way isn’t something you’re likely to notice.
The Pro-1000 also pulsates at 20,000 o.p.m., and it has an alarm to tell you to start brushing a different quadrant of your mouth every 30 seconds during a two-minute session. This is a helpful feature that the Vitality doesn’t have. The Vitality’s alarm just lets you know when 2 minutes are up, but you could just as easily set a timer on your smartphone to tell you when the 30 seconds intervals pass; so it’s a nice feature but one that’s easily replaced.
One feature that you can’t easily replace though, is the pressure sensor. This is a real ‘gum saver’ that sounds an alarm to let you know when you are brushing too hard, and if you’re the kind of person whose mind wanders while you are brushing it’s easy to press too hard and not notice. The Pro-1000 does cost more, but this feature might be worth the extra outlay if you tend to overbrush.
How It Works
The brush heads are simplicity itself to click on and off and to turn the brush on and off you just press the raised circle. It’s a bit noisy, but it’s not too bad and you quickly get used to it.
You will need to charge it for 24-hours before first using it. It holds its charge quite well and you will get seven days with twice a day brushing from a full charge. Like I suggested before (and it bears repeating) do remember to run it down completely every six months to prolong battery life. You can leave it plugged in so it’s always charged, but that run-down of the battery will keep it in top shape.
Accessories & Packages
What you get in the box once you’re in are the Oral-B Vitality handle, battery charger and instruction manual, then either the Dual Clean brush head or the Floss Action brush head, depending on which model you bought.
As I mentioned, there are plenty of different heads to choose from and they are widely available. If you find you don’t like the Floss Action head for example, then you can replace it easily with different ones until you find one that works for you.
Find the Perfect Brush Head Refill for You
Both models look aesthetically pleasing in their packaging but I have to say that’s at the expense of being able to get into them easily. They’re well sealed in, so be prepared for a bit of a fight to open them up.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- You are able to enjoy the basic cleaning functions of an electric toothbrush with an affordable price.
- Miles better than any manual toothbrush. Once you get used to the level of cleaning that electrics give, you won’t want to go back.
- The 2-minute timer is really handy.
- The battery is good, holds a charge for several days.
CONS
- The timer pulses the brushes instead of beeping. A beep would be better than an interruption.
- A charging light would be useful so you can tell if it’s charging and how much life is left in it.
Conclusion
These two Vitality models are a cheap but really effective investment in your oral health. If I’m ever forced to brush manually now, it never feels as effective. It’s like going back to an old push lawnmower after you’ve used a motorized one.
For the price, both versions are a steal. They may not have all of the high-end features associated with more expensive models, but they do the basics and they do them well.
Both Floss Action and Dual Clean versions will do what you bought them for, getting your teeth clean enough that your tongue can tell the difference. And you only need to buy different brush heads if you ever change your mind.
