A variety of.
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The health benefits of running are unquestionable, yet the consumption of sports drink, gels, bars and everything else that delivers energy when running can take its toll on your teeth. Having the right toothbrush for the job can help offset that sugary intake and maintain good dental health, perhaps even improve that smile in race photos! Enter the electric toothbrush.
Although they’re more pricey than their manual counterparts, there’s no better investment you can make for your teeth.
To make sure you’re putting your money in the right place, our panel put a range of electric toothbrushes through their paces, to see which devices are really worth the spend.
Charger stand, travel case some models only .
How do I choose an electric toothbrush?
We’ve summarised the main things to look out for, before adding an electric toothbrush to your basket.
Pressure sensor: This handy tool will flag when you’re being too vigorous with brushing, helping to prevent damage.
Apps: By no means an essential, some of the snazzier brushes out there come with the option of downloading an app to enhance your brushing experience, alerting you if you’ve missed a spot, or giving you general advice on how to optimise your smile.
Cleaning modes: Summer running gear sale cleaning modes is sometimes an option, which can be particularly useful for those with sensitive teeth, or if whitening your gnashers is your main goal.
Timer: Brushing your teeth is more of a sprint than a marathon, but a timer comes in useful for letting you know when your two minutes is up. Some even feature quad pacers that buzz every 30 seconds to let you know when to change quadrants.
Should you brush your teeth first thing in the morning or after breakfast?
Brushing twice a day is a given, but the big debate is: before or after your breakfast and morning coffee?
Although brushing after will leave you with fresher breath, there's some evidence to suggest that you’re actually better off brushing before you sit down for your morning cuppa.
This is down to toothpaste – in particular, fluoride – helping to coat your precious enamel to create a barrier against eroding acids.
Although cleaning your teeth of any coffee stains and sweet orange juice might seem better for your teeth, cleaning after breakfast can potentially coat your teeth with the acids from your food or drink, compromising your enamel.
Either way, always make sure to wait at least 30 minutes before or after brushing before you eat.
How we test
Our panel of 242 beauty testers put 15 electric toothbrushes to the test for a fortnight. They were asked to judge each model on its ease of use, design, features, battery life and overall performance.
They used a disclosing tablet before and after brushing their teeth to determine how effective their toothbrush was at removing plaque. We also used a noise meter to see exactly how loud each model was when in use.
Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush
So gentle you almost won’t be able to tell it’s not your manual toothbrush, this one uses rapid sonic vibrations to push toothpaste into even the most hard-to-reach areas, helping to reduce plaque and staining.
It comes with three different brush heads, which proved to be effective at getting into troublesome areas and delivered a professional-quality clean. The buttons were on the sensitive side, but that's a minor niggle.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 3
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: most common running-related foot injuries
Oral-B GENIUS 9000 Rose Gold Electric Toothbrush
Narrowly missing out on the top spot, this Oral B did a brilliant job at visibly reducing plaque, while the six different cleaning modes and pressure sensor ensured an effective and healthy brushing experience.
Download the handy app for instant feedback on your brushing too, so you know when you’ve missed a spot. The travel case is bulky, but it does charge the toothbrush on the go.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
A variety of: 6
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Four brush heads, chargeable travel case, phone holder
Philips’ latest launch proved to be just as impressive – if not more – than its predecessors. Everyone was left with that pleasant squeaky-clean feeling, with 86% seeing a reduction in plaque. Its smart look impressed too, but on our noise scale it was flagged as loud.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 5
Features: Bristle usage indicator, pressure sensor, charge light
Included accessories: Charlotte NA Bitmead
FOREO ISSA 3
This design may raise some eyebrows, but the medical-grade silicone is not only easy to clean but also bacteria-resistant. The battery life lasts 365 days on a single charge (yes, really!) and 73% said it did a stellar cleaning job, while 87% found it gentle on teeth. The downside? The oval shape of the brush head struggled to reach tight spots.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 16
Features: Charge light
Included accessories: Travel pouch, USB charging cable
Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush
If you can’t remember the last time you changed your toothbrush head, this is the toothbrush for you. Although you can buy it on its own, it's also part of a handy subscription service that delivers everything you need for your teeth right to your door every one, two or three months.
The brush was easy to control and gentle on teeth, without compromising on effectiveness. Our testers appreciated the four brushing modes and its impressive three-week battery life.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 4
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor with quad pacer
Included accessories: Travel cap, USB charger
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro
This comes with three different brush heads and seven cleaning modes to tackle everything from braces, to implants, to bridges.
Testers appreciated how sleek and compact the design was and how easy it was to control, leaving whiter teeth behind. There’s no pressure sensor, and it was a tad sensitive when adjusting the settings, but other than that we can’t fault it.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 7
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Four brush heads, chargeable travel case, phone holder 
ION-Sei Patented Ionic Sonic Toothbrush
As science-y as it gets, this brush uses UV LED light to create ions that suppress and remove plaque-causing bacteria– smart stuff right?
The slightly oversized brush head let it down slightly, as some found it tricky to reach every tooth. But it did prove to be gentle on gums, and earned some points for its chic design.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 3
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Oral B Genius X
If it's your first venture into the world of electric toothbrushes, this is the one to go for. The majority found the vibrations weren’t too overpowering but still managed to successfully remove plaque.
The pressure sensor was a hit too, while the device itself proved to be easy to manoeuvre around the mouth. Its one drawback was the noise – it's loud in use – but our testers didn’t see this as an issue.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
A variety of: 6
Features: Bristle usage indicator, charge light, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Charger stand, travel case (some models only)
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Electric Toothbrush HX6876/29
Straightforward to use – without compromising on effectiveness –this Philips entry comes with three brush heads. We couldn’t fault its performance, which was effective in reducing plaque, while the pressure sensor worked a treat, leaving testers with cleaner-feeling teeth.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
A variety of: 3
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Two standard brush heads, travel case
Superdrug Pro Care Advanced Rechargeable Toothbrush
Not all electric toothbrushes have to cost a small fortune. This one is basic but comes with all the features you need for a good clean, while only setting you back £14.99.
Coming with a pressure sensor and 30-second timer that alerts you when you need to switch sections, it was easy to use. It only comes with two modes -slow or fast - but testers reported cleaner teeth, while it tackled plaque too. Some said the bristles were a bit stiff but, overall, it was comfortable to use.
Key specifications
Brushing action: Oscillating
A variety of: 2
Features: Pressure sensor, quad pacer
Accessories: None
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