Knowing I’m supposed to brush my teeth for two minutes has never convinced me to actually do so — sorry, mom. But Philips Sonicare changed that with its DiamondClean Smart series — its latest model triggers my competitive nature because I want to win and it lets me.
We already think electric toothbrushes are without a doubt the most effective and pleasurable way to brush teeth. They allow you to focus with more care on the parts of your mouth that matter. And they ultimately do more with the brush bristles than your non-mechanized hand can.
After Philips sent me the 9300 model to test out, I played with it for way too long and had to stop myself after the third consecutive brushing. Here’s how it works: After syncing with the Sonicare app on your phone — which takes about 20 seconds — your phone follows your brushing around your mouth, a progress bar tracing a representation of your teeth like a train on a track. And you just follow along. When you’re done, you earn a point. I don’t know what these points will eventually mean to me but I want to earn them, and will.
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If you stop brushing or move too fast to the next section of teeth, the Sonicare app alerts you to correct, which you can obviously choose to ignore. Similarly, if you’re pressing too hard into your teeth or gums — over scrubbing — sensors in the brush will prompt the DiamondClean itself to alert you with a purple indicator. Your app will also indicate overly tough brushing, but the toothbrush indicator gives you the option to brush without the app in-hand and maintain some great functionality.
And that’s where the DiamondClean shines, in my opinion: options. Four different brush heads let you focus on what you want to get out of brushing, whether it’s healthier gums, a cleaner mouth, or tongue, for example. I don’t know that I’d change these out each day or choose just one for the month, but I would definitely drop into different ones during any given period, like the plaque-removal brush head, for example. You can also easily travel with the brush in the stylish case included in your purchase.
Your charging options include the very sleek rocks glass that sits atop the wireless charger and into which you just drop your brush. Its bottom will automatically come to rest somewhere along the dome at the bottom of the glass and start charging — it’s very futuristic-feeling. A second charging option positions your brush straight up, Quip style. The latest model even includes a brush head specifically designed for your tongue, which is a major source of bad breath.
Your toothbrushing and teeth priorities are yours to make — I’ve personally never felt more poised to act on a priority like this until I picked up a DiamondClean. Hard recommend for the best future you can give your teeth.
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