Oral-B iO Series 9

Six months with this toothbrush and my dental checkup went from 'you need to floss more and brush longer' to 'whatever you're doing, keep doing it.' The AI tracking showed me I was consistently missing my upper right molars. Once I saw the data, I consciously fixed it. The magnetic motor is noticeably quieter than my old Oral-B Pro. The brush heads at $9 each are criminal though — that's the real cost of ownership. But my gums have never been healthier, so I'm paying the tax.

I'm all for tech innovation but this feels like solving a problem that doesn't exist. The toothbrush cleans well — no argument there. But do I need AI tracking? An OLED display on my toothbrush? An app with achievements and streaks? The answer is no. I brush twice a day for two minutes. That hasn't changed. What has changed is that I now spend $40/year on proprietary brush heads instead of $15 on generic ones. The cleaning quality is good but no better than my old Oral-B Pro 1000 at $30.

I used Sonicare for 15 years before trying the iO Series 9. The difference is noticeable — my teeth feel cleaner after each brush, and the round brush head wraps around each tooth more effectively than Sonicare's elongated head. The pressure sensor saved my gums; I was apparently brushing way too hard, and the red warning light trained me to lighten up. After 4 months, my gum recession has stabilized according to my dentist. The display showing remaining time and cleaning mode is genuinely useful. Sonicare, I'm sorry — this is better.