I have used a sonic toothbrush for quite a few years by now, and i will not settle for less. I have been quite happy with the Arm and Hammer Sonic toothbrush. Me and my wife, we share the toothbrush by swapping the brush head. Even though the battery’s retention of charge has deteriorated, it is good for 4 days’ usage per charge, which is still decent actually. However, due to wear and tear, there is now a hole in the flap that covers the on/off switch, and this could be dangerous, so it is high time for an upgrade.
Time for retirement
There are not many options when it comes to picking a sonic toothbrush. Well, not counting cheap China ones nor Korean ones, that is. I decided to go with a reliable brand with proven long-lasting products, and Philips is the obvious choice. For me, the Philips Sonicare 3 Series gum health recharegeable electric toothbrush strikes a balance between performance and price. It does cost almost triple what i paid for the Arm and Hammer Sonic toothbrush (US$22), but for something that i use daily, and for the sake of dental health, the price is more than reasonable. Anyway, it is the replacement brush head that will cost you dearly, so the upfront cost is insignificant.
I managed to snag the Philips Sonicare 3 Series Bonus Pack with Listerine Total Care before Amazon upped the price, and i got it for US$64. I think this was a good deal, because, in addition to what you get with the standard package, an extra brush head, plus a traveling case and a small sample bottle of Listerine Total Care Zero are thrown in. The extra brush head is useful, because the toothbrush is meant to be shared with my better half.
Even now, with the jacked-up pricing, the bonus pack is the same price as the standard Philips Sonicare 3, which comes with only a single brush head, so it is a no-brainer choice. If you’re keen to get one of these, you can monitor the price movement on camelcamelcamel. Amazon might drop the price from time to time.
Package content
What i like about the Sonicare:
- Rated at 31,000 strokes per minute, it is considered an ultrasonic toothbrush. The Arm and Hammer i was using does 16,000 sweeps per minute.
- Comes with a travel charger, meaning it can work around the world, and this means a lot to us because we trafel quite a bit
- The battery is rated to last for 3 weeks, which is a long time.
- Low battery indicator notifies you to charge ahead and not use the toothbrush with a weak battery, which would be ineffective in cleaning
- Advertised to promote gum health, which to me is the most important aspect of dental health.
- Comes with 2 years warranty, which means the product was tested for durability
Here’s how i felt about using the Sonicare 3. There is a very much improved cleaning effect compared to the predecessor toothbrush i was using. I used the highest setting and it still felt gentle, except when the brush rubs agaist the teeth or gum at an odd angle, you can feel that the vibration is actually very intense. The almost doubling of frequency of strokes/sweeps as compared to the predecessor is very much felt, and it feels good. My teeth actually feels a little “bare” after the brushing.
I did a search, and apparently the Sonicare 3 Series isn’t officially sold in Singapore. The Series 4 can be shipped for a little over S$100, but it focuses on teeth whitening rather than gum health, which i am more concerned about. If you can get the Series 3 for US$64 (S$91) or lower, inclusive of 2 brush heads, i think it is a better deal. You do get free AmazonGlobal shipping when you buy on Amazon, provided your order is over US$125.
The brush heads are meant to be replaced every 3 months, and each of these cost a blood sucking US$7.30. Fortunately, there are compatible brush heads sold on Amazon, and i have randomly purchased the UNI-FAM and VeniCare just to try out. I will report on how these compare with the genuine Philips brush head, so do check back in a few months’.
Update 24 Feb 2017
Replacement brush heads
Received the brush heads today. The VeniCare branded one is obviously low quality and has uneven bristles. Understandable, given the low price. The UNI-FAM one looks better. Anyway, will find out when I start using them in a few months.
