The Best Electric Toothbrushes in 2021

Top Pick: Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 | $50 | Amazon

When I asked dentists about the best electric toothbrushes, it seemed like one name kept being mentioned: Philips Sonicare. A trusted brand with dentists from around the country, the only thing they disagree on is the best version of the electric toothbrushes this brand makes. They each have their own unique benefits, so read all the way through before deciding which one is best for you.

Best Affordable Option: Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100

First off, there is the budget-friendly choice is the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Plaque Control sonic toothbrush.

Dr. Henry Hackney is a practicing dentist and the Director of Content at Authority Dental. He tells me that he personally used AND recommends sonic toothbrushes.

“Ultrasonic vibrations that they send out, make them more effective in cleaning for two reasons,” Dr. Hackney explains. “First, faster vibrations enable more strokes during a 2-minute brushing session therefore better efficiency. Second, it creates a type of cleaning called fluid dynamic. By agitating toothpaste, water, and saliva in your mouth, it makes cleaning more thorough. Stirred fluids cleanse the spaces that bristles cannot access, making brushing even more effective.”

Dr. Hackney knows that there are lots of toothbrushes available, many of them with lights, modes, apps, and gadgets, but according to him, those bells and whistles are all but necessary. “My pick is Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100. I don’t need extra modes or lights, but I want a reliable device that does its job perfectly. 4100 model has only one mode (in contrast to other Philips toothbrushes), a timer, and a long-lasting battery. In my opinion, it’s one of the best sonic toothbrushes.”

Best Smart Toothbrush: Philips Sonicare DiamondClean

On the flip side, the investment choice is the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Toothbrush. “Toothbrushes have unique, individual features. Different people prefer and need different features, Dr. Steffany Mohan DDS of the Plaza Dental Group explains. “One of the best sonic toothbrushes available in the market today is the Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush.”

Dr. Marianna Weiner also is a fan. She advises that this specific toothbrush comes with some very helpful, and more importantly, practical, functionality. In addition to the already known benefits of sonic toothbrushes, “They’ve also developed a way to track your real-time brushing with sensors, five sensors to be exact, that connects to an app that will guide the user personally. This app also has options to customize the intensity that you brush with, allowing you to brush with up to 62,000 strokes a minute, giving you fast results that would normally take weeks of manual brushing to achieve.

Best Simple Option: Philips Sonicare Essence

Dr. Paul Williams is a dentist with multiple accreditations with a private practice in New York City. He has been using the Philps Sonic Essence electric toothbrush for the last five years. As with many dentists, he’s received samples and tried many different toothbrush models ranging from the most simple to the most elaborate.

“The Sonicare Essence has been my go-to for its simplicity and low cost point. Many of the fancier toothbrushes had features that I ended up never using,” Dr. Williams says. “Some with the Bluetooth connections that I stopped connecting after the first week. Additionally, because a toothbrush head needs to be replaced every three months. I’ve found that it’s been incredibly easy to find replacement heads for this Sonicare toothbrush.”

Dr. Williams tells me that since he realized that he doesn’t need all those extra features, his patients probably don’t either. “What I recommend to most of my patients [is to] find an electric toothbrush that at least has a timer to let you know when to switch quadrants. Since most people rush through their brushing and do not give their teeth the minimum of 2 minutes, this timer is a big motivator.”

These Aren’t For Everyone

While these toothbrushes are good for most people, there are always exceptions. “For patients that have excessive gum recession from years of hard brushing, there are some toothbrushes on the market that vibrate when you apply too much pressure,” Dr. Williams shares one example. “So for those patients, I recommend them spending a little bit more on those toothbrushes with that feature to prevent them from the larger dental bills of having to do gum surgery or having to do fillings to cover up their recession.”