I've been using the Oral B sensitive electric toothbrush for about 20 months now and didn't think of reviewing it before now. Partly because I've got so used to it and partly as I thought it might have become outdated by now as electrical products change fashion quickly. Obviously I was wrong as this is still in the shops and selling for more than it cost my sister when she bought it for me as a Christmas present nearly two years ago. I just happened to know as she left me the receipt in case something went wrong.

She paid around £15 for it and another £10 for three extra heads and I do remember it was on offer at the time. Currently it's on offer at Boots for £17.49 for the brush and recharge unit and an extra £10.20 for the two spare heads. This is definitely a good time to buy if you are considering this as a Christmas present as along with the offer you get extra advantage points. So is it worth buying?

Electric versus manual.

All dentists will tell you to use an electric toothbrush if you can afford it. There's nothing wrong with a manual brush but an electric one does a better job and by using a timer feature you can tell when you've brushed enough. Most of the current brushes are kind to the teeth and gums and remove the build-up of plaque that damages teeth. I should know, I've had problems with mine since I turned 50 but I still have all my own teeth, minus quite a few lost to tooth decay over my early years and later when I couldn't find a NHS dentist.

The Oral B Vitality (Braun).

I asked for the toothbrush as a present since I couldn't afford one at the time. I chose it myself and it's the sensitive brush, which is ideal for my sensitive teeth and gums. It's a nice looking blue and white brush made from a strong durable plastic with a rubber grip. (How sexy is that?) Dare I add, it's also ribbed around the sides for maximum grip, great for weak-wristed people like me. It's even shaped like an hourglass figure (move over Betty Boop). It's a handspun in length and has a removable head that houses the rotating brush.

On the front is a push button, which starts the motor and also times the usage at two minutes. You can stop it before the time is up, just press the button again, much like a double click on a mouse. The brush head is a dark blue circle of nylon bristles with an inner circle of lighter blue. I'm informed that this is to get to the parts other brushes can't reach. The bristles are soft so in use you don't get sore or bleeding gums. The base has a round indentation that fits the charging unit. I can't remember how it was packaged as I threw it away a long time ago, but memory suggests a struggle with the plastic packaging. Hopefully that's changed.

Does it work though?

Well, yes, of course it works and very well with mine still going strong after nearly a year. That brings it up to the end of its warranty at 24 months, better than a used car! The specifications are worth a mention with the promise that this removes twice as much plaque (that horrible residue left on your teeth after eating/drinking etc), than a manual toothbrush. I expect the professional type electric toothbrushes promise more but twice is enough for me. Reading from the website the brush head rotates at 7600 rotations per minute. Wow, I didn't know that, no wonder it made my mouth feel like I'd swallowed a mixer! Now it gets naughty again, really Braun, do we need all this saucy stuff?

The head is designed with extra soft bristles and apart from cleaning your teeth gently it also provides gentle gum stimulation, which is ever so good for your gums. My gums needed stimulation, don't yours? That gets the blood flowing and feeds the gums. It also tickles like mad but that's under usage. This brush head has 2D cleaning and gently pulsates to remove plaque. (Now I really feel like I've got a cement mixer in my mouth).

Usage.

The unit should be charged up first by placing it in the charger that is a round plastic unit that has a nice handy adapter to suit all plugs and fits in the electric socket tidily. The first charge is best done overnight so it can get about 16 hours in, after that you just need to recharge every week. I find mine needs about six to eight hours every 10 days.

For the first use I'd recommend using a small amount of toothpaste on your teeth, rather than the brush head. That's because it takes a while to get used to the rotating head and I had to stop the first time as it made me a bit dizzy. Whether that's a normal reaction I'm not sure. I have some balance problems and anything that causes extra sound in the ears can make me dizzy. If you suffer from anything similar then persevere, it's not dangerous, just takes a while to adjust to. Suffers of Menieres disease might find this affects them as well. Otherwise you'll just find it tickles a bit the first time.

I also find that putting toothpaste on the teeth doesn't overload the brush head. Angle the toothbrush slightly to get the brush to cover the front of the teeth, remembering to angle downwards for the bottom teeth. It can be a bit of a problem with toothpaste running down the brush, so practice what suits you best. If you have a strong gag reflex you might find the back teeth are better reached with a normal manual brush. I would recommend sticking with it, this really cleans the back teeth well and these are the ones most neglected on the whole.

My own experience is that this really does clean your teeth and I also use it briefly on my tongue. I have problem teeth and this brush has made a huge difference to my dental hygiene. I'd forgotten to recharge for a while back in the spring and when I started to use the brush again my dentist commented on how much cleaner my teeth were. The brush head lasts about three to four months so make sure you buy a new one before this. I think I did have a spare with my original set but I'm not sure of that. The spares sound expensive but are worth the cost. It's more expensive buying a new brush in the long run.

Conclusion.

Overall this is an excellent product and well worth the price. You can buy more expensive ones but I think they are more of a gimmick. As a nation we are fond of gimmicks but you have to draw a line somewhere. If I have any gripes about the design of this brush it's with the ribbed part just below the brush head unit. However careful I am I get some toothpaste left in the ridges and its murder to get out. Also the brush head can be hard to take out to clean and needs a hefty shove to get it in again. That could easily be my own problem with my grip; it is very weak due to arthritis.

So a full recommendation from me, it's not enough of a problem to knock off a star, so a five star product. Buy one now while its on offer, you know you want to!

Thanks for reading and excuse the double entendres, I couldn't resist them.

©Lisa Fuller. 2011.