If like me, you hate going to the dentists, then an electric toothbrush maybe the answers to your fears. I have a phobia of dentists, which started when I was a child, but I will not bore you with the gory details now.

I recently visited Boots with my partner and the Colgate Actibrush was on special offer, three for the price of two. My husband, Shane felt that it may reduce my dental distress, if the advertising is to believed, and allowed me to make a purchase. The brushes cost 9.99 pound per unit and single head (including batteries!). I had always imagined these tooth brushes to be expensive, but how wrong was I.

When I first used the tooth brush, I experienced a curious buzzing sensation in my mouth, but it was not unpleasant. It was like nothing I had ever experienced at the dentist and I might go, as far to say it was pleasant in a wired way! I have to be sedated to have my teeth polished there! Even after the first use of the brush, my teeth felt extremely clean, I would even go as far to agree with its description of a "superior clean". The small oscillating head along with the shaped bristles clean each tooth individually. The new brush has also helped to save me money, in this short time, as I do not have to floss my teeth as often. The head cleans all round the teeth and also the gums.

The advertising blurb states that this brush "is clinically proven to clean better than an ordinary tooth brush". I agree but I will have to wait to find out if the brush, in combination with a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, reduces plaque build up and tooth decay. I hope the latter claim is true, as I do not want another filling or worst still, a crown. I will have to wait and see, five months on and at my last dental check up in April, no fillings!

The toothbrush is battery powered with a six-month replacement guarantee. I do not know how long the battery lasts but I think that it must be at least a year.
The interchangeable heads come in at least six colours (A coloured ring at the base of the brush). You could buy one brush unit, for the family, as the heads are easy to exchange. (This could be heavy on the batteries). The heads recommend exchange once every three months and cost around £5.00 per pack, containing two different coloured heads.

Once again I brought mine in the three for two offers. I spoke to the sales assistant and she told me that this offer would be run again later in 2001, so do not be disheartened, if you missed out this time round.

You maybe wondering what I am doing with my third brush. Well, I am using it in my 13-year-old dog's mouth with positive results. (That is when she sits down long enough to let me clean her teeth!)

By the way, the truth of the batteries five months on is that my brush?s were finally changed today, but Shane and Scamp?s toothbrushes are still going strong.