Just before Christmas I was having real trouble with my teeth, I still have a baby tooth and it was causing some pain so after some remedial work the dentist suggested I invest in an electric toothbrush as he could see a plaque build up in areas that my toothbrush was missing. I was surprised, I had never been one for electric toothbrushes just figuring they were overrated but a dentist recommendation got me thinking and I resolved with my Christmas pennies to buy one. On Christmas morning my boyfriend received matching Philips HX1610 rechargeable toothbrushes. We got two in a pack and as a great afterthought also got two charges, neither had a UK plug but an adapter was provided.

**Is brushing with an electric toothbrush better for your teeth?**
The key thing when using an electric toothbrush is not to get lazy. You still need to brush for around three minutes, I know I rarely achieve this golden number when I am rushed in the morning but I make an extra effort in the evening. Recent studies suggest electric toothbrushes really do make a difference, a recent UK study showed rotation oscillation electric toothbrushes removed around 7% more plaque and led to 17% less gum disease than manual brushing.
It also ensures you do not brush too hard therefore damaging delicate gums, there is also suggestion that electric toothbrushes do no strip the tooth enamel as much as manual brushing therefore helping protect your teeth from being too sensitive.

**The Look**
The toothbrush is cordless, very handy and means it can stand on your sink. The head has two components to the head, a round oscillating brush which cleans the tooth surfaces and an 'Active Tip' which gets into the harder to reach areas and between the teeth to deliver a full clean. The toothbrush is quite wide and therefore probably unsuitable for children but for me was easy to hold and the blue panel on the front contains the on and off button. The on and off button are contained so you cannot easily turn it off whilst brushing, I liked this feature. The heads are easy to change and I changed mine after four months although it was still in good condition. A pack of replacement heads costs £11.98 for four from Amazon.

**Powering Up**
The toothbrush requires a16 hour charge, we actually left ours overnight before its first use. Our first few weeks we did not need to recharge at all but now it manages about two weeks without a charge, on the website it suggests a charge will last 25 minutes of brushing.

**My toothy experience**
I love this toothbrush, on first use my teeth were noticeably cleaner and almost shining as if they had been given a professional dentist polish. I find the oscillating bristles get into those generally hard to reach places and after a week of use noticed my breath was staying fresher for longer. I have to brush my teeth in a mirror and during the weekends when I have time give each tooth its very own dentist treatment. I used to suffer from staining on my front teeth, one is a little crooked and apparently the sheer quantity of tea that I drink was accumulating behind the crook and causing staining. This toothbrush has dramatically reduced this, not eliminated but I certainly do not need it cleaned every time I go the dentist anymore.
The only downside to my new brush is I now commute up and down the country each week and it is not the easiest thing to pack. On more than one occasion it has turned itself on in my bag causing some dodgy stares and a quick hunt in my luggage to turn the offending vibration off! This has the added annoyance of wearing out the battery. It is unyielding and not as convenient as your standard toothbrush, I am too attached to is cleaning power to give it up though, even for a few days a week so instead have to make sure it is firmly lodged with no possibility of turning itself on.

This is a great toothbrush and for the price of £20 from Amazon a bargain to contribute to your oral health.

Technical
Voltage 220-240 V.
Frequency 50/60 Hz.
Power consumption 2.9 W.