In 2024, there's no worthier purchase than one that can help prevent a trip to the dentist. With fewer NHS practices than ever and rising costs of private treatment, prevention is the answer to most dental woes - and the Oral-B iO10 toothbrush might be one of the best tools to help make it happen.
Like many people, I prefer a quick trip to the dentist. Back-to-back appointments with the dentist and hygienist, in and out in an hour. Over the last year, I've achieved this by using one of the best electric toothbrushes twice a day. While naturally more expensive than standard electric or manual brushes, you get what you pay for in features and user experience with a premium model.
As the digital health editor at woman&home, I've had hands-on (teeth-on?) experience with many top performers. So, needless to say, when I picked up the Oral-B iO10 for review for the first time a year ago, as the latest in the brand's collection, I was expecting big things.
Oral-B iO10: An overview
The Oral-B iO10 is an advanced, premium electric toothbrush with seven cleaning modes - including Daily Clean, Whitening, and Sensitive settings - and an impressive battery life of up to three weeks between charges. An advanced 360-degree pressure sensor flashes white, green, or red by default - although you can personalise this in settings - to alert you to heavy brushing, and haptic feedback counts down your two minutes.
While most electric toothbrushes come with claims of a "dentist-worthy clean", this is only one of the few brushes I've had that lives up to that promise. After each brush, my teeth feel clean and smooth. A year ago, I went to the dentist and they told me I'd have to have my (otherwise unproblematic) wisdom teeth removed as I wasn't able to clean the plaque behind them. Within five months of using this brush, it wasn't an issue anymore, according to my hygienist.
There's no getting away from the fact that this toothbrush is about the same amount as several private hygienist appointments - but if you have the budget to spend and specifically want to help avoid long-term dental issues like plaque build-up, it's a truly worthy investment. If you can't justify spending that amount on a toothbrush - previous iO10 models also sit among the best Oral-B electric toothbrushes.
Oral-B iO10: Specifications
- Size: 9 inches (length, including head) x 1.2 inches (width)
- Battery life between charges: At least 3 weeks
- Charging time to 100%: 3 hours
- Cleaning modes: 7
- Pressure sensor: Yes
- Interactive display: Yes, colour
- Bluetooth functionality: Yes
- RRP: £799 - but often on sale for £400 approx.
How does the Oral-B iO10 work?
In the standard 'Daily Clean' mode, the iO10 works like most standard electric toothbrushes. Once turned on, it begins a two-minute brushing program. The specific iO Ultimate Clean brushing heads use oscillating motions and micro-vibrations to get into all the crevices between the teeth and, every 30 seconds, the body produces clear buzzes to count you down, making it easy to know how long to brush for with the idea that you spend half a minute in each quadrant on your mouth.
One of the stand-out features that sets the iO10 apart from others is the WiFi-enabled, wireless charging platform. You charge the platform, with or without the toothbrush connected, and take this into the bathroom with you, doing away with the need for wires around the sink if you normally charge with a two-pin shaving plug. When the brush isn't in use, the charging platform displays the date and time and when it's in use, a two-minute countdown clock appears.
The small screen on the toothbrush body helps you navigate the seven modes (Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whiten, Gum Care, Intense, Super Sensitive, Tongue Clean) before you begin brushing. This is a great feature for those dealing with sensitive teeth after treatment or looking to avoid discolouration and yellow or brown staining, as the intensity of the brush strokes and how they move changes depending on what setting you use. While the brush is in use, the screen doubles as a timer, encouraging you to hit the two-minute mark with various smiley faces.
The iO10 also uses AI technology via Bluetooth to ensure you properly clean every part of your mouth. The 3D-tracking feature, which produces a picture to match the layout of your mouth, is available to view via the Oral-B app. As you brush, the layout lights up with the specific tooth you're brushing and guides you through the rest of your session. 'But I know how to brush my teeth', I hear you say - me too, or so I thought. On my first clean using this brush, I was surprised that I only hit just over half of all my teeth. These days, even when I'm most tired, I hit at least 90% thanks to the habits I've formed with this mapping feature over the last 12 months.
At the end of your brushing, you can review your progress. The app offers genuinely useful feedback and insights into your oral hygiene routine, gently reminding you how to floss your teeth properly and why you need to use mouthwash regularly. It even has insights into how to whiten your teeth at home.
What is the Oral-B iO10 like to use?
The Oral-B iO10 is perhaps the most intuitive and easy-to-use brush I've ever had. The premium features almost guarantee a better brushing experience than any manual brush and most other electric options. The programs are simple to switch between, the app isn't confusing to connect to or use during brushing, and charging this device is brilliantly basic. In my books, it ticks every single box.
Compared to other iO toothbrushes, such as the iO7 or 8, this one is noticeably quieter during use. If you're brushing early in the morning or late at night and want noise at a minimum, this is a great improvement. However, it's not an improvement that should make or break your decision to buy or not - it still sounds like an electric toothbrush at the end of the day, and the noise reduction I've found only comes when the brush is in use.
Design-wise, the brush's body is made from high-quality plastic and feels smooth, without becoming slippery when wet. Available in unique black or white speckled designs, there hasn't been a bathroom so far this toothbrush hasn't fit aesthetically into with its low-key appearance.
For whisking away with you on holiday, the Oral-B iO10 comes with a handy travel Power2Go case for safekeeping that doubles up as a point for quick charging away from home.
How much does the Oral-B iO10 cost?
The Oral-B iO10 costs £799.99 at full retail price. However, I have rarely seen it sold at this price - even outside the key sales seasons like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. It always seems to be on sale for around £400.
For the price, you get the toothbrush, charging cable, and multiple brush heads to get started.
Oral-B iO10 vs 9
It's fair to say that the Oral-B iO10 and 9 brushes are very similar - if not almost identical apart from two features and one point to consider.
- Charging: Both the Oral-B iO9 and iO10 come with a charging case that stores the brush and charges it out of the house. They also both have a wireless, WiFi-enabled charging platform but the iO9 doesn't have the iO Sense platform that displays the date, time, two-minute countdown, and brushing feedback.
- Design: Both devices feature a high-quality plastic casing in the body, hold the iO-standard brush heads, and come in neutral colourways. The iO9, however, doesn't have the same paint-splattered design as the iO10. It doesn't make any difference to how the device works but does offer a touch of uniqueness in its appearance.
- Price: The Oral-B iO9 device was released in 2020, two years before the latest device. As a result, the older model is often available for less than the newer one. At the time of writing, I found the Oral-B iO9 brush on sale for £249 - almost £200 less than the iO10 even at a discount.
What else do I need to know about the Oral-B iO10?
Like almost every other electric toothbrush, you have to buy the replacement heads produced by Oral-B in their iO range for this brush. These provide the oscillating action and carry the micro-vibrations that make this toothbrush successful.
It is something to consider before buying this brush, as these heads come in at about £53 per pack of 6. Much like the brush itself though, they are often on sale from the likes of Amazon, Boots, and the retailer themselves for as much as half that price.
The device also comes with a two-year warranty as standard from Oral-B, whether you buy direct from the retailer or a third party, such as Amazon, Boots, or John Lewis.
Is the Oral-B iO10 worth it?
If you're looking to truly invest in your oral hygiene in the years to come then the Oral-B iO10 is the best option in my view. It may seem overloaded with technology but these features turn this brush into an all-singing, all-dancing device for better oral hygiene.
It turns brushing into a doddle, counting you down through the two minutes so intuitively that I've often found myself drifting off into my thoughts, only to be brought back into the room with a succession of brushes to tell me that my two minutes are up. After using this brush for a year, I've utilised all the feedback and brushing tips available in the app, so now I instinctively cover over 90% of my teeth while brushing, an achievement that I'm sure is responsible for saving me personally hundreds in dental care. However, this will not be the same for everyone as everyone's brushing experience and dental health differs.
If you're having treatments for sensitive teeth or want to pair this toothbrush with one of the best whitening toothpaste for a brighter smile, this could also be a great choice with specific modes available to assist with this.
However, even at the sale price, there's no questioning that this is an expensive toothbrush at the end of the day. I'd always suggest shopping around for the best deal as this is the latest model in the Oral-B iO collection, so multiple retailers will stock the device and lower the price based on their sales periods.
