Will a £130 electric toothbrush give you a whiter smile?

Philips Sonicare HX9911 DiamondClean 9000 Special Edition Electric Toothbrush, Aquamarine

Jess Spiring,-Deputy Editor

With four functions to deep clean and whiten your teeth, an app to keep you on track and a proper case for taking it on your travels, can a top Philips Sonicare toothbrush make over your mouth?

So long as you’re brushing twice a day, you’re keeping your teeth in tip-top shape, right? Sure. According to the NHS, brushing twice a day for two minutes each time with a fluoride toothpaste should be enough to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. And while a manual brush is fine, how about a sonic brush that oscillates 31,000 times a minute? That’s the spec of this top toothbrush from market leader, Philips.

The benefits of electric

When tested against manual toothbrushes, a review of studies has shown that electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing the plaque that causes poor dental hygiene. Those fitted with a timer help you reach that two-minute goal and electric toothbrush users tend to concentrate better on cleaning all areas of their mouth. With this titan of tooth care and its supercharged oscillations, you get the equivalent of a dental deep clean every day – with up to 10 times more plaque removed when compared with a manual.

What’s so special about the HX9911 DiamondClean 9000?

The DiamondClean 9000 has four modes:

1. Clean for exceptional everyday cleaning

2. Gum Health for a gentle yet effective clean

3. White+ to brighten your smile

4. Deep Clean+ for an invigorating deep clean

It also comes with three intensity settings so you can customise your routine and the smart brush head makes the device vibrations change if you use too much pressure (gotta look after those gums). Not only that, but this toothbrush is Bluetooth-enabled, so you can connect it to your phone to get real-time feedback on how well you’re caring for your teeth and guidance on how to do better. The app also makes monitoring the age of your brush head and reordering new ones a breeze.

Oh, and this brush can last 14 days on a full charge and comes with a travel case so you don’t need to leave it behind when you vaycay. No need for a back-up manual brush, hoorah.

The metrics that matter

Clean machineUntil you’ve tried sonic technology in your mouth it’s hard to understand how kissably clean you can feel. My teeth are now post-hygienist-level fresh.

Battery lifeGiven its polishing power, you’d think you’d have to have the thing on permanent charge. But no, a few hours’ charge gives you two weeks of use.

Value for moneyThere’s no denying the cost, especially when there’s already lipstick and handbags and holidays on the treats list. But then again, daily luxuries give a longer-lasting mood lift.

But will it whiten my teeth?

The DiamondClean 9000 promises to give you whiter teeth in just three days when used with a whitening toothpaste. While I didn’t see quite such speedy results, there’s no doubt it has made short work of any tea or red wine stains on my teeth over Christmas.

Is it worth the investment?

When you compare it to the couple of pounds you could spend on a manual toothbrush, this does feel like a weighty investment, but considering it’s a lifestyle gadget you use twice every single day, its cost-per-use isn’t so outrageous. I’ve been an electric toothbrush devotee for years, but sonic technology does give a next-level clean experience. I’m much more disciplined at completing a full two-minute brush morning and evening and one particularly tricky stain is no more. Plus, I’m more thrilled than I probably should be about the hard travel case, which means I no longer fear my suitcase buzzing all the way through the airport from an accidental switch-on.

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