Oral-B Triumph 5000 Wireless Smartguide

RRP: £160, but can be found online from £64.70
Other information: used to be known as the Oral-B 9900; note that this is different to the 5000 Professional, which contains 6 heads (not 3) and a DVD

--What does the promo say?--
" * Oral-B's best rechargeable toothbrush with wireless digital SmartGuide to provide dentist inspired feedback during brushing, including monitoring time and pressure
* The only toothbrush to be approved by the British Dental Health Foundation
* 5 different brushing modes: daily clean, sensitive for gentler cleaning, polish to remove stains, massage and deep clean
* 3D technology pulsates 40,000, rotates 8,800 per minute and also oscillates to remove 2 X as much plaque as an ordinary manual toothbrush
* Includes 3 interchangeable heads, Smartplug and travel case for easy travelling; Single charge lasts 10 days"

--Packaging--
All very modern and impressive: the box uses shiny metallic silvers, reds and blues, and there is a hole cut out of the box so that you can see the wireless SmartGuide. They don't make enough of the British Dental Foundation endorsement, though (although it appears that the 9900 box did, in the form of a big gold sticker). The main selling points of the brush are listed in bullet points on the front, sides and back of the box in an uncluttered and unconfusing manner. Not only comes with a plug-in charger, but also comes with a blue plastic travelling case for the brush and its heads, as well as a separate white case to keep the heads in while you're at home (which can also be linked up to the charger). The setup of this (and the wireless smartguide) is generally uncomplicated (a hint: make sure the charger is grey side down). On first reading of the instructions it all seems a little overwhelming, but it quickly makes sense from the first use.

--Usage--
As hinted above, this product is easy to set up and use. Once you've decided whether you want 24-hour or 12-hour clock on your Smartguide, and actually programmed the time in, there is no more configuration to do: the brush and the Smartguide make immediate connection with each other as soon as you switch the brush on, at which point the Smartguide starts timing your brushing cycle (when not in use, it just displays the time). All you have to do is choose your brush head (more of which later) and follow the instructions on the screen: as well as counting how many seconds have passed, the screen also shows you which quadrant of your mouth you should be brushing, and as well as showing on the screen when to change quadrant, the brush itself also pulsates double at the given moment in case you weren't watching. When you're done, the quadrant circle changes into a smiley face (after 2 minutes; 3 minutes if you've chosen the deep clean mode). What could be easier?

--Settings--
This brush comes with five settings: regular (2 minutes), regular (3 minutes/deep clean mode), sensitive, massage, and polish. I definitely noticed the difference between the regular and sensitive settings, and while there are detectable differences between these and the massage and polish settings (in terms of pulsation), I'm not sure that I saw much difference in the overall results compared to other settings on the toothbrush.

--Other options and special features--
As well as timing you, allowing you to see what setting you've chosen, and telling you the time whenever you're not using the toothbrush, the Smartguide also tells you when you're brushing too hard, and when the brush head you're using needs to be replaced. Not sure how it does that, but it's pretty cool, and should please any gadget lover.

The range of brush heads available in the box should also serve everyone's needs: while the regular brush head (Floss Action) is perhaps a little aggressive, the sensitive head is excellent for everyday use, as is the ProBright head if that's your main aim.

--The challenge and its results--
Oral-B promises that if you are not satisfied with this product after 30 days, you can have your money back. It also says that you will experience superior whitening in 3 weeks (when compared to Oral-B Professional Care - a previously released electric toothbrush model). The results are easily superior to use of a manual toothbrush: I definitely felt that a deeper clean was achieved from the very first use and that my teeth and particularly my gums were being taken better care of. As for the whitening aspect, I knew from the off that as a fluorosis sufferer I was unlikely to experience any significant whitening of the teeth. However, I definitely saw an improvement in the evenness of tone (my teeth were previously very blotchy due to the combination of fluorosis and the fact that I had to wear train-track braces on my teeth for a few years), which was more than I had expected. While the colour is still not right, the results in tone alone are pleasing.

--Value for money--
Now, this is an interesting one. As I mentioned at the start, the RRP is roughly £160. This is what it retails at in Argos, Boots etc., and is fairly steep by many people's standards. However, a quick search of Google shopping reveals that many retailers are selling the product for between £60 and £100, which I feel is a fairer price that resonates more with the general public: such a price tag says "Yes, I am good quality, but I won't make your credit card cry." Nevertheless, the sophistication of the wireless technology and the fact that the toothbrush charges at the mains rather than eating batteries for breakfast probably justifies the full RRP alone - especially if, judging by the evening of tone on my own teeth, people also experience the promised whitening effect. This is ultimately a seriously advanced piece of equipment that can genuinely change your brushing habits and thus perhaps reduce your bills at the dentist, so it's easy to think of it as an ongoing investment. However, as a bargain hunter at heart, I'd still advise you to shop around to get the best possible deal.

perfect partners
Braun Oral-B Extra Soft Sensitive Replacement Toothbrush Heads 2 Pack, £7.77 from Amazon
Braun Oral-B ProBright Replacement Toothbrush Heads 2 Pack, £5.00 from www.omegatek.co.uk
Braun Oral-B FlossAction Replacement Toothbrush Heads 4 Pack, £10.43 from Amazon