Oral-B Pro 2500 Electric Toothbrush Review

I have managed to get to 48 years of age without needing a single filling, which is something that I am pretty proud of. The importance of dental hygiene is something that I have always instilled in my children from a young age, and so far all five of them have managed to avoid getting any cavities. 

We were sent an Oral-B Pro 2500 electric toothbrush with a 3D whitening brush head to try out courtesy of Pure Smiles, a Fulham based family run dental practice specialising in treatments to make you feel good about your teeth. 

Electric toothbrushes give up to 100% more plaque removal than manual toothbrushes and the compact, round head cleans better for healthier gums in just 30 days. The light up pressure sensor of the Oral-B Pro 2500 alerts you if you brush too hard, helping to keep gums protected and avoiding gum recession. The Pro 2500 has a two minute timer to make sure you are brushing for long enough (the average adult only brushes for 45 seconds so this is a very good reminder.) It pauses every 30 seconds prompting you to move on to the next area of your mouth for thorough cleaning. There are two modes to choose from: daily care and gum care mode. Gum care mode controls the brushing pressure and includes a massage mode. The Oral-B Pro 2500 can help give you a whiter smile as of day one by gently removing surface stains with its arrangement of bristles and its 3D polishing action.

The electric toothbrush is rechargeable and comes with its own charging station. One charge will last for 28 minutes, which is a week's brushing. The charger plugs into a 2 pin shaving adapter. There is a handy travel case included making it ideal for using on holiday, providing solid protection for the toothbrush and two heads.

The Oral-B pro is really nice to use, making my teeth feel cleaner and making me more aware of my brush time and helping me avoid overbrushing and gum damage. Switching from manual toothbrushing to electric takes a little getting used to, especially with regards to how much pressure you use to clean your teeth. The electric toothbrush requires a much lighter touch, but knowing that this is protecting my already receding gums is reassuring. It is a simple brush that is very effective performance wise. It is compatible with other Oral-B toothbrush heads including the floss action, cross action, sensitive clean and trizone, for every oral care need. Oral-B is the number #1 brand recommended and used by dentists worldwide, so I feel very confident using this electric toothbrush.

This is a good value electric toothbrush (currently £36 on Amazon) which is also available in black with a cross action brush head.

Contents: One electric toothbrush handle with two modes, charger, premium travel case, one toothbrush head, ships with UK 2 pin plug.

Oral-B offers a 30 day challenge, guaranteeing satisfaction and  the toothbrush comes with a 2 year limited warranty.

Love your Mouth - Dental Health Tips

A new survey of 10, 000 UK adults has revealed that thousands of people admit to not brushing their teeth at night! Seriously?! I am a bit shocked by this revelation...even if I am exhaustedly crawling up the stairs to bed I'll still throw a toothbrush around my mouth. But 45% of those asked by GSK as part of its Love Your Mouth campaign say they have not brushed their teeth at night due to tiredness, laziness or forgetfulness. 

Failing to have your evening brush can increase the chances of suffering from cavities, gum disease or tooth loss. Spending just 2 minutes twice a day brushing and an extra couple of minutes flossing helps prevent the build up of plaque that can lead to tooth decay.

Of those who do brush, 18% said they use only water and no toothpaste and 14% use a finger instead of a toothbrush. Again this seems a bit potentially damaging when there are a range of excellent toothpastes containing active ingredients and soft bristled brushes on the market, which do the job so well.

With 67% of respondents admitting to having fillings and 44% saying they know that they could take better care of their teeth, it is definitely worth reassessing your oral health and learn to love your mouth!

Here are ten tips to help improve your dental hygiene routine:

1: Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time. Wait for 40 minutes after eating to avoid damaging enamel, which is temporarily softened by acidic food and drinks.

2: Use a suitable toothpaste. Whether you have sensitive teeth, stained teeth or have bleeding gums there is a toothpaste that has a formula suitable for your oral health.

3: Use floss or interdental cleaning aids. The gaps between your teeth trap food, which can cause decay or inflammation over time.

4: Use mouthwash to help rinse away food particles, deter bad breath and reduce levels of bacteria in the mouth. Do it at a different time to brushing to maximise your daily oral hygiene.

5: Spit, don't rinse. Water will wash away the fluoride from the toothpaste.

6: Use disclosing tablets occasionally to check how well you are cleaning your teeth.

7: A small headed, soft bristled toothbrush is best for effective teeth cleaning.

8: Prevention is the key when it comes to oral hygiene procedures. Ask a dentist for advice.

9: Make brushing part of your morning and bedtime routines and instill the importance of good oral hygiene to every member of the family.

10: Visit the dentist for regular professional cleaning and check-ups. Issues can be sorted out quickly and easily if caught early.

Visit the Love Your Mouth Challenge at LoveYourMouth.co.uk and find out how to improve your dental health and get suggestions for suitable GSK dental products (which are available to buy in stores such as Tesco and Superdrug.)

I took the challenge and was recommended Corsodyl Daily mouthwash as I occasionally get bleeding gums after brushing.  It offers everyday gum protection and has a clinically proven dual action formula. Fluoride strengthens teeth and prevents cavities, while gums are protected by the removal of plaque and given a 12 hour protective shield. It has a pleasant minty taste that leaves the mouth feeling fresh.  I was also recommended Sensodyne Repair and Protect as I suffer from tooth sensitivity. It offers daily relief from the discomfort of sensitivity while patented Novamin technology helps repair damage where dentine is exposed. Together, they are a good combination, helping to keep my teeth and gums healthy!

Love Your Gums with Oral B

Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of tooth loss and more than 1 in 2 women will develop gum problems during pregnancy due to the hormones.  I remember having bleeding gums during pregnancy every time I brushed my teeth. Thankfully no damage was done to my teeth.  

It is really important that we take care of both our gums and our teeth to ensure that we don't lose confidence in our smiles.

We were sent some Oral-B Pro-Expert Premium Gum Protection Toothpaste to try, so we can take part in the #ORALBLoveYourGumsChallenge.  It claims to reduce and prevent gum problems and address the causes of gum disease in just four weeks.  We have been using it instead of our usual brand.

The flavour is mildly minty with a slightly medicated taste. It has quite a dense texture, but creates a nice cleansing foam in the mouth. It really does make my teeth feel clean and fresh and knowing that it is protecting my gums is a real bonus.

My Top Tips for  Healthy Teeth and Gums

Download an app to encourage the kids to brush their teeth.  The Aquafresh app features a 2 minute timer alongside games to make dental hygiene fun.

Let little ones pick out their own age appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste from the shops to give them ownership of cleaning their teeth.

Use a good toothpaste like Oral B Pro-Expert and a good mouthwash.  Make sure your toothbrush is in good condition.  Chewing gum after meals can also help keep teeth and gums clean.

Floss picks are much easier to manage than using a long length of stringy floss.  I was always getting little strings of floss stuck between my teeth, which I then had to try to remove with tweezers!  It totally defeated the object of flossing.  With the floss picks I've not had any problems.  I am going to look into the water flossers which sound slightly scary but are meant to be very effective at cleaning between the teeth.

Avoid damaging gums by using a soft bristled toothbrush.  I've got some receded gums due to over zealous brushing in my teens.  They are very sensitive but smearing sensitive toothpaste on the exposed part of my tooth relieves the pain!

Tongue health is very important. I always brush my tongue to remove bacteria when cleaning my teeth. Some brushes have the special tongue-cleaning surface on the back, but I just use my brush as part of cleaning my teeth.

Drinking water is good for so many reasons including dental health.

In the past I've encouraged my reluctant teen to brush his teeth by reminding him that if he didn't look after his teeth he'd end up like his great grandma with false teeth!  Now my son is 25 and responsible for his own dentist bills, his dental hygiene has improved!  Funny that!!

Thankfully I have no fillings but I do have overcrowded teeth.  My dentist tries to persuade me to get a brace fitted but at 44 I think I've lived with my wonky canines long enough, and couldn't justify the expense.  I would rather just make sure that my kids regularly visit the dentist and address any dental issues they have. Thankfully, they seem to have inherited what my husband calls my 'granite enamel' so hopefully that will stand them in good stead!  Encouraging children to have a good dental regime and helping them to keep their teeth clean and healthy, goes a really long way in making them look and feel their best and gives them confidence in their smiles.

 “This post is an entry for BritMums’ #ORALBLoveYourGums Challenge  sponsored by Oral-B, promoting healthy gums – something especially important for pregnant women. Get tips and advice on www.oralb-loveyourgums.com.”

Sensodyne - A Breakthrough in Dental care

Repair and Protect Sensitive Teeth

Sensodyne have introduced their Repair and Protect Toothpaste for sensitive teeth.  It is the first daily fluoride based toothpaste that contains Novamin technology.  The unique formula releases the natural building blocks of teeth and starts to build a reparative layer from the first use. With twice daily brushing it can build the protective layer  in as little as five days.  It offers clinically proven relief and daily protection alongside the benefits of an ordinary toothpaste.

I was sent some to try out.  I have sensitive teeth myself and so was keen to see if this toothpaste would live up to the claims.  I have been using it twice daily for the past few weeks.

The taste is very minty which I liked and there was no chalky residue left on my teeth after brushing, so my mouth felt really clean.  The toothpaste claims to actually repair vulnerable areas as well as treat the pain of sensitive teeth.  I get my sensitive teeth twinges mostly from sweet food and cold air (especially the air con in my car if it's blowing in my face...that really gives me grief!)  Since using the toothpaste I don't recall any tooth pain.  I've not experienced any discomfort at all from my everyday life including hot and cold food and drink.  Iced cold drinks and hot coffee are not giving me any problems at all.

I can't say whether or not my reparative layer has been rebuilt, which is the science behind the product...but I definitely can say that my teeth hurt a lot less than when using an ordinary toothpaste that isn't specifically for sensitive teeth!  That has to be good!

Priced at £3.99 from chemists and other major stockists, it's a small price to pay for a toothpaste that can actually repair the damage that causes sensitive teeth.

Making Tooth Brushing Fun!

Arm and Hammer have introduced the My Way Spinbrush to make teeth cleaning fun for kids!  Designed to appeal to kids' love of gadgets and toys, the My Way Spin Brush puts the fun back into dental care.  As kids develop a good oral hygiene habit, they will be giving themselves the best chance of having a healthy, white smile in the future.

The My Way Spinbrush is fully customisable with over 141 stickers to personalise the handle.  It also has a gem on/off button and coloured battery cap.  The head is removable.  With colours suitable for both boys and girls, this powered toothbrush is as effective as it is appealing!

Anything which is customizable with stickers is right up Kizzy's street, so when she had the opportunity to try out the Spinbrush My Way, she was ridiculously excited!!  Who would've thought dental hygiene would be such fun!

The plastic stickers came in a whole host of designs ranging from girly flowers to rock chick guitars and included letters for personalising the toothbrush.  Your child can really make the My Way Spinbrush their own.

Kizzy's brush was covered in stickers and she as very pleased with her work and literally couldn't wait to clean her teeth.  She'd never used an electric toothbrush before and it was really sweet to hear her enthusing about giving her teeth a scrub.  Sometimes kids are excited by the simplest things!

Apart from the fact that Kizzy giggled through brushing her teeth because she said it tickled, she gave her teeth a thorough cleaning.  The stickers stayed on perfectly.

The Arm and Hammer My way Spinbrush retails for £5.99 at Boots, Superdrug, Morissons, Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda.  A small price to pay to make teeth cleaning fun for your child.

Brush, Flash and Dazzle with Firefly

My little boy Freddy has cut twelve lovely, pearly, white baby teeth so far, and I very much want to keep them as perfect as they are now.  Dental hygiene is such an important lesson to instil in your little ones,  to keep their  teeth healthy and to teach good dental habits for life.

Firefly have launched a fabulous new toothbrush in the UK.  Already a best selling brand in America, Firefly make the twice daily teeth cleaning routine fun and enjoyable for children ages 2 and up.  

Firefly sent Freddy a fabulous Spiderman Light-Up Timer Toothbrush to try out.  I was really impressed when it arrived.  The fun design was really cool and perfect to appeal to little boys.  They also make a Hello Kitty version for little girls. Using such well known characters certainly helps make dental hygiene more entertaining for even the most reluctant toothbrushers! 

The really great thing about this tooth brush though, is the use of distinctive light up technology to create a fantastic mechanism to encourage young children to clean their teeth for the recommended amount of time.  Pressing the button on the handle activates a flashing light which stays on for 60 seconds.  This gives an indication to the right amount of time needed to brush either the upper or lower teeth. So the child presses the button and brushes the top, removes the brush, presses it again and then completes the brushing routine.

The light really flashed brightly and was very intriguing to Freddy!  We still brush his teeth for him because he tends to just chew the bristles and suck out the toothpaste!!  It was very useful to see how long we should be cleaning his teeth for, and it definitely held Freddy's attention as he watched the flashing toothbrush in the mirror.  It is definitely something that will help him learn to clean his teeth properly.  In fact it could become the next big craze to "Flash, Brush and Dazzle!"

Firefly toothbrushes are available from Lloyd's, Argos and other independent stockists priced between £1.49 and £2.49.  A small price for a toothbrush that helps encourage good dental habits for life!