Is an electric toothbrush good for gingivitis?

At a glance

Why it answers the gum question

What the evidence says about powered brushes

Cochrane's 2014 review of powered versus manual toothbrushing found that "powered toothbrushes reduce plaque and gingivitis more than manual toothbrushing in the short and long term." Cochrane rated the evidence "of moderate quality" and added that "the clinical importance of these findings remains unclear."

What Oral-B says about this brush

Oral-B says the iO Series 5 "can be beneficial for those with sensitive gums or at risk for gingivitis" and "promotes healthier gums by gently stimulating and massaging the gum tissue." Those are Oral-B's own words; its product page cites no study for them.

A sensor that stops you scrubbing too hard

Oral-B says the iO pressure sensor "signals if you brush too hard, too soft, or just right": the ring lights red and the brush slows down when you press too hard, and green when the pressure is right. Oral-B says it "protects gums from overbrushing."

Gentler modes for tender areas

Oral-B describes Sensitive mode as "Lower speed gently cleans enamel and gums" and Super Sensitive as "Super gentle cleaning for extra sensitive areas." What the iO5 does not have is Oral-B's dedicated Gum Care mode, which its comparison chart starts at the iO6.

How to use it

1. Put toothpaste on the brush head and place the brush in your mouth before turning it on.
2. Press the power button to cycle through the modes; the brush starts on Daily Clean.
3. Guide the brush over each tooth without scrubbing. The ring lights red when you press too hard and green when the pressure is right.
4. The built-in timer runs for two minutes, in four 30-second intervals.
5. Afterwards, pop off the head, rinse the head and handle, and store them upright separately. Wipe the charging base with a wet cloth.

Steps from Oral-B's own iO5 guides.

Use it with

• Oral-B iO replacement brush heads (such as iO Ultimate Clean). Oral-B sells them for this brush and says to replace a head about every 3 months or when the bristles fade to white.

Key details

Modes

Daily Clean, Intense Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, Whitening

Gum Care mode

No (Oral-B's chart starts it at the iO6)

Pressure sensor

Yes, lights red (too hard) or green (right)

Timer

Two minutes, in four 30-second intervals

App

Bluetooth connection to Oral-B's app

Battery

Lithium-ion with low-charge indicator; full charge about 12 hours

Water

Waterproof, can be used in the shower

Warranty

2 years, per Oral-B

Oral-B's site (oralb.com) has no page under the "Limited Deep Clean & Whiten" name used on Amazon; the facts here are for Oral-B's standard iO Series 5. Oral-B does not confirm what extra heads or case come in that Amazon set.

Other iO models from Oral-B

• iO Series 3: 3 modes (Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whitening) with the pressure sensor.
• iO Series 4: 4 modes (Daily Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, Whitening) with the pressure sensor.
• iO Series 6 and up: add Oral-B's dedicated Gum Care mode.

Questions buyers ask