About two years ago, Oral-B launched its smart toothbrush - Genius X, which offered artificial intelligence technology and an application that helped improve the brushing process.
This brush was very successful for me, when even my dentist noted after a long period of using it, that my teeth were very clean.
Oral-B recently launched the iO8 model in Israel, with the model I am reviewing here being the iO9, so I will first mention the differences between the models, because in total they are two similar toothbrushes.
For example, 7 brushing modes instead of 6 and three-dimensional identification of the teeth in the app.
Also, an estimate of the 9 includes 4 heads instead of 3.
Oral-B iO, Photo: PR
Oral-B iO - color monitor and magnetic motor
In terms of appearance, at first glance, the Genuis X and iO are similar in their design, except for a light diet in the appearance of the new generation, but as soon as you touch the iO the monitor lights up that did not exist in the previous generation.
This display will first of all congratulate you on the peace you operate, when it will display sun or moon depending on the time the brushing takes place.
Beyond that, it allows you to navigate between brushing modes using two buttons and also enter settings for changing the language (no Hebrew) or adjusting the color of the lighting in the ring at the top of the brush.
The display helps to better understand brushing (when not using the app).
First of all, instead of just vibrating the informant that 30 seconds have passed while brushing and need to move to another part of the mouth, the time appears on the screen, including a view of the brushing progress and at the end also a small smiley that will smile or not, according to your brushing time.
The goal is to brush for 2 minutes, the recommended brushing time.
The most significant innovation in the iO is the magnetic motor technology instead of the vibration motor which was integrated in the Genius X. The magnetic technology knows how to transfer energy directly to the tip of the brush fibers evenly, which also creates subtle and less powerful micro-vibrations than the previous generation.
Aside from the engine technology, Oral-B has also replaced the brush heads, which now offer a simpler magnetic connection to use.
It also means that if you have an older pool of heads, you will not be able to use it with this brush.
The heads of this brush are round and are designed to work with the micro vibrations that the brush creates.
Oral-B iO - Indicator for brushing too hard
The brush has lighting at the top, when it knows how to warn against brushing too hard, but unlike the previous generation, Oral-B will also give you positive reinforcement, when the brushing is done correctly, it will appear as green lighting, easy to spot while cleaning the mouth.
If the brushing is too weak, the lighting will be blue.
The Oral-B app is a significant part of this product, which you are supposed to work with while brushing (the brush has Bluetooth communication for the connection between the smartphone and it). The app shows the mouth areas while brushing, when using playfulness, it makes the brushing time longer and reaches 2 minutes. It does this by indicating the areas of the mouth and coloring them white as you progress with brushing, so that your desire to cleanse all areas will increase. It really worked for me and the brushing time increased, the problem that in a lot of cases I did not have the strength to bring the app to the bathroom and gave it up.
By the way, the difference between iO8 and iO9 is mainly expressed here.
In iO9 a division of 16 tooth areas is obtained and in iO8 it is 6, so the brush can better understand which area is clean and which is not.
She understands this through a sensor, which detects the movement of the brush and so she knows which area is currently being brushed.
It does not do it perfectly and many times the iO thought I was cleaning one area that I was in another area at all or she did not recognize any location at all.
Another difference, is in the brushing modes, iO8 offers 6 cleaning modes: daily cleansing, sensitive, super sensitive, whitening, intensive and gum care.
The other mode in iO9 is tongue cleaning.
In terms of battery, first of all, Oral-B improved the charging time, instead of about 14 hours, this time it is 3 hours.
This is very significant, also, the display of the brush, also indicates in percent how much battery time is left.
Price
: NIS 1,300 in the Super Pharm chain for iO8
Bottom line
, the Oral-B iO8 is an excellent brush, which definitely feels like it cleans teeth well, while in addition, it improves brushing time, with the help of a friendly app.
The big problem is its price, which in Israel is simply excessive.
The article was originally published on The Gadget Reviews and Telegram