I brush my teeth too hard. Other than that, my dentist says I'm a model patient. However, to keep my teeth looking great, my dentist recommended I use an electric toothbrush … specifically, the
Sonicare Toothbrush – Model e9500.
What Comes in the Box
* Sonicare Toothbrush
* One compact brush head
* One standard brush head
* Two hygienic travel caps for brush heads
* Brush head holder
* Charger base with easy-wrap cord
* Soft-sided travel case
Initial Setup
I read the instruction booklet first. Setup took moments.
First, I attached one of the brush heads to the base of the Sonicare toothbrush. The brush head is in a collar that twists onto the base. Then I wrapped the excess electrical cord around the cord-wrap beneath the charger base. I plugged the cord into an outlet and set the toothbrush base securely into the charger base. The toothbrush needs 24 hours to completely charge.
The charger base is unlike any charger I've seen. There are no metal connectors. The base looks like it's constructed from plastic. The flat bottom of the toothbrush fits into the charger. Lights along the side of the toothbrush show the charge the toothbrush has.
My Experiences
This toothbrush has ramp-up technology. When first using the toothbrush, it starts at slow speed. For two weeks, each time it's turned on, the speed slightly increases. Since I wasn't used to an electric toothbrush, this worked great for me. However, if needed, there is manual two-speed control: Maximum and Gentle.
Lightly holding the toothbrush, I let the vibration in the Sonicare do the work. The toothbrush has a Quadpacer … it beeps every 30 seconds for two minutes. This allows the recommended two minute brushing, spending time on each of the four dental quadrants in my mouth. The handle is comfortable and doesn't slip in my grip. I have no problem using this toothbrush.
I prefer the compact head to the standard head. The compact brush head better suits my mouth. My dentist also told me that I should only use the Sonicare in the morning and brush once a day. That is all that's needed with this toothbrush. At night, I rinse with ACT, a fluoride mouth rinse.
If you travel, the soft-sided case is great. First put one brush head in the case, and then insert the toothbrush base. This toothbrush holds a charge for two weeks (sometimes a bit longer). The charger will not fit in the case.
Even though the instructions say to leave the toothbrush plugged into the charger … I don't. To save electricity, I unplug the charger. When the battery charge runs low, I plug the toothbrush back in to recharge. This works well for me.
Cleaning & Care
This toothbrush is easy to maintain. However, it's essential to remove the brush head and clean it once a week. I'm constantly astonished at the liquid that seeps beneath the brush head to gather in the cup-like area of the base. Often I find food particles trapped beneath the brush head base or in the collar section that screws the brush head to the base.
I twist the brush head off the base and pop the brush head free from its collar. It is simple to rinse all the components. The toothbrush base can be rinsed, but I never submerge it.
Purchasing
This toothbrush retails for $139.99, and
Amazon.com sells it for $119.99. I had a $50.00 gift certificate and a $10.00 rebate, which made this affordable.
Summary
I'm glad I purchased the
Sonicare Toothbrush – Model e9500. It does a great job at cleaning my teeth. I brush in the morning, and my teeth still feel clean at the end of the day. I'm also not brushing as hard since the toothbrush does the work.
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Copyright 2007 Dawn L. Stewart
This review is part of the
Lean-n-mean VI write off.
(664 words)
