My Sonicare Improved My Brushing Time, but Not Performance
Pros:
helps promote good brushing habits; can reach all teeth without putting entire hand in mouth
Cons:
new brushes are expensive; doesn't perform between teeth any better than a regular toothbrush
The Bottom Line:
While the E5300 is a powerful electric toothbrush, sometimes a normal toothbrush does a more complete job. I'm still looking for better brush heads.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
When I received an offer from my dental insurance company for a "special deal" on the Sonnicare E5300 a couple of years ago, I figured I might as well jump on the offer. My old, loud electric toothbrush had recently died and I'm generally far too lazy to move a regular toothbrush around my mouth. I've been pleased, sort of, with the Sonicare ever since.
Basics
The E5300 works pretty much like every other rechargeable electric toothbrush. Press the button, and it vibrates at a high frequency for two minutes, or until you turn it off. (I aim to use the full two minutes when I brush, as dentists currently recommend.)
The standard brush heads available are meant to last for six months. The difference between the feel of a new brush and one that's been used for six months is pretty striking.
When the remaining power dips to where you might get three or four more brushings from the unit, the body makes a quick, dull vibration and a green light flashes under the power button for a few seconds after you finish a brushing.
Brush-a brush-a brush-a...
I remember the first weeks of using the Sonicare. The good people who designed it knew that the average person switching from manual to electric might have problems adjusting to the vibration and the power, so the first twelve times you use the E5300, it ramps up the intensity from fairly low to full-power. Apparently that's a very smart idea, as my mouth hurt the first few days. I was totally unprepared for it even though I'd used an electric for a number of years with just a few recent months of manual use intervening.
After getting my teeth straightened and moved around, I've got a whole new set of problems. The Sonicare no longer seems to reach between some pairs of teeth very well, even if I hang out in that area. Obviously this is solved by flossing, but considering I didn't have this problem in the past it's a little annoying now.
Charge Life
The E5300, on a full charge, gives a solid week of twice-daily brushings without flashing at me to recharge -- around a half-hour. An overnight charge (or after brushing in the morning, charging until needed at night) seems to be the maximum charge time; it's rather a long charge time, but I suppose its power consumption is low. The toothbrush flashes, slower than when the charge is nearly gone, while it is on its stand, and becomes a steady green light when it's completely finished.
Replacement Heads
I generally purchase two-packs of heads from a home store like Bed, Bath & Beyond. The two-packs are on the expensive side, really, at $30; but then this is Manhattan, and they might be cheaper in your part of the country.
The unit itself was barely half that cost, so I'm kind of torn on the cost issue. It's not pleasant to think about, but costs are generally the same regardless of the brand and head type. Since a head needs to be changed about every six months, that tends to be pricey over the long haul. But such is the price we pay for technology, I guess. I can still grumble about it.
Final Thoughts
The Sonicare product line comes recommended by insurance companies, dentists, its customers... there's no real reason to doubt the quality of the product. After several years of use, the E5300 still works as well as the first day.
While maintenance costs drive up the overall cost of brushing my teeth, at least they stay reasonably white, even with the copious quantities of coffee I drink. I've spent a lot of money on these teeth, and they deserve to be taken care of, right? Even so, the job the Sonicare does is, to me, not really better than regular manual brushing. It's less effort to do the same job, except that I can get to my wisdom teeth more easily with the Sonicare, and in some cases, between teeth a little better -- though some cases, quite the opposite is true. Quite the quandary.
If you don't mind changing your toothbrush frequently, and you can get your hand into your mouth far enough to reach those back teeth, then regular brushing is probably fine for you. I will continue to use this Sonicare, and when this toothbrush battery finally stops charging, another Sonicare will take its place. I figure I need to find different brush heads to account for my recent bite changes, but over all, I can recommend this system with qualifications.
