When shopping for electric toothbrushes, today’s shoppers are faced with a number of choices, from price to app features, modes and battery life. However, the most important question is often overlooked: what is the electric toothbrush technology that is clinically proven to deliver the best clean?

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Oral-B offers a full lineup of iO Series Electric Toothbrushes for every need and preference

Oral-B offers a full lineup of iO Series Electric Toothbrushes for every need and preference

Not all Electric Toothbrushes Clean the Same: How the Technology Stacks Up

While nearly everyone brushes their teeth daily, many are still missing plaque and areas around the gumline, because not all toothbrushes clean in the same way. Understanding these differences can help people choose an electric toothbrush based on clinically-backed oral health outcomes rather than feature lists.

There are two primary types of electric toothbrush technology, and clinical evidence shows that differences in these cleaning technologies translate into meaningful differences in plaque removal and gum-health outcomes:

  • Oscillating-Rotating Action: Uses a round brush head that surrounds each tooth while oscillating and rotating to mechanically disrupt plaque, and is clinically proven to deliver a better clean.

  • Sonic Vibration: Uses an elongated brush head that sweeps side-to-side at a high frequency, often missing areas along the gumline or between teeth where plaque lives.

What Makes the Oral-B iO Series Superior to the Competition?

The Oral-B iO Series features a combination of oscillating-rotating technology plus additional technology features that combine to deliver a better clean overall:

  • Round brush head: A dentist-inspired round brush head is designed to surround each tooth surface rather than sweep broadly across the teeth.

  • Micro-vibrations: iO adds gentle micro-vibrations to the oscillating-rotating platform.

  • Smart guidance: Higher iO models add guidance and personalization to help users improve brushing behavior.

“As shoppers navigate an increasingly crowded electric toothbrush category, they’re often comparing features rather than asking the most important question: how does the brush actually clean?” says Stephanie Gans, DDS, Senior Scientist, Oral-B Research & Development. “That’s why Oral-B has invested in evidence-backed cleaning technology. Our dentist-inspired round brush head, oscillating-rotating technology and gentle micro-vibrations are clinically shown to deliver stronger plaque removal and gum-health outcomes, helping transform everyday brushing into a routine for superior cleaning.”

The Science Behind a Better Clean: What the Data Shows

Clinical studies show that oscillating-rotating technology – specifically that of the Oral-B iO Series – delivers a superior clean against manual and sonic vibration brushes:

  • Oral-B iO vs. Sonicare DiamondClean Smart: 8-week examiner-blind randomized controlled trial¹

    • iO removed 29% more whole-mouth plaque.

    • iO removed 41% more interproximal plaque (between teeth).

    • iO showed 59% greater reduction in bleeding sites, an important indicator of improving gum health.

    • iO showed 51% greater reduction in Gingival Bleeding Index.

    • iO showed 62% greater gingivitis reduction.

  • Oral-B iO vs. Sonicare DiamondClean Smart: 6-month examiner-blind randomized controlled trial²

    • iO showed 61.9% greater plaque removal along the gumline, where plaque commonly accumulates and can contribute to gingivitis.

    • 96.4% of Oral-B iO users with elevated bleeding at baseline achieved healthy gum status after six months, compared with 81.8% of Sonicare DiamondClean users.

  • Oral-B iO vs. Manual Toothbrush: 8-week examiner-blind randomized controlled trial³

    • 81.8% of Oral-B iO users achieved healthy gum status after eight weeks, compared with 23.6% of manual toothbrush users.

    • Oral-B iO demonstrated significantly greater plaque removal and gingivitis reduction than manual brushing, with benefits observed after a single brushing and sustained through Week 8.

  • Category-level Network Meta-analysis⁴

    • For plaque reduction, oscillating-rotating brushes ranked first with SUCRA 89.2%, followed by sonic at 72.4%, ultrasonic at 54.1%, other electric at 45.3%, and manual at 18.3%. A similar ranking was reported for gingivitis reduction.

Why Does Clinical Evidence Matter When Choosing an Electric Toothbrush?

Evidence-backed technology gives shoppers greater confidence that the toothbrush they choose has been evaluated under real-world clinical conditions and demonstrated measurable improvements in plaque removal and gum-health outcomes.

When evaluating electric toothbrushes, shoppers should consider:

  • What cleaning technology does the toothbrush use?

  • Is the brush’s technology clinically shown to improve plaque removal?

  • Does the toothbrush fit my oral health needs, budget and brushing habits?

  • Will it help me maintain a healthier brushing routine every day?

By focusing on these questions rather than simply comparing features, shoppers can make more informed decisions about the toothbrush that best supports their long-term oral health.

How Do I Choose the Oral-B iO Series Electric Toothbrush That’s Right for Me?

Every Oral-B iO toothbrush is built on the same evidence-backed foundation and contains a dentist-inspired round brush head, oscillating-rotating technology and gentle micro-vibrations designed to help remove plaque and support healthier gums. The difference between models is not the core cleaning technology, but the level of guidance, personalization and convenience each offers.

Clinically backed choices include:

  • Oral-B iO2 – An Accessible upgrade for Manual Brush Users

    • Clinical studies have shown the oscillating-rotating technology featured in Oral-B iO2 delivers significantly greater plaque removal and gingivitis reduction than manual brushing, making the iO2 an accessible way to upgrade your brushing routine.

  • Oral-B iO3 – The Everyday Balance of Performance and Superiority

    • Oral-B iO3 combines Oral-B’s clinically shown oscillating-rotating technology with features that help support consistent brushing habits, offering an intuitive brushing experience that balances cleaning with ease of use.

  • Oral-B iO9 – Advanced Guided Brushing

    • For people who value personalized coaching alongside evidence-backed cleaning technology, the iO9 represents the most advance Oral-B iO experience, with enhanced guided brushing and personalized feedback.

“Patients ask me all the time whether one electric toothbrush is really different from another,” said Dr. Tara Aboumahboub, DMD. “The answer is yes, but the difference isn’t about having more features, it’s about how the toothbrush cleans. A dentist-inspired round brush head paired with oscillating-rotating technology and micro-vibrations like the Oral-B iO Series is clinically shown to help remove plaque in areas people often miss, especially along the gumline. When choosing an electric toothbrush, I encourage patients to look for technology that is supported by clinical evidence and helps them build healthy brushing habits they can stick with.”

What Should Shoppers Take Away from This?

As shoppers continue evaluating powered toothbrushes, Oral-B encourages them to look beyond the listed features and consider the technology, the clinical evidence behind it, and the healthy brushing habits it helps build over time. With electric toothbrushes designed for every preference, Oral-B iO makes it easy for shoppers to choose the level of guidance that’s right for them without compromising the clinically-supported cleaning technology behind every brush in the iO lineup.

About Oral-B

Oral-B is the worldwide leader in the over $5 billion brushing market, drawing upon 75+ years of expertise to empower healthier lives for all through better oral care. The brand features a wide variety of products to build a personalized oral care routine for the best clean every time, including manual, battery and electric toothbrushes for children and adults, and interdental products such as dental floss. Oral-B’s iO Series electric toothbrushes feature the latest in brushing technology, with a dentist-inspired round brush head that removes 100% more plaque than regular manual brushes, for cleaner teeth and healthier gums.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves shoppers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at www.pg.com/news.

References

¹ Adam R, Goyal CR, Qaqish J, Grender J. Evaluation of an oscillating-rotating toothbrush with micro-vibrations versus a sonic toothbrush for the reduction of plaque and gingivitis: results from a randomized controlled trial. International Dental Journal. 2020;70(Suppl 1):S16-S21.

² Goyal CR, Adam R, Timm H, Grender J, Qaqish J. A 6-month randomized controlled trial evaluating a novel smart-connected oscillating-rotating toothbrush versus a smart-connected sonic toothbrush for the reduction of plaque and gingivitis. American Journal of Dentistry. 2021;34:54-60

³ Grender J, et al. An 8-week Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effect of a Novel Oscillating-Rotating Toothbrush Versus a Manual Toothbrush on Plaque and Gingivitis. International Dental Journal. 2020.

⁴ Luo et al. Comparative efficacy of electric toothbrush technologies in plaque and gingivitis reduction: a network meta-analysis. Clinical Oral Investigations, 2026.

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