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Electric toothbrushes
BBC Science Focus
|October 2025
Whether you're seeking professional precision or just a thorough clean, these brushes use science and dentist-backed design to keep cavities at bay

Oral-B iO2
Toothbrushes in Oral-B's iO range feature a dual-action motion. As well as rotating back and forth, the brush head has an oscillating linear motion, allowing it to probe into the gaps between your teeth and clean more thoroughly. Studies show that Oral-B's oscillating-rotating technology removes plaque and reduces gingivitis more effectively than manual brushes, with most people noticing improvements in as little as a week.
The iO2 brush is intended as an 'introductory' device to make switching from a manual to an electric brush easy. So, while it carries the oscillating-rotating technology, it remains simple to use. It has just one button, which lets you switch between the brush's three modes (daily, gentle and extra gentle), a builtin timer that signals when to switch brushing areas and an automatic pressure sensor that alerts you to when you're brushing too hard.
The iO2 is a great choice for children, or anyone who struggles with cleaning their teeth -especially if they're keen to make the switch to electric.
£100, shop.oralb.co.uk

If you want high-tech oral hygiene and you're not tied to a budget, you might want to consider the iO10 – the brush at the opposite end of Oral-B's iO range to the iO2.
This story is from the October 2025 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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