A few years ago, Judie and I reviewed a rechargeable electric toothbrush. We were impressed, and I have been using that toothbrush ever since. Recently, however, I’ve had a chance to check out two others electric toothbrushes. These come from Oral-B, and the first we’ll be looking at is the Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries with Bluetooth.
The Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries With Bluetooth is described as, “The World’s First of Its Kind with Bluetooth Connectivity.” I don’t think it is a stretch to wonder why a toothbrush needs Bluetooth connectivity. Sure, there was a time when pretty much every company seemed to be designing new gadgets based on the idea that “Everything goes better with Bluetooth”, but as we have discovered, that simply isn’t the case. Bluetooth is great when it is great, but it can also be just another feature mucking up a device for the sake of adding features when it is not needed. So which is this? Is a Bluetooth toothbrush innovation or is it just technology feature-creep? That’s the question I have been trying to figure out.
Oral-B has this to say about the toothbrush:
Discover the next level of oral care innovation with the Oral-B PRO 5000 SmartSeries with Bluetooth Connectivity electric rechargeable toothbrush. A revolutionary new way to take care of your oral health, it not only removes more plaque but also eliminates doubt. Download the Oral-B app on your smartphone and connect with Bluetooth to get real-time feedback on your brushing habits.
Inside the box were:
- 1 rechargeable toothbrush handle
- 1 CrossAction brush head
- 1 charging station with brush head storage
- 1 travel case
As a toothbrush it worked great. The crossaction brush head did a good job of cleaning my teeth and the charging station works well. I did love the charging cup that the other company’s model Judie and I reviewed included, but the stand here worked just fine.
Oral-B PRO 5000 SmartSeries with Bluetooth Electric Rechargeable Power Toothbrush itself features:
- A professionally inspired design of the CrossAction brush head surrounds each tooth with perfectly angled bristles for a precise clean
- 3D cleaning action oscillates, rotates, and pulsates to break up and remove up to 100% more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush
- A pressure sensor that lights up on brush and smartphone if you brush too hard
- 5 oral health modes including: Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, and Deep Clean
- A 2 minute timer that pulses every 30 seconds, prompting you to switch areas of the mouth for best results
- It is compatible with Oral-B electric rechargeable brush head refills, excluding Pulsonic and Battery refills
All of that is great, and if you prefer the small, round head of the Oral-B electric toothbrushes, then this is a great option for you. As someone who tends to brush too hard, I appreciated that the light goes off when too much pressure is applied. And as someone who is never quite sure what the optimal timing of a brush-session is I appreciated the 2 minute timer. The various modes are nice as well, although the inclusion of just one brush head with the package sort of defeats the purpose of some of the modes. (The Oral-B Black 7000 toothbrush we will look at next addresses this.)
So as a toothbrush the 5000 is just fine. Still, there is the question of the inclusion of Bluetooth and its value to be answered.
The app is actually rather nicely implemented. When you first fire it up you are presented with a timer and the ability to choose which brush head you are using- the round or the oval.
Since they assume you will most likely first use the toothbrush and app in the morning, the bottom section of the home screen also gives you the option to see the time, the weather, news, pictures, quotes of the day and more. It is an unnecessary but appreciated extra.
Tapping the side gives you a choice of different information including recent brushing activity, professional dental guidance and the ability to shop for replacement heads.
Tapping the Settings Gear on the upper right lets you set reminders, add and adjust the timers and access preprogrammed “Dental Care Journeys” such as “Fresh Breath” and “Gum Health.”
The app connects to the toothbrush over Bluetooth and the two can then communicate with each other. The company notes:
Bluetooth communication between brush and smartphone provides real-time feedback on brushing habits, helping you achieve amazing results
Honestly I tried it and… nah. I don’t need my toothbrush connected to my iPhone and giving me real-time feedback on my brushing habits. And I certainly don’t need the app nagging me to brush the way it does. At the same time, having the ability to choose different programs for your dental care is kinda cool. So for me, the jury is still out. Would I buy the toothbrush BECAUSE it has Bluetooth? Not really. Would I/Do I use the Bluetooth function since it is there? Yes actually I do. And since the toothbrush is good AS a toothbrush I see no reason not to recommend the Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries With Bluetooth. I do, however, wish it came with more heads in the box.
You can learn more and order yours here.
Source: Manufacturer review sample of the Oral-B Pro 5000 SmartSeries With Bluetooth
What I Like: Works well; Easy to use; Warns when brushing too hard; Offers timed brushing; Bluetooth and app add some functionality
What Needs Improvement: Bluetooth is a bit of a gimmick but… why not; Should come with a variety of brush heads