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Published: February 10, 2024

Oral-B cleaning modes explained

Author: Jon Love (73 Comments)
Medical reviewer: Dr Gemma Wheeler, BDS
Oral-B cleaning modes explained 1

In this article, I will explain what the different Oral-B cleaning modes are and what they can do for you.

There's also a handy comparison chart further down the page showing you which brushes have which cleaning modes.

How important are the different cleaning modes?

This is one of the most common questions we receive, and the short answer is that they are not that important.

It's not something that we particularly take into account when choosing our best electric toothbrush recommendation.

It is better to have a toothbrush with 1 cleaning mode that you use regularly, for the correct amount of time and with the correct technique than it is to have a brush with multiple modes you use incorrectly.

The biggest health benefits will come from regular use with the correct technique.

Extra modes can potentially provide benefits for some people, particularly those with an oral healthcare goal in mind.

The Sensitive mode is typically one of the most appealing and useful alternative modes as it is a little more gentle on the teeth and gums, yet still cleans well.

The evidence that extra modes are required or provide significant benefit is limited.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 2

What are the cleaning modes available on Oral-B toothbrushes?

There are up to 8 different brushing modes available on Oral-B electric brushes.

How many modes and which modes depend on which brush you own or are planning to buy or already own.

Quite often, the more expensive the brush or the higher the model number, the more modes it has.

The Oral-B iO Series 9 and10 have the most cleaning modes of any brush, with 7 in total.

The 8 modes are:

  1. Daily Clean
  2. Gum Care (Also referred to as Massage)
  3. Sensitive
  4. Super Sensitive
  5. Whitening/Whiten
  6. Pro Clean (Previously Deep Clean)
  7. Intense
  8. Tongue Clean
Oral-B cleaning modes explained 3

The Oral-B iO series changes things

In the summer of 2020 Oral-B introduced the iO Series electric toothbrush.

This brush has been entirely redesigned and uses a different motor within the handle in comparison to most other Oral-B electric toothbrushes.

It has a frictionless magnetic motor.

Fundamentally this still allows the iO series to clean the teeth as well as any other model. But, the way the brush head delivers the movements is slightly different. The way the cleaning action is measured is significantly different too.

The brush head still has an oscillating, rotating and pulsating action, however rather than being measured by a number of movements per minute it is now measures based on the oscillation angle.

Within the article, I will aim to make it as clear as possible how the iO Series differs, but it is important to be aware that differences do exist.

What does each brushing mode do?

Daily Clean

  • This is the standard mode for daily mouth cleaning to remove plaque and maintain oral health.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes; 30 seconds for each quadrant.
  • Those brushes with a built-in timer and quadpacer built in which will give an audible tone, via a pause in the brushing motion at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 2 minute cycle.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 8,800-10,500 oscillations and 20,000-45,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The Cross Action, Floss Action, Deep Sweep or Precision Clean brush heads are suitable for this cleaning mode.
    • iO Series
      • Oscillation angle of 28° (+/- 5°) and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Ultimate Clean brush head is best suited to this mode.

Gum Care (Also known as Massage)

  • Suitable for those with sore or inflamed and even bleeding gums.
  • It offers a gentle massage of gums to stimulate blood flow and strengthen and nurture the gum tissue.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes; 30 seconds for each quadrant.
  • Those brushes with a built-in timer and quadpacer built in which will give an audible tone, via a pause in the brushing motion at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 2 minute cycle.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 2,600-9,900 oscillations and 12,000-45,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The Cross Action, Pro Gum Care, Sensitive, Floss Action, Deep Sweep or Precision Clean brush heads are suitable for this cleaning mode.
    • iO Series
      • A sweeping oscillation angle of 14-28° (+/- 5°) over 100 milliseconds and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Gentle Care brush head is best suited to this mode.
Oral-B cleaning modes explained 4

Sensitive

  • A slower speed mode for a gentler brushing experience but still providing a thorough clean.
  • This mode is often recommended by some dentists as a better option than the Daily Clean as it is not so powerful.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes.
  • The principle is that you spend 30 seconds for each quadrant of the mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left).
  • Almost all Oral-B brushes have a timer built-in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 2 minute cycle.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 6,500-7,400 oscillations and 30,000-33,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The Pro Gum Care and Sensitive brush head are most suitable for this cleaning mode.
    • iO Series
      • Oscillation angle of 20° (+/- 5°) and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Gentle Care brush head is best suited to this mode.

Super Sensitive

  • Exclusive to the iO Series.
  • The slowest speed for the gentlest brushing experience.
  • Ideal for those who are new to electric toothbrushes or have sensitive mouths.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes.
  • The principle is that you spend 30 seconds for each quadrant of the mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left).
  • Almost all Oral-B brushes have a timer built-in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 2 minute cycle.
    • iO Series
      • Oscillation angle of 15° (+/- 5°) and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Gentle Care brush head is best suited to this mode.

Whitening

  • Aims to polish teeth to give that dentist clean look and feel for brighter teeth by removing surface stains.
  • Suitable as an occasional or everyday cleaning mode.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes and 20 seconds normally or 2 minutes on the iO Series.
  • The first 2 minutes are for completing the normal cleaning and the additional 20 seconds for focusing on the front teeth.
  • Almost all Oral-B brushes have a timer built-in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 2 minute and 20 second cycle.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 6,100-9,900 oscillations and 28,000-45,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The 3D White brush head is most suitable for this cleaning mode.
    • iO Series
      • A sweeping oscillation angle of 16-33° (+/- 5°) over 1800 milliseconds and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Ultimate Clean brush head is best suited to this mode.
Oral-B cleaning modes explained 5

Pro Clean (Previously Deep Clean)

  • Exclusive to the Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series. Not available on the iO Series.
  • This cleaning mode is the same as the Daily Clean but pre-programmed to last for longer.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 3 minutes.
  • The principle is that you spend 45 seconds for each quadrant of the mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left) compared to the standard 2 minute clean and 30 second intervals.
  • Almost all Oral-B brushes have a timer built-in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 45 second intervals and then at the end of the 3 minute cycle.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 8,800-10,500 oscillations and 40,000-48,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The Cross Action, FlossAction, Deep Sweep or Precision Clean brush heads are most suitable for this cleaning mode.

Intense

  • Exclusive to the iO Series.
  • Cleaning mode for enhanced cleaning results.
  • The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes.
  • The principle is that you spend 30 seconds for each quadrant of the mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left).
  • Almost all Oral-B brushes have a timer built-in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30 second intervals and then at the end of the 3 minute cycle.
    • iO Series
      • Oscillation angle of 33° (+/- 5°) and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Ultimate Clean brush head is best suited to this mode.

Tongue Clean

  • Used for cleaning the tongue or inside of the cheeks after brushing.
  • More gentle than a conventional cleaning mode.
  • Suitable for daily or occasional use.
  • The cleaning lasts for 20 seconds or 30 seconds on the iO Series.
    • Vitality/Pro/Smart/Genius Series
      • 7,300-8,200 oscillations and 30,000-33,000 pulsations (subject to model - see power delivery).
      • The Pro GumCare and Sensitive brush head are advisable for this mode.
    • iO Series
      • Oscillation angle of 15° (+/- 5°) and a frequency of 145Hz.
      • The Gentle Care brush head is best suited to this mode.

This hopefully helps explains what each mode means and how exactly the brushing modes differ.

Oral-B cleaning modes comparison chart

The following table helps summarize the modes.

Daily CleanGum CareSensitiveSuper Sensitive**WhiteningPro CleanIntense**Tongue Clean
Mode IconOral-B cleaning modes explained 6Oral-B cleaning modes explained 7Oral-B cleaning modes explained 8Oral-B cleaning modes explained 9Oral-B cleaning modes explained 10Oral-B cleaning modes explained 11Oral-B cleaning modes explained 12Oral-B cleaning modes explained 13
PurposeCleaning mode for everyday cleaning to remove plaque and maintain oral health.Massaging mode pulsates to gently stimulate gums.Slower speed for gentler brushing experience.Slowest speed for gentlest brushing experience. Ideal for individuals new to power toothbrushing or who have sensitive mouths.Polishing mode varies intensity for gentle removal of surface stains.An extended daily clean modeCleaning mode for enhanced cleaning results.Dedicated mode to encourage tongue cleaning after brushing
Cleaning Time2 minutes2 minutes2 minutes2 minutes2 minutes3 minutes2 minutes20 Seconds***
Quadpacer30 seconds30 seconds30 seconds30 seconds30 seconds45 seconds30 secondsN/A
Oscillations*8,800-10,5002,600-9,9006,500-7,400N/A6,100-9,9008,800-10,500N/A7,300 - 8,200
Pulsations*20,000-45,00012,000-45,00030,000-33,000N/A28,000-45,00040,000-48,000N/A30,000-37,000
Oscillation Angle Max +/-5° **28°Sweeping from 14-28° (100ms)20°15°Sweeping from 16-33° (1800ms)28°33°15°
Frequency (Hz)**145145145145145145145145
*Numer of oscillations and pulsations differ depending on the brush model. **Exclusive to the iO series. ***30 seconds on the iO series. All information subject to change without notice

Two minute timer and quadpacer (professional timer)

The dentist recommended cleaning time for your teeth is 2 minutes, or 120 seconds.

Brushing modes, Daily Clean, Gum Care and Sensitive are programmed by run for this length of time.

From the moment the brush is turned on, a built-in timer is activated.

At the end of the 2 minute cleaning cycle, the motor in the brush pauses and restarts briefly three times.

This pausing of the brush motor causes the brushing sensation to change as well as the sound of the brush.

This is your signal that the 2 minutes of brushing time has been achieved.

Normally at this point, you would turn the toothbrush off, by holding the power button for 1-2 seconds.  You can continue to brush your teeth if you prefer.  The brush will not automatically turn itself off.

Pro Clean, and Whitening modes last longer than 2 minutes and the Tongue cleaning mode is shorter than this at just 20 seconds.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 14

The same pausing action happens at the end of the programmed cleaning cycle time.

Although not present in all electric toothbrushes Oral-B manufacture, the vast majority have what Oral-B call a professional timer.

Also known as the quadpacer or 30 second timer, this is an additional feature which assists in the brushing routine.

During a 2 minute cleaning cycle, there are four periods of 30 seconds.  The idea behind the pacer is that you spend 30 seconds brushing each quadrant of the mouth.

Imagine breaking the mouth up into four sections, upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left.

If you spend 30 seconds cleaning the surfaces of the teeth in each quadrant, by the end of the 2 minutes, you will have brushes evenly around the mouth.

The professional timer/quadpacer helps you achieve this.

At 30 second intervals, there is a brief pause of the motor before it restarts again.

Like the 2 minute timer, this causes a change in the brushing sensation and the sound of the brush and is the alert you need to change from one quadrant to another.

If you have a Bluetooth enabled toothbrush, the app will give a visual representation of this timer and pacer feature on screen in real-time.

With some models of toothbrush, you can turn this professional timer off and leave just the 2 minute timer enabled.  You will need to refer to the instructions for your Oral-B toothbrush for directions.

It is not normally possible to turn the standard toothbrush timer off, that runs for 2 minutes.

However, timers and settings can vary from 1 brush to another.

On the iO Series all cleaning modes, with the exception of the Tongue Clean last for just 2 minutes.

Those smart or Bluetooth connected brushes often have the option to change the length of the brushing time for each mode. This is usually set from within the smartphone application. There is the choice to customize the clean to suit your needs.

Power delivery - the number of oscillations, rotations and pulsations

As you may be aware, the small round brush heads from Oral-B move side to side in a circular motion.  They have what is known as an oscillating-rotating cleaning action, as shown in this graphic.

The brush head moves thousands of times per minute.

The number of times the brush head oscillates does depend on the model of the toothbrush you are using.

The vast majority of models, the Vitality series being the main exception, also have a third type of movement called pulsations.

The number of oscillations and pulsations of each Oral-B toothbrush can vary. Typically the more premium the model the higher the number.

The oscillations and pulsations for the Oral-B range are listed below:

Model
Oscillations/Pulsations
Oral-B Vitality 7,800 oscillations
Oral-B Pro 500 7,600 oscillations
Oral-B Pro 1000 8,800 oscillations / 20,000 pulsations
Oral-B Smart 1500 8,800 oscillations / 40,000 pulsations
Oral-B Smart 3000 9,900 oscillations / 45,000 pulsations
Oral-B Smart 5000 8,800 oscillations / 40,000 pulsations
Oral-B Genius 6000 10,500 oscillations / 48,000 pulsations
Oral-B Genius 7500 10,500 oscillations / 48,000 pulsations
Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 10,500 oscillations / 48,000 pulsations
Oral-B Genius X 10,500 oscillations / 48,000 pulsations
Oral-B cleaning modes explained 15

With the introduction of the Oral-B iO Series comes a new way to measure the movements of the brush head.

Oral-B still has an oscillating and rotating brush head movement, but the third cleaning dimension most typically referred to as pulsations are now known as micro-vibrations.

This is different because of the alternative type of motor used in these brushes.

Oral-B themselves have stated to us:

We are moving away from articulating the benefits of the technology from number of movements because the benefits we see with Oral-B iO come from a multitude of factors including the linear magnetic drive that delivers energy to the bristle tips, the increased density of filaments on our redesigned brush heads as well the synchronised cleaning action of oscillation rotation plus microvibrations. The different brushing modes and movements are differentiated by the oscillation angle (ie the distance that each bristle travels before it changes direction).

Boris Atlas - Global Leader for Professional and Scientific Relations - Oral-B.

What this means is that the angle of the bristles on the brush head are anywhere between 15-33° and the frequency of micro vibrations are set at 145Hz.

Irrespective of the toothbrush you are using, don't be too worried about the number of oscillations, rotations and pulsations. Any electric toothbrush should clean the teeth better than a manual brush, when used correctly.

You don't need to own the most powerful model. 

Just cleaning your teeth regularly and with the correct technique is a big step forward in ensuring healthy teeth.

Keeping a regular brushing routine is more useful than having a powerful brush. However, the theory is, the more movements of each, the better the brush can clean the teeth.

You should be aware though, that different cleaning modes use a different number of movements.  This means, that you could have the technically most powerful brush, but if you use the sensitive brushing mode, you will not be using the full power of the toothbrush.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 16

Do I need to use special brush heads?

No, you do not necessarily need special brush heads.

But, Oral-B does offer specialized brush heads, which are designed and suited for particular cleaning modes.

You can use the standard CrossAction head for all cleaning modes, but the 3D White brush head is more effective when used with the Whitening mode for example.

My comprehensive guide to Oral-B brush heads, complete with video, explains this in more detail.

The choice is, of course, yours but it is advised to use the appropriate head to gain the maximum effect from each cleaning mode.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 17

How do I change the brushing mode on my Oral-B toothbrush?

If your Oral-B toothbrush has only 1 cleaning mode, you cannot change it.  This is the only option you have.

If your brush has multiple cleaning modes, the way you change the mode depends on the model.

With many models, you have to press the power button to change the cleaning mode.

For example, the Pro 3000 has 3 modes.  The first mode is Daily Clean, the second Gum Care and the third, Sensitive.  To select the Sensitive mode, the power button needs to be pressed 3 times.

With the Genius range, you press the separate cleaning mode button (a downwards arrow) to change the mode.

You can only change the brushing mode selected after you have pressed the power button to turn the brush on.

On the iO Series, you press the cleaning mode button, under the display on the brush handle. You can change the mode prior to turning the brush on.

The brush will default to the standard daily clean mode upon being switched on, unless you have a Genius or iO Series model, where it will use the mode previously selected on the handle.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 18

Cleaning mode icons

With most Oral-B electric toothbrushes, it is not very easy to tell which cleaning mode you have selected.

The Pro and Smart range of handles offer no icons or labels on the brush handle to show what mode you have activated.

You can only know what mode you have selected, by remembering the sequence of modes on that brush.

The modes available and their sequence is listed in the user guide.

With the Smart range of brushes, that have Bluetooth connectivity, if you are using the smartphone at the same time, the mode selected will be shown on screen.

If you are using one of the Genius series brush handles, then there are icons on the handle of the brush.

Each icon will be lit with a white light as that mode is selected.

Sadly, Oral-B does not use the name of the mode, you need to remember what the icon is, to know what mode you have selected.

The cleaning mode icons are shown in the following image.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 19

Whilst some seem obvious others are not.

When the default, Daily Clean mode is selected or active, no icons light up.  There is no icon for this mode on the brush handle.

The icon with a tooth and a plus (+) icon is the Deep Clean/Pro Clean mode.

The icon of a feather is the sensitive cleaning mode.

The icon of a diamond is the whitening brushing mode.

The icon consisting of 3 wavy lines is the massage mode.

The icon of the tongue is the tongue cleaning mode.

Some brushes have, or work with a Smart Wireless Guide.  This guide is a small unit with a display that shows the brushing time and also shows the cleaning mode icons to help identify the cleaning mode in use.

The following image shows what the icons will look like on the smart wireless guide, they are the same icons found on the Genius brush handle.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 20

This has been addressed in the range topping iO Series, which displays via the screen on the brush handle which mode is selected.

Rather than relying on just an icon, it does offer the text with the icon so you can quickly know precisely which mode is selected.

Oral-B cleaning modes locked

A common query with Oral-B toothbrushes is the sudden loss or inability to access certain cleaning modes that were once available.

In most instances, this is a configuration setting that has been changed rather than an actual fault with the toothbrush.

If you are finding that cleaning modes are not working or are not accessible, the following sections will explain the likely cause and resolution.

Or if you prefer you can watch the video that explains it.

Oral-B cleaning modes explained 21

Dental care journeys

This is the most common cause of modes being locked and unavailable.

A feature available with Oral-B’s Bluetooth enabled or ‘smart’ toothbrushes is something called ‘Dental Care Journeys’.  

These are specially tailored programmes to help achieve certain oral care goals.

The choices you have are:

  • Fresh Breath
  • Plaque Fighter 
  • Whitening
  • Gum Health
  • Ortho Care

They are accessible only from the smartphone application and cannot be chosen from the toothbrush handle itself.

The configuration of each ‘Dental Care Journey’ is different. However, each one enables and disables different cleaning modes on the toothbrush handle.

For example, you may have had 5 modes, but after selecting one of these journey’s you may have only 2 available.

Essentially, selecting any dental care journey will disable or lock some modes.

This is shown within the app during the setup process of that journey. But it is not very obvious. You have to tap on a part of the screen to reveal more information.

If you missed this, don’t be surprised, many people do.

Locked Oral-B Cleaning Modes

These modes only become available again, when you finish the dental care journey or you end the journey yourself from within the application.

You can set and manage the journeys from the ‘challenges’ menu of the Oral-B application.

If you want your other locked cleaning modes back, you will need to go into the app and end the dental care journey.

Your brush settings

Although dental care journeys are the most common way that cleaning modes become disabled, another way is via the ‘Handle’ settings within the Oral-B application.

If you navigate the ‘More’ menu there is an option for ‘Your Brush’.  

Select this and if you have an active connection to your smart toothbrush, you should see a menu on the screen called ‘Handle’.  If you don’t, connect your brush or switch your brush on. It is only visible when there is an active connection with the brush handle.  

Precisely what you see will depend on your specific brush handle, but you will normally see a list of cleaning modes.

Active modes should be shown in a dark blue rounded rectangle shape and will have a tick on the right side.

Disabled, locked or inactive modes will be listed below the active modes and will be duller/washed out in color.

To reactivate, tap the + icon on the right side of the rounded rectangle.

Once activated the mode will reappear in the list as a dark blue color.

Changing the order of cleaning modes

With most Oral-B’s Bluetooth enabled toothbrushes, it is possible to change the order of the cleaning modes.

This does have to be done via the Oral-B smartphone application and cannot be done via the toothbrush itself.

The typical order tends to be:

  • Daily Clean
  • Intense
  • Sensitive 
  • Whitening 
  • Gum Care
  • Tonge Clean

However, it is perfectly possible for you to change the modes to be in an order such as:

  • Daily Clean
  • Whitening
  • Sensitive
  • Gum Care
  • Tongue Clean
  • Intense

Please note that the exact number of modes will depend on the model you have.

To change the order of the modes, you need to have your brush handle connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth.  

Go into the Oral-B application, open the ‘More’ menu.  Select the ‘Your Brush’ and you should be taken to the ‘Handle’ section of that screen.

You will see the available cleaning modes in the dark blue rounded rectangles.

To change the order, press and hold on the mode and drag it up and down the list.  The order will change on the screen as you move the mode.  Release the press on the screen to lock the mode in the list.

Cleaning Modes Order Oral-B

You can change the order of the modes as often as you like.

When you next choose and select the cleaning modes on the brush handle, it will cycle through the modes in the order you have selected.

If the brushing modes icons on your toothbrush are laid out as per the first list above, but you have changed the order to the 2nd list.  The icons will be lit in a more sporadic order as per your list rather than the order intended by Oral-B.

Which brushes have which cleaning modes?

The following table lists which models have which cleaning modes, so you can find a brush that suits your specific needs.

Model
Clean
Sensitve
White
Gum
Deep Clean
Tongue
Other
Oral-B Vitality yes - - - - - -
Oral-B Vitality Limited yes - - - - - -
Oral-B Pro 500 yes yes - - - - sensitive plus
Oral-B Pro 1000 yes - - - - - -
Oral-B Pro Limited yes - - - - - -
Oral-B Smart 1500 yes yes yes - - - -
Oral-B Smart 2500 yes - - yes - - -
Oral-B Smart Clean 360 yes yes yes yes yes - -
Oral-B Smart 3000 yes yes yes - - - -
Oral-B Smart 5000 yes yes yes yes yes - -
Oral-B Smart Limited yes yes yes yes yes yes -
Oral-B Genius 6000 yes yes yes yes yes - -
Oral-B Genius 7500 yes yes yes yes yes - -
Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 yes yes yes yes yes yes -
Oral-B Genius X yes yes yes yes yes yes -
Oral-B iO Series 3 (iO3) yes yes yes - - - -
Oral-B iO Series 4 (iO4) yes yes yes - - - super sensitive
Oral-B iO Series 5 (iO5) yes yes yes - - - super sensitive, intense
Oral-B iO Series 6 (iO6) yes yes yes yes - - intense
Oral-B iO Series 7 (iO7) yes yes yes yes - - intense
Oral-B iO Series 8 (iO8) yes yes yes yes - - Super sensitive, intense
Oral-B iO Series 9 (iO9) yes yes yes yes - yes Super sensitive, intense
Oral-B iO Series 10 (iO10) yes yes yes yes - yes Super sensitive, intense

How can I compare the Oral-B electric toothbrushes?

The following Oral-B electric toothbrush comparison chart shows the main brushes available and how they compare.  You can see which brushing modes each toothbrush has as well as checking whether or not it has a two minute timer and pacer.

Cleaning Action
Number of cleaning modes
Clean
Sensitive
Gum
White
Deep Clean
Tongue
Other modes
Timer
Pacer
Pressure Sensor
Pressure Sensor Additional information
Display
Display Additional information
Battery life
Travel case included
Charging travel case
Bluetooth connectivity
Position tracking
Oral-B Vitality
Oral-B Vitality
Oral-B Pro 500
Oral-B Pro 500
Oral-B Pro 1000
Oral-B Pro 1000
Oral-B Smart 1500
Oral-B Smart 1500
Oral-B Smart 3000
Oral-B Smart 3000
Oral-B Smart 5000
Oral-B Smart 5000
Oral-B Genius 6000
Oral-B Genius 6000
Oral-B Genius 7500
Oral-B Genius 7500
Oral-B Genius Pro 8000
Oral-B Genius Pro 8000
Oral-B Genius X
Oral-B Genius X
Oral-B iO Series 3 (iO3)
Oral-B iO Series 3 (iO3)
Oral-B iO Series 4 (iO4)
Oral-B iO Series 4 (iO4)
Oral-B iO Series 5 (iO5)
Oral-B iO Series 5 (iO5)
Oral-B iO Series 6 (iO6)
Oral-B iO Series 6 (iO6)
Oral-B iO Series 7 (iO7)
Oral-B iO Series 7 (iO7)
Oral-B iO Series 8 (iO8)
Oral-B iO Series 8 (iO8)
Oral-B iO Series 9 (iO9)
Oral-B iO Series 9 (iO9)
Oral-B iO Series 10 (iO10)
Oral-B iO Series 10 (iO10)
Oscillating-rotating (2D) Oscillating-rotating (2D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & pulsating (3D) Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations Oscillating-rotating & micro-vibrations
1 3 1 3 3 5 5 5 6 6 3 4 5 5 5 6 7 7
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- yes - yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - yes yes yes yes yes - - - yes yes yes yes yes
- - - yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - yes yes yes yes yes - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - yes yes - - - - - - yes yes
- sensitive plus - - - - - - - - - super sensitive super sensitive, intense intense intense Super sensitive, intense Super sensitive, intense Super sensitive, intense
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 30 second quadpacer 20 second sextants
- - yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - - Customizable LED smart ring Customizable LED smart ring Customizable smart ring Customizable smart ring Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure Shows when applying insufficient pressure, correct pressure & excessive pressure
- - - - - - - - - - - - - yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - - - - - - - - - Black & white. Not touchscreen Black & white. Not touchscreen. Color. Not touchscreen Color. Not touchscreen. Color. Not touchscreen
5 days 10 days 10 days 14+ (plus) days 14+ (plus) days 14+ (plus) days 14 days 14 days 14+ (plus) days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days 14 days
- - - - - yes yes yes yes yes - yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - - - - yes yes - - - - - - yes yes
- - - - yes yes yes yes yes yes - yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
- - - - - - yes - yes yes - - yes yes yes yes yes yes
Author: Jon Love
Medical reviewer: Dr Gemma Wheeler, BDS

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Leave a comment

kw
kurt wiley
March 18, 2024

My new oral-b iO7 is playing hide and seek with its intense mode. It showed up first time I used it, but is now nowhere to be seen on the menu. Does the iO7 "delay" implementing this mode until after a certain amount of time/uses? Or is this a known issue with this model?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
March 19, 2024

Hi Kurt. Watch this video and see if it solves your issue. I suspect it will. If not, let me know.

kw
kurt wiley
March 19, 2024

my apologies...finished long chat with OralB and learned because my IO was a "professional" model, some of the modes in the manual were unavailable, including intense. whatever "daily care" is in a professional model, it seems to do a decent job. I've also factory reset it and turned bluetooth off so there will hopefully be no more attempts by the brush to begin journaling.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
March 20, 2024

Ahh right, yes that does make a difference. Understood. Thanks for coming back to me.

kw
kurt wiley
March 19, 2024

thnx for info, Jon. How,please, do I shut off report/mode generation without having to fight with Blutooth apps and self generated reports/mode switching? I am old school and have absolutely no interest in pairing/managing a tooth brush via a smart app/phone.

TG
Tami G
January 23, 2024

Here is a question. I bought a pack of 4 Gentle io brush heads for my io 5 and use super sensitive mode. Yet I've seen different icons on the brush head. All 4 said Gentle and were in the same package yet I got 1 with a diamond (not like a ring 💎 but just one of these and another had 3 squiggly lines on it. I don't know what these mean and cannot find anything about this online. Maybe you have some insight to this? Please and thank you!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
January 24, 2024

Hi Tami. There icons are the newere equivilant to colored rings Oral-B used to use on brush heads. These are used to identify whose brush head is whose. Say for example in a couple one partner uses the brush head with a diamond, the other person uses the one with the 3 squiggly lines. Ultimately it is just a way of differentiating between them.

TG
Tami G
January 24, 2024

Ahhh thank you! Since it's just me in my household, I didn't know why those were there haha

N
Natalie
October 9, 2023

I recently bought an Oral B IO Series 3 toothbrush but cannot figure out how to know which cleaning mode is on. There are no icons on the brush and because the brush stays in the last mode used, I can't rely on a set order that it restarts at each time I turn it on. Anything you know of that can help me? Thank you!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 10, 2023

I am afraid there is nothing we can offer to help. The only way is to learn the modes based on sound and feel. It's frustrating but the reality of the situation.

k
kenzie
February 18, 2023

I’m confused about the intention of the gum care mode. Since it lasts for a full 2 minutes, are you supposed to use it to brush your teeth and gums as you would normally, or should you use it like the tongue cleaner? That is, focus exclusively on your gums AFTER you’ve used your normal mode on your teeth? Also is there a way to change the timing on the 3 minute (deep clean?) mode so that you have six 30 second intervals? I prefer to brush the front of all my bottom teeth, then the biting surfaces, then the insides, and finally repeat on the top. This doesn’t really follow the quadrant idea that the timer is based on. Thanks in advance for the help, this article has already been super useful! :)

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 20, 2023

Hey. So, as far as we are aware, you use the gum care mode normally just like you would any other mode, to clean the teeth and gums at the same time. So you use it twice a day for the regular toothbrushing. It is just a slower and more gentle option. There is nothing really stopping you using it to focus purely on the gums as an additional mode like you might do with a tongue cleaner. This might be something you want to use once a day or every few days for a period of time to help improve gum health. But once improvements have been made there is little need to do this regularly. Whilst some models (smart models such as some of the iO Series brushes) offer options to customize the cleaning times, few models allow specific customization of cleaning modes. That said, those changes are usually to the total brushing time and there is no option to take pacing from quadrant (4) to sextant (6) pacing that I know of.

LK
Lonnie Klein
October 31, 2022

I have a Oral B smart clean 360 from COSTCO probably a special model does not stop after 2 minuets and no icons how many pushes to get it to stop after 2 minuets , great site lots of information .

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
November 1, 2022

Press and hold the power button for approximately 2 seconds. This is the best way to turn the brush off. Alternatively, the number of presses depends on what mode you have selected. If you turned the brush on (1 press) and use this mode, if you press it 3 more times it will turn the brush off. If you pressed the power button (1 press) and then again (2 press) to use this second cleaning mode, you need to press the power button a further 2 times to turn it off.

S
Sue
October 30, 2022

Is there a way to get an oralb or make any oralb that just rotates and not oscillates?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 31, 2022

Not that I know of Sue.

K
Kevin
October 8, 2022

What does switched or unswitched Yes or no option Mean on oral b io7

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 9, 2022

It is probably referring to your brush head. Did it come up with a warning that the head needs replacement because the bristles are worn? You may have gotten a picture of a brush head on the handles screen before this message.

s
stella
August 11, 2022

Why does my recently purchased series 4 that cost £90.00 showing on the box 4 smart modes, but it does not display anything on the toothbrush-how do i know what mode i am using?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
August 12, 2022

Is this the iO Series 4? If so, this is correct, it has no icons on the brush handle to show the modes selected.

AD
Arnette Davis
June 15, 2022

What is the little oblong 'window' on the side of the replacement head for? Does it tell you when the brush head needs to be changed? Can't find the answer to this on any site. Thank you

P
Pavel
May 8, 2023

The brush works on the principle of a piston, the hole is used for free air flow.

P
Pavel
May 8, 2023

The brush works on the principle of a piston, the hole is apparently used for free air extraction.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
June 17, 2022

Hi Arnette. I don't know the exact purpose or reason for it. Usually, you can see a small metal spring like piece through it which makes up part of the mechanism to move the brush head. It does not act a s a reminder or visual indicator as to when to replace the head.

AD
Arnette Davis
June 17, 2022

Thank you so much. I DID think it was a 'reminder' which (at this advanced age) is often useful!! I'll stop using up mental energy on this thanks to you! Regards, Arnette

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
June 17, 2022

The bristles do usually fade to act as a reminder. We explain more here.

S
Scott
April 8, 2022

Whoa! Thanks for all this. I've been frustrated by the lack of documentation for my IO brush, and this was really helpful.

RQ
RONALD QUINTAL
November 19, 2021

What is the symbol between the tongue mode and the battery icon?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
November 19, 2021

Bluetooth. This is to show those handles that have Bluetooth to be able to connect to a smartphone.

TD
Tim Dejong
November 18, 2021

Hi Jon, what do the emoj's mean? They make me feel guilty. Rgds, Tim

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
November 19, 2021

Hi Tim. I am presuming you have the Oral-B iO electric toothbrush that is displaying emojis on the display on the brush handle? If so, they are designed to act as a bit of an indicator to your brushing. Brush for only 30 seconds and you are going to get a sad face. Brush for over 2 minutes and you will get a happy face with stary eyes because you have brushed for the right amount of time.

B
Barbara
February 17, 2021

How do I set up a reminder to floss after cleaning my teeth! I have a Genius 900

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 18, 2021

Hi Barbara. I am not aware of a way to get a specific reminder. But if you brush with the app in real-time. When you finish the brushing session, on screen you will get your brushing data. Scroll down and there are 3 tick boxes. One of those is 'flossed' so this is sort of like a reminder. I hope that helps.

B
Barbara
February 18, 2021

I’ll try and find it next time thank you.

MA
Marcia Argyris
February 1, 2021

I have a second Braun electric toothbrush that is not charging. Is there anything I can do to fix it? Many thanks!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 2, 2021

If it within warranty, you can get it serviced by Oral-B as explained here. If not, you may still be able to send it in for repair, but it may cost. Best to speak to Oral-B.

MA
Marcia Argyris
February 1, 2021

I clean my Oral B electric toothbrush often but I cannot seem to eliminate the buildup on the base. I scrub that but the gunk still returns. Is it possible I need to clean inside the main unit? I cannot figure out how to open it from the bottom. Is that even possible? Many thanks!!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 2, 2021

Hi Marcia. When you say base, do you mean the very bottom of the brush handle or the bottom of the brush head where it attaches to the handle?

MA
Marcia Argyris
February 2, 2021

Jon - thank you for your prompt reply!! I was referring to the Very bottom of brush head. It looks like it might open but I have been unable to figure it out.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 2, 2021

Hi Marcia. I generally find a rinse under warm water and a quick wipe does the job. You may find this article helpful too: https://www.electricteeth.com/clean-electric-toothbrush-base-handle-heads/ Not sure what you mean about it might be open?

S
Sami
December 1, 2020

I just got the Oral B IO series 7 toothbrush from Costco. The mode seems to be stuck on daily clean. How do I transition through the different modes on the brush? The Oral B app shows the modes to be locked. How do I unlock the different modes?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
December 1, 2020

Hi Sami. Did you set up a journey/specific programm in the app for example whiter teeth or fresh breath? If so this is what has likely locked the modes. If you go into the app, change the journey for example by disabling it, the modes should be made available again.

S
Sami
December 1, 2020

Hi Jon Yes. I had set up one of the challenges and once I ended that journey the modes were switched back on. Thanks for the prompt help 👍

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
December 1, 2020

Great. Please you got it sorted.

BH
BRADLEY HAGGERTY
October 12, 2020

Can I turn Off the quadrant timer on the io 9 series?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 12, 2020

No Bradley, I am not aware of any way of doing this.

C
Connie
October 4, 2020

Enjoyed the video! You talk about using the 'correct technique' for brushing but I didn't see the explanation. Does it depend on the mode? Thanks!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 4, 2020

Hi Connie. The mode doesn't have any bearing on the technique. Please do check out this video which explains the technique for you.

JR
John Riesen
July 21, 2020

How do I set modes in the new 10.0.2 Oral-B app? In the previous app I had my toothbrush set to switch directly from general clean to tongue clean with one click. These are the only two modes I use and it was very convenient. My toothbrush is SmartSeries White 7000.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
July 21, 2020

Hi John. Can you clarify the app version? The lastest version as far as I am aware is 8.0.2 or possibly 8.0.3. If your version is the same, open the app>more>Your brush>Handle and you should see the options there.

P
Pete
May 26, 2020

Have the Genius Pro 8000. The timer for the Professional clean has somehow changed to 20 seconds, and not the 30 seconds per quadrant. Have tried resetting to factory default by holding the mode and power buttons for w few seonds while on, and off the changing stand. Still 20 seconds. Any way to get it back to 30 seconds? I've had the unit for about 1 month, and this started last week.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
May 26, 2020

Hi Pete. Have you connected the brush to your smartphone via the app? If so do you recall setting any particular cleaning modes/journeys within the app?

D
Dennis
April 13, 2020

I hoped to learn how to change from one mode to another. I am sure it is mentioned somewhere in the verbiage but my two runs through missed it.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
April 14, 2020

Hi Dennis. It depends on the brush you have. To change the mode, you either press the power button multiple times. I.E once to turn it on and activate daily clean mode, then press a second time to activate sensitive mode for example. Alternatively, if your brush has a dedicated cleaning mode button. This is usually smaller than the power button and has a downward facing arrow on it, you will press this button once the brush it turned on to change the mode.

J
Joanna
January 31, 2020

Hello, I love my Oral-B, but my quad pacer suddenly is gone. I must have pressed some button and now I cannot reactivate it. What do I do?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
February 1, 2020

Hi Joanna. Do you know which model you have? Does it connect to a smartphone? If so, have you recently made any changes in the app?

K
Kristen
December 24, 2019

In most of the modes other than daily clean on the 8000, the oscillations seem to "wind up" over two second intervals. Is this normal?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
December 28, 2019

Hi Kristen. I think what you describe is normal, although I would suggest it takes less than 2 seconds. It is hard to say for sure when I can't see/hear what you are referring to, in comparison to what I have. As you power the brush on, the motor begins working. It gets to full power very quickly in my opinion and I wouldn't suggest it really 'winds up' but I would say it starts very slightly slower, before getting up to speed, but this is a very quick process.

LL
Lauren Losper
December 10, 2019

Hi Jon my tongue cleaning mode is wanting me to do the same amount of time of normal brushing like 2-3 minutes...what am I doing wrong? Is it because I have my app on the position detection that it’s picking up those quadrants? Help

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
December 11, 2019

Hi Lauren. What model of Oral-B toothbrush do you have? What is the brush doing at 20 seconds? Oral-B brushes (in any mode) continue to run past the suggested amount of time, you have to turn them off manually. I have just tested an Oral-B Genius X and at 20 seconds the smart ring flashes to indicate the end of the clean, but the brush continues to run. What is yours doing?

C
Connor
December 5, 2019

I need to know how to switch the modes. Not explain what modes do what.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
December 6, 2019

Hi Connor. How you switch between modes depends on the Oral-B toothbrush you have. If you have just a single power button on the toothbrush you change modes by pressing the power button to turn the brush on, then pressing the button again to move to the next mode. You can continue to press the power button to go through the modes available on the brush. The number of modes depends on the brush handle you have. If you go through all the cleaning modes, the last press of the power button will turn the brush off. Alternatively, if you have a second button with a downwards facing arrow (known as the cleaning mode button) then you press that to change the modes, after having pressed the separate power button to turn the brush on. If you have this second button, you can keep pressing it to cycle through the different modes. I hope this helps. If you need more assistance, please let me know.

s
skp
September 10, 2019

Hi. Which model has the 2600 oscillations in Gum Care? Which model has the slowest oscillation in any mode? Thanks.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
September 10, 2019

The 2600 is the lowest speed the brush will operate at during the gum care mode. The brush will vary the speed. I don't think there is a brush that operates at just 2,600 oscillations in gum care mode. The slowest brush is the Oral-B Vitality or Pro 500.

D
Dee
June 11, 2019

My patient has an electric toothbrush. When you turn the power on, it will Vibrate three times and then stops. I’ve change the bristles into new ones it’s still having the same problem

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
June 12, 2019

Sounds like the brush is faulty and needs repair.

L
Largo
June 4, 2019

Hi, I just see that the page was updated. 3 comments: A. Rotation/pulsation/oscillation I think we can (should?) remove the term "rotation". Oral-b doesn't provide any figure or meaning. I've always suspected "Rotation" is exactly the same as "Oscillation". Oral-B website has a knack for throwing a lot of marketing BS to impress. B. highest speed You mentioned the extra higher speeds: Oscillations: 10,500 Pulsation: 48,000 You write that these speeds are available on higher-end models. I believe that's mostly right. When I read you, I should understand that the higher end model features these extra higher speeds as standard (=Daily cleaning). But I have a different understanding: these higher speeds are only available on the pro-clean mode. This mode is indeed only available on the models that you listed (I shall add the 5000). one of my toothbrushes (a 6000N bought in 01/2019) has a noticeable higher speed when I switch from Daily cleaning (aka 8800/40000) to Deep-Clean (aka 10500/48000). I also have 2000 and 3000 models. I have a very strong feeling that the 2000, 3000 and the 6000 have the same speeds in Daily cleaning: 8800/40000. Any thoughts? C. cleaning mode labels I believe there is really only 2 scenarios where several cleaning modes are usable: 1. the toothbrush has only 2 modes. 2. the toothbrush has any number of modes but has a dedicated symbol Therefore the 5000 series should be avoided and the 4000 series is barely manageable. 5000 has 5 modes, good luck without any symbol!

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
June 5, 2019

Hi Largo. Thanks for the comments. Seeing as Oral-B reference their cleaning action as rotating-oscillating and pulsations, we will stick to this for consistency. As far as I am aware our speeds and number of movements are correct as per previous communication with Oral-B. Happy to update if there is clear information to show what we have provided is incorrect.

J
Julie
April 28, 2019

Hi Not of all my icons light up on the 8000 as I scroll they them. Brand new brush....defective?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
April 28, 2019

Hi Julie. Have you connected the Genius Pro 8000 to your smartphone already? If so, it might be you have set up a specific journey within the app that focuses on teeth whitening or gum health for example. In some cases, this causes certain modes to be disabled and therefore the icons do not light up on the brush handle, as the mode has been disabled as a result of the app being configured in a certain way. Do you think this might be the case? If not, you can reset the handle via the app, which is worth trying to see if it resolves the problem. If this does not work, it may well be defective.

SP
Sheana Peterson
March 10, 2019

Wtf does the symbols mean? How about put a picture and what it is or does. The app does NOT help and apparently GOOGLE doesn't know. How about you lazy ass hats tell us! Picture and what it does..that's all we care about. Keep It Simple!!

JL
Jimmy Lim
October 5, 2019

I just got a 8000 to replace my previous 7000 smart series. However the 8000 pro clean is always at 2 min. And not 3 min. I dont seems to find a way to set just the pro clean timer. Can you advise?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
March 10, 2019

Hi Sheena, I agree that Oral-B don't make it particularly clear what mode is what by using icons. The following image shows you what icons relate to what cleaning mode. Cleaning Mode Icons

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