Oral-B iO5 Review

How the iO5 looks, feels and works

The retail packaging doesn’t affect your use of the iO5, but I do feel it is worth a mention.

The cardboard box, complete with a cardboard inner has a very typical Oral-B design to it. It is fairly consistent with other models. However, there has been a real improvement in the amount of information printed on it.

In the past, it would state 5 cleaning modes, but never say what they were. Now, these are clearly identified. Other features are highlighted and explained too.

Somewhat disappointing is the fact that the travel case is wrapped in a plastic sleeve. It must be to protect it from damage, but it probably doesn’t need to be.

A stylish toothbrush handle that is easy to keep clean

Like the other iO brush handles, the iO5 sports a sleek, clean and premium look, which I like.

The handle has a rounded design, with no harsh edges.

It is the same shape, size and weight (for the most part) as the other iO handles. The big difference is that there is no LED display built into the handle as the more premium models do.

Instead, you have 2 buttons placed inside an elliptical rubber grip. One at the top and one at the bottom.

Between them are icons, which get backlit when a particular cleaning mode is selected. 

The grip color is black on both variants and does of course stand out more on the white handle.

The upper button is the power switch that turns the brush on and off. It has a power icon within it. It has a concave design, so it is easily picked up by the fingertip.

The lower one is the mode button that you use to change between the 5 cleaning modes. It has a solid circle in the middle that lights up as part of the brush head replacement reminder system.

The rubber grip is functional and helps retain a secure hold of the brush in hand.

The iO Series are not as grippy to the touch as models like the Vitality and Genius. But, I can’t say they feel very slippery to the touch. The finish to the plastic is resistive.

The benefit is the handle looks sleek and is a little easier to keep clean compared to those with more extensive rubber/silicone grips. The contours in the grips are known for catching toothpaste residue.

The iO5 feels good quality and is durable

Although of plastic construction rather than metal, like the SURI toothbrush for example, the iO5 does still feel solid and durable in hand.

Having been making toothbrushes for many years, Oral-B knows what works.

Aside from the aforementioned buttons and cleaning mode icons, you will also find a printed Bluetooth icon along with the Oral-B iO logos in the bottom half of the handle.

The back and sides of the handle are free from any notable ports or controls.

There is no raised plastic nodule on the back of the handle to stop it from rolling about. But when laid flat it tends only to wobble a bit, rather than roll, due to the weight and shape of the handle.

The iO5 will stand upright on a flat surface, when not on the charging stand.

It’s water resistant, but not submergible

Most toothbrushes, including the Series 5 are designed to withstand the rigors of twice daily use.

Water, wet hands, toothpaste and saliva are all in store for your handle. 

Whilst I don’t suggest trying to submerge the iO5 unnecessarily, the handle is water resistant so a good rinse under the faucet and even use in the shower are perfectly acceptable things to do.

5 different cleaning modes for the iO5

The iO5 has no fewer than 5 different cleaning or brushing modes available.

This is 3 or 4 more than you actually need, but the choice is there if you so desire.

The modes you get are:

• Daily Clean
• Sensitive
• Super Sensitive
• Whitening
• Intense

To change between each, you press the lower of the 2 buttons on the front of the brush handle.

You can continue to cycle through the modes until you get to the one that you want.

The brush will remain set to the chosen cleaning mode during your brushing session. However, come the next session it will reset to the default daily clean mode. It does not remember or stay set on the last mode used.

So, for example, if you want to use super sensitive mode, every time you use the toothbrush you need to press the power button once to turn it on and a further 2 times to change to the super sensitive mode.

Alternatively, you can change the mode prior to turning the brush on. Thus, 2 presses of the mode button and then a press of the power button.

There is a way around this though. Connect the brush to the app and you can change the order of the modes. So, you can make Super Sensitive the first and default mode if you so wish. 

Or if you wish you can actually disable specific modes altogether.

I mention not needing the extra modes. Whilst choice is nice, Daily Clean is the best mode to use for most people, and the Sensitive modes can be beneficial if you want a less intense cleaning action. But, modes like whitening and intense don’t provide any significant benefit to you.

If you want to learn more about the different brushing modes on Oral-B handles, do check out our guide to Oral-B cleaning modes.

The cleaning mode icons are a bit confusing

As you switch between the modes, different icons on the handle will be backlit. This is to make it clear to you which mode you are selecting.

Perhaps I am being picky, but I think the icons used are more complicated than they need to be.

The icons are as follows:

• Tooth
• Plus (+)
• Feather
• Plus (+)
• Diamond

The default order of the brushing modes are:

• Daily Clean
• Sensitive
• Super Sensitive
• Whitening
• Intense

The icons that light up for each mode are:

• Daily Clean – Tooth
• Sensitive – Feather
• Super Sensitive – Feather and the Plus (+) icon beneath the feather
• Whitening – Diamond
• Intense – Tooth and the Plus (+) icon beneath the tooth

I see the logic behind this approach.

But couldn’t the Intense mode have a tooth icon with a + on it as per the icon on the side of the box, rather than lighting up 2 different icons on the handle?

Using the name of the mode is simpler, rather than icons. There is less opportunity for confusion. That is how Philips Sonicare does it.

To be fair to Oral-B, if you pick instead their iO6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, the display in the handle shows an icon and a name label.

If you are using the smartphone app in real-time as you brush the app will tell you which mode you are using on-screen.

The timer and pacer help you to brush for the right amount of time

An essential feature of any good toothbrush is a 2 minute timer and pacer. The iO5 has these.

As the brush is turned on the pacer and timer are activated.

At 30 second intervals the pacer kicks in. You will note a pause in the bristle motion, a change in sound and brushing sensation and a vibration in the handle. This is your cue to move from one section of the mouth to another.

This then repeats every 30 seconds, until the brush gets to 120 seconds (2 minutes).

The idea is that you break the mouth up into 4 sections: 

• upper right
• upper left
• lower right 
• lower left

You spend 30 seconds cleaning each section. As you do, you try to give equal attention to the front, back and biting surfaces of the teeth. 

If you do, come the 120 seconds of brushing time, you should have achieved an even clean to the teeth and gums.

You will need to press the power button to turn the toothbrush off, as it does not power off automatically as some other brushes do. Well, it would if you left the brush running for 5 minutes, but I don’t recommend doing so.

As you power the brush off at the end of a 2 minute cleaning cycle, the light ring will run through a series of colors in a rainbow like display as confirmation you have achieved the recommended brushing time.

Around the world, dental professionals are in almost unanimous agreement that you should be brushing your teeth twice a day 2 minutes at a time. And cleaning in between the teeth at least once a day.

The reality is far too few do, with the average brushing time being just 45-70 seconds in total per day.

If you are guilty of this, you are putting your oral health at risk.

The smart pressure sensor alerts you when you brush with the correct or incorrect amount of pressure

This is probably one of the best pressure sensor implementations in any electric toothbrush on the market today. 

Around the neck of the brush handle is a light ring that changes color depending on the pressure applied.

The colors and what they mean are as follows:

• White  – Low pressure – not enough force is being applied. This is the default setting.
• Green – The right amount of pressure is being used.
• Red – High or excessive pressure is being applied and the force should be reduced.

As best as possible you want the light ring to be lit green for the entirety of the brushing session.

It is worth noting that the white light can be customized to an alternative color via the smartphone app.

Too much pressure can damage the teeth and gums. As such when the red light is active, in the daily clean, intense and sensitive modes the number of brush head movements will be reduced until the pressure is relieved.

If using the smartphone application when brushing you will be alerted via the on-screen graphics only when too much force is being applied.

The sound of the brush handle does differ very slightly when excessive force is being used. It does not alter the vibration pattern felt via the handle, like Sonicare brushes do.

This smart sensor isn’t exclusive to the iO5. It is available on all Oral-B iO series handles.

The iO’s motor is quieter

When the iO Series was introduced, so too was a new motor.

Different from motors used in other models, the brushless magnetic drive system used exclusively in the iO Series results in a slightly different, albeit similar cleaning experience.

The motor used in the iO5 is the same as all other iO models.

But another benefit is that the brush is quieter in operation, with a different pitch to the sound. Some other brushes are really quite loud. 

The iO5 operates at approximately 64 decibels.

To see how this compares to other models, see our post on the quietest electric toothbrush.

The cleaning results are pleasing

Simply put when using the iO5, my teeth felt lovely and clean after each use.

I can’t fault how it cleaned. 

I enjoy the invigorating clean you get from the Oral-B oscillating and rotating brush head. It feels like a deeper clean, in my opinion, compared to sonic toothbrushes.

Compared to the motor in the Smart 3000, Vitality, and Genius X for example, the sensation of the brushing is different.

It is hard to describe exactly, but it is softer and a little less intense but retains that satisfying deep clean feeling.

The round brush heads still move back and forth in a circular motion like other Oral-B brushes. This is one part of the cleaning action. Another is what is known as micro vibrations that help to ensure the best possible results.

Oral-B has posted impressive clinical results with their iO brushes and there is plenty of additional data from independent third parties that confirm how good the plaque removal is for an Oral-B toothbrush.

When it comes to dental advice and information on how to take care of your teeth, the American Dental Association (ADA) is one of the leading bodies.

Therefore you gain extra peace of mind and reassurance in knowing that the iO4 has achieved the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance.

The association awards products this seal when they are proven to be safe and when they have shown efficacy in removing plaque and helping prevent and reduce gingivitis. 

iO5 brush heads are different to most other Oral-B electric toothbrushes

One of the benefits of an electric toothbrush are the replaceable brush heads.

The iO5 is no exception.

You can easily replace a head, by pulling it off the handle and pushing a new one on.

You want to be doing this every 3 months to get the best cleaning results.

But, one thing you need to be aware of is that the iO5 has iO Series specific brush heads.

This means only heads designed for the iO family of electric toothbrushes will fit and work with the iO5.

Oral-B’s brush heads that fit the Vitality, Pro 1000, and Smart Series don’t fit.

This is annoying for existing Oral-B brush owners that might be upgrading and have spare brush heads.

But, perhaps the most galling part is that the iO heads are much more expensive. About twice the price. Expect to pay around $12 per head rather than around $5.

The iO5 comes supplied with 1 x Ultimate Clean brush head, which provides a very satisfying clean.

It has slightly firmer bristles that are angled at 16 degrees to effectively remove plaque from the teeth and along the gumline.

It is not the only style of head available though.

You can choose between:

• Ultimate Clean
• Gentle Care
• Radiant White
• Specialized Clean

The ultimate clean and gentle care are our top choices. 

You can choose the one you prefer, you don’t have to stick with the style that comes included in the box.

You can learn more about the specific differences between each head and why we select each by reading our Oral-B brush heads article.

Be reminded when it is time to replace your brush head

Like a manual toothbrush you should be replacing the iO5’s head on average every 3 months. This is because the bristles on a head become worn and clean less effectively.

If the bristles are splayed or heavily worn before achieving 3 months of use, replace the head sooner.

To help you change the head at the ideal time, rather than having to remember, the mode button on the handle will light up with a yellow/orange light once the usage time has passed. It will also vibrate the handle.

The combination of light and vibration is your reminder to replace the head.

Once you have replaced the head, you need to reset the brush head replacement reminder. To do this, press the mode button for 2 seconds. A vibration and illumination confirm the reset.

If you don’t replace the head and no action is taken, an automatic reset happens after several days.

It is possible to customize the brush head replacement settings from the smartphone app.

The app will remind you if you use this.

It is a neat feature that will be beneficial for some.

I can see the reminder annoying some users, albeit the intention behind it is good. 

I am a little concerned that it turns itself off automatically after a few days. Doesn’t it defeat the point? 

But I suppose this is the happy medium to suit all users.

Connect the iO5 to your smartphone via Bluetooth

Making the iO5 a little different to other brushes is the fact that it has Bluetooth connectivity.

It is what some might call a ‘smart toothbrush’.

As a general rule, we don’t recommend smart brushes. This is because you don’t need them to achieve a good clean. 

Not to mention they use more resources and can be more expensive.

Nonetheless, you have the option to pair the iO5 to an iOS or Android device.

The free app available from the marketplaces allows you to customize your brush and log your brushing habits.

Changes and improvements are being made all of the time, but you can customize the order of the cleaning modes, set specific oral care journeys, change the color of the light ring and track how long you have been using a particular brush head.

You will be able to see which cleaning mode you have selected. The screen will change when you are applying too much pressure and more.

Track your brushing in real-time

One of the more unique features of this premium toothbrush is the ability to track the position of the toothbrush in the mouth. 

Sensors in the handle relay the orientation of the brush back to the app in real-time, which turns the data into on-screen visuals.

The idea being it helps you to learn what areas of the mouth you are and are not brushing well, so that you can take corrective action, either immediately or the next time you brush.

Based on how well you brush, you are given a score.

This score, along with other bits of brushing data is presented in a dashboard that you can take learnings from.

The app looks to build up an average score and understanding of your habits, but you can drill down into individual brushing sessions.

Even if you use the brush at times without the app, the handle will store some of the data and sync this with the app next time.

Without getting into too much minute detail, the whole system is very clever. Conceptually it is a very good idea and with serious commitment, some will gain a real benefit.

But a few of the sticking points are as follows:

1. You need to be committed to making improvements

To get the improvements you want or the app encourages you need to really work hard at making the necessary changes. Essentially you have to be prepared to correct your mistakes. If you do, this should benefit your oral health.

Ideally, you want to have your phone with you each time you brush, which isn’t something everyone will want to do.

2. The tracking isn’t that accurate – 6 zones rather than 16

The tracking works, but it isn’t perfect. 

Some sessions it seems better than others, but I will often have the app registering a different zone to the one I am actually brushing. There can be a noticeable lag/delay in the visuals.

The app shows the on-screen visuals based on 6 zones (upper right rear, upper front, upper left rear, lower right rear, lower front and lower left rear) compared to the 16 zones (all the tooth surfaces)  that are tracked on the iO9 for example.

Tracking 16 zones is more accurate and meaningful than 6. You might always be failing to brush the inside surfaces in a particular zone. But, you wouldn’t know this as the 6 zone tracking isn’t as specific.

It’s not a massive issue, but the pacer on the iO5 is set to 4 quadrants, yet the app is set to 6 zones. Thus a 20 second (sextant) pacer might be more useful to encourage even brushing in the ones being tracked.

Whilst I won’t claim to have the perfect brushing technique, I do think it is perhaps better than most. That said, even I struggle to get perfect scores all the time. Perhaps I have faults or it is partly down to the tech?

3. Once you have made the improvements, you probably won’t want to track

If you have a terrible routine and habits this brush can aid improvement. But what about when you have mastered it?

Let’s assume you have got a pretty accurate brushing score every time for the last 3 months. The motivation to use the app inevitably wears off.

Yes, you can periodically log a few sessions to ensure you are still doing the right thing, but have the value and benefit gone?

4. You can achieve similar results for a fraction of the price 

You don’t need a smart toothbrush to perfect your routine.

Yes, it could help, but you could save a lot of money by buying a more affordable toothbrush without the tech and instead learning the correct approaches from other sources.

Get personalized recommendations and tutorials from your dental hygienist or watch some of our oral care videos that show you how to brush correctly.

With a few minutes of your time and several brushing sessions where you really put into practice what you have learnt, you can achieve the same results.

Pick the color you prefer, black or white

The iO5 is available in 2 colors

• Quite White
• Matte Black

The only difference is the color of the handle, brush head and travel case.

The charging stand supplied with either is white in color.

Accessories and extras

Included in the box with the iO5 is a travel case. It is pretty basic but perfectly functional. It does the job of protecting the handle and preventing accidental activation. 

Holding the case vertically, it is hinged on the left side, opening up like a book.

It is made from lightweight molded plastic and is either black or white in color.

The ends of the case are rounded, as is the top lid. The base is flat, so it sits on a worktop.

Debossed onto the top lid is the Oral-B iO logo with a push style clip on the right side to lock the case close or to open it up.

Inside the case, it holds the brush handle and up to 2 brush heads.

There are a couple of small openings to allow for airflow so that a wet brush head can dry out whilst inside.