# Can you tell me about these newfangled Sonic Toothbrushes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616 "2012-07-27T22:44:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/1 "2012-07-27T22:44:42Z")
Sonic means Coneys, tater tots and Slushies. Wait! There’s a Sonic toothbrush now? I want to learn more. First, which brand is the front-runner and which are the copycats? Pursonic, Philips Sonicare or Oral B Pulsonic? Amazon sells all three. How does this gizmo work? You like it? Seriously, dental plaque is giving me more and more problems. I used to get yearly cleanings. Now I get them every 6 months and still have a lot of plaque. I went 9 years without a cavity and suddenly I got three in a 2 year period. Will this sonic toothbrush help? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/2 "2012-07-27T23:12:39Z")
Phillips is probably the standard. I have one, but I stopped using it due to expense of the refill brushes and switched to a Spinbrush. My hygienist noticed the difference – the Spinbrush did a better job (probably because I used it longer). The first few days, it feels _very_ weird, but once your gums toughen up a bit, it does a good job of cleaning. The best thing is the timer – it goes off after two minutes, so you don’t quit early. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/3 "2012-07-27T23:25:53Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Phillips is probably the standard. I have one, but I stopped using it due to expense of the refill brushes and switched to a Spinbrush. My hygienist noticed the difference – the Spinbrush did a better job (probably because I used it longer). > > The first few days, it feels _very_ weird, but once your gums toughen up a bit, it does a good job of cleaning. The best thing is the timer – it goes off after two minutes, so you don’t quit early. I quit early. Two minutes is a long time for brushing. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/4 "2012-07-28T05:04:37Z")
My dentist is pretty wild about the Oral B one right now. Used to be Sonicare but they like that one better. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/5 "2012-07-28T14:55:46Z")
I have had a Sonicare for a few years and I looooove it (I grew up with pretty bad teeth, and this thing has helped halt the decline of my mouth. Haven’t had a new cavity in years and my cleanings at the dentist take 15 minutes.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/6 "2012-07-28T15:00:47Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The first few days, it feels _very_ weird, but once your gums toughen up a bit, it does a good job of cleaning. The best thing is the timer – it goes off after two minutes, so you don’t quit early. I still use the Oral B electric toothbrush my grandmother got me when I was like 10. It signals after every thirty seconds so you know to switch quadrants of your mouth. Honestly, I have no business having teeth as good as I have, considering my dental hygiene. I’ve had one cavity in my life, when I was like 13. But every time I go to the dentist, they are impressed. It’s because of that toothbrush. They really do a bang-up job. ---
**Author:** ![highrollinwooded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@highrollinwooded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/highrollinwooded)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/7 "2012-07-29T02:00:51Z")
Feels weird and abrasive in the beginning…but than you get used to it and can’t imagine using a manual brush…I had to have my gums scraped at my dental visit 2 years ago…to the tune of $200.00+ dollars out of pocket…after I bought and used the brush…not any problems!! Once u try it, you will NOT go back to a manual toothbrush!! ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-these-newfangled-sonic-toothbrushes/629616/9 "2012-07-30T11:36:22Z")
Soniccare I believe was the forerunner > [@Procrustus](#): > > I quit early. Two minutes is a long time for brushing. Yes I usually take the 2 minutes if I get there as a warning that I’m brushing too much and going beyond this point may now start wearing the good stuff off 😃 (OK not really concerned about overbrushing past the 2, but yes I do use it as a upper limit time to stop for the few times I get that far)