Yesterday we explored the Oral-B Vitality ProWhite as an economic choice for those just delving into the world of power toothbrushes.  We also briefly touched upon the importance of healthy gums and teeth to overal personal health and well being.  If you are like our family, and are interested in making a signficant investment in your family’s oral health the Oral-B Triumph ProfessionalCare 9900 is the top of the line rechargeable toothbrush, offering the ultimate brushing experience.

When we purchased our Oral-B Professional Care a number of years ago, it was a top of the line brush, but when I received the Triumph in the mail I was blown away by the advances Oral-B has made in increasing usability and effectiveness in their superior line of rechargeable toothbrushes.  The Triumph is actually equipped with an onboard computer and radio transmitter that communicates with the remote Smart Guide – I couldn’t believe my eyes!

There are so many features it’s hard to know where to start.  The ones I noticed first were those that were upgrades from our old Professional Care.  The toothbrush handle now displays a battery status, indicating the level of charge, there are now 4 brushing modes: clean, sensitive, massage and polish and a separate button to switch between them, the base is improved with spacious storage room for a variety of heads for a single user or heads for the entire family, and there is a carrying case!  I was delighted!  Electric toothbrushes rarely fit in a standard toothbrush holder, so this is a boon for those of us who spend time on the road.

The Smart Guide is what really takes this toothbrush to an entirely new level.  The display times the amount spent per quadrant for a professional 2 minutes per brushing, 30 seconds in each quadrant comprehensive and complete brushing.  I’m surprised at how long two minutes actually is, and when the 2 minutes is completed you are awarded with a happy face.  My children (ages 5 and 2) happily submit to the 2 minute brushing so that they can get the happy face at the end – simple rewards make all the difference.  For scattered, random brushers who have difficulties doing a thorough job, particularly young children, this feature can greatly increase their brushing effectiveness.

Yes – you read that right. My husband, my two brushing age children and myself all share one brush handle. Now before you jump to the conclusion that this must be gross and unhygienic, let me explain. The interchangeable brush heads come with colour coded, snap-on rings so that each member of the family can select their individual brush head from the storage bay on the base. An entire family can use the same handle if they don’t mind waiting their turn, making electric toothbrushes viable economically – even deluxe models like the Triumph.

Where our old Professional Care had a vibrating timer and a slight cessation of brushing power if too much pressure was exerted the Triumph displays a warning if you are pressing too hard and at risk for gum recession.  We aren’t hard scrubbers in our family, but I have known those who suffered from some gum recession due to over-vigorous brushing – this could be a real gum-saver for such individuals.  The computer also transmits information to the display relating to the total time each head has been in use, and when it’s time is up, the Smart Guide will tell you to get a new toothbrush head.  Hey – I told you this was an advanced tooth brushing machine!

On the performance side, the Triumph delivers 40,000 pulsations/minute and 8,800 oscillations/minute – can you provide that level of cleaning power with a manual brush?  I certainly can’t!  In fact Oral-B is so confident of their cleaning technology that features brushes pulsating in and out to loosen plaque and back and forth oscillations that sweep plaque away that they offer a 30 day satisfaction guarantee.  If you use the Oral-B Triumph for 30 days they guarantee you’ll notice a difference.  Full refund, no questions asked if you haven’t experienced a positive improvement.  There’s also a 2 year limited warranty in the case of a defective product.

The Triumph uses the interchangeable Oral-B replaceable brush heads and comes with a Floss Action head that is very fancy – in lay terms it has little flippers that move back and forth to get between your teeth (though it doesn’t replace flossing it does improve gum health) as well as the ProWhite heads we discussed yesterday – providing whitening and polishing within 21 days by gently removing surface stains, coffee drinks rejoice! Each brush head contains a “smartchip” that automatically selects the appropriate mode for the head, if needed you can manually switch to another mode with the mode button. Remember that there is a wide array of brush heads available to choose from in addition to those that come packaged with the Triumph.

Those new to using an electric toothbrush may experience some bleeding and gum tenderness particularly if there is an existing gingivitis problem.  Indeed, the Floss Action head can feel like it’s really doing a number on your mouth with it’s deep cleaning action. If that’s the case just gear it down to the sensitive setting and pick up some sensitive brush heads if you need to.  In a couple of weeks, with twice daily brushing your gums should be much improved and ready to handle more rigorous cleaning.

Overall, I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to upgrade to the Triumph I’m confident that there is no toothbrush on the market today that cleans as effectively and thoroughly as the Oral-B Triumph ProfessionalCare 9900 rechargeable toothbrush. I’d be tempted to say that Oral-B has reached the pinnacle of teeth cleaning technology, but I have no doubts that their teams are working on ways to further improve the daily ritual of teeth brushing in homes across the world.

To invest in a complete tooth cleaning system for your family this holiday season with the Oral-B Triumph ProfessionalCare 9900, Canadians had best run to their local drug store, Wal Mart or major grocery store. The suggested retail price is $179.99 but with some price checking you may be able to find it online for less.

For my U.S. readers, head to Amazon ASAP! The pricing there is fabulous – only $104.99 with free shipping.

Remember clean teeth are happy teeth, so have fun brushing – I know our family does! (It’s all about the smiley face!)