Hello, I am writing this review as a dentist and a user of the Oral-B iO 7 toothbrush. Overall, I value Oral-B products, but I would like to raise a few concerns that I have experienced over the past year. 1. Change in iO brush head quality and performance Over the last 12 months, it appears there has been a change in the iO brush heads. The original brush head that came with my toothbrush, and another pack that I purchased shortly after, had a blue and green colour and felt noticeably sturdier. More recent heads are dark blue and light blue and feel different in quality. I have photos of both brush heads side by side, both brand new, clearly showing the colour difference, which I am happy to share via email. More concerning is my experience with two brush heads from this newer dark blue and light blue version. Within just 2-3 uses I noticed blue colour in my saliva after spitting, and over subsequent uses the colour on the brush heads fully faded, suggesting that pigment may be leaching from the bristles. By around 4-5 uses, the bristle colour had almost completely faded, similar to how the indicator bristles are meant to look like at the three month replacement mark. These brush heads were purchased from different retailers, Priceline and Chemist Warehouse, and my family members and I experienced the same issue. This raises concerns about consistency and quality control, which is particularly troubling from a clinical perspective and for a product intended for daily oral health use. I have also tried the Gentle Care iO brush heads, as I found the new brush heads to be too rough on my gums and I started noticing very slight gingival recession despite gentle brushing. Unfortunately, I have found the Gentle Care heads quite ineffective at removing plaque. Despite using good brushing technique, my family members and I noticed that our teeth still felt “fuzzy” after brushing, with visible plaque remaining on the tooth surfaces. This has been a consistent experience across multiple users, which is disappointing given the expectations of a premium product range. 2. Battery issues with the iO 7 handle I purchased my Oral-B iO 7 approximately one year ago and have recently noticed battery problems. The toothbrush will suddenly stop during use, but when placed on the charger it shows 39 percent battery remaining. However, as soon as I remove it from the charger, it immediately drops to 0 percent. I also have video footage of this behaviour, which I would be happy to provide via email. Both of my parents have also recently purchased iO toothbrushes, and I am concerned about the same issue potentially occurring with their devices as well. 3. Discontinuation of Glide floss Lastly, I am disappointed by the change to the Glide floss. The previous PTFE or Teflon like consistency was extremely useful not only for personal use but also for many of my colleagues and myself during dental procedures, such as removing excess cement when seating crowns. It was a unique and highly effective product, and it is unfortunate that this formulation has been discontinued. As a dentist, I have long trusted and recommended Oral-B products. In fact, I have used Oral-B toothbrushes my entire life. However, it is only since switching to the iO range that I have begun to experience ongoing issues with both the handle and the brush heads, particularly around quality, consistency, battery reliability, and bristle roughness. This is disappointing for a product positioned at the premium end of the market, and I hope this feedback is taken seriously and leads to meaningful improvements.
