Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
A fantastic electric toothbrush that has some advantages over it’s nearest competitor the Oral-B Smart 4 4000. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with an upgraded lithium ion battery, a travel case and a charging station that holds 4 brush heads.
Overall
N.B. If you would like to find out my recommended list of electric toothbrushes please click here.
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000
1) Features – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
Handle
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 has a slimline handle which comes in a white gloss finish. On the front of the electric toothbrush handle is a large easy to press on/off switch and a battery indicator light. The on/off switch is ergonomic and well made. Pressing it multiple times allows you to change the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 cleaning mode. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with 5 cleaning modes compared to the Oral-B Smart 4 4000 which only comes with only 3 cleaning modes.
On the back of the handle is a rubberized textured grip which allows the electric toothbrush to be held even when wet. Also on the back is a red visible pressure sensor, which flashes red every time you press too firmly with the electric toothbrush. When brushing your teeth, you should be aiming for around 150 grams of pressure which is about the weight of an orange. If you press more firmly than this, you are at risk of causing unnecessary tooth wear to your teeth. On top of having a visible pressure sensor, the Oral-B electric toothbrush motor will automatically. slow down the harder you press. This is is to protect your teeth from pressing too firmly.
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 handle is waterproof so it can be used in the shower. It also means that the electric toothbrush handle can be washed under the tap.
Quadpacer 2 minute timer
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with a 2 minute quadpacer timer which is a handy on handle timer that “buzzes” the brush head every 30 seconds letting you know when you should change area of your mouth. It also double “buzzes” to let you know when to stop brushing your teeth. This is after 2 minutes has passed.
Bluetooth Connectivity
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with bluetooth connectivity as standard. This allows you to connect it to your smartphone via the the Oral-B App. The Oral-B app allows you to is to:
- Track the number of minutes that you have been brushing
- See how long you have been pressing too hard on the brush
- Check when you have been brushing.
- Provide tips on how to brush your teeth better known as smart coaching
The Oral-B app is available for both Iphone and Android smartphone users and I think it is a fantastic feature to help you clean your teeth more thoroughly.
Smartphone stand
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with a smartphone stand, that keeps your phone upright whilst brushing your teeth. The smartphone holder looks like a white hockey puck with a stand on it. It should fit most reasonably sized smartphones and is really useful in combination with the Bluetooth connectivity.
2) Mechanism of action – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
Oscillating Rotating
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 uses the 3D action oscillating rotating method of cleaning. I particularly like the Oral-B oscillating rotating method of cleaning as it has evidence that it cleans better than a manual toothbrush. Also Cochrane compared the efficacy of oscillating rotating electric toothbrushes like Oral-B to Sonic Electric toothbrushes like Phillips and found that the oscillating rotating cleaned better.
Brush Heads
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with 3 x brush heads:
- 1 x CrossAction Brush Head
- A 3D White Brush Head
- 1 x Sensitive Brush Head
This allows you to try quite a few different brush heads. My personal favourite is the CrossAction because of the 16 degree angulation of the bristles. This allows it to clean efffectively along the gum margins. If you want to find out my list of recommended brush heads click here.
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 is compatible with a whole range of Oral-B brush heads including:
- CrossAction Brush Head
- Precision Clean Brush Head
- Sensitive Brush Head
- 3D White Brush Head
- Dual Clean Brush Head
- Ortho Essentials Brush Head
- Trizone Brush Head
- FlossAction Brush Head
Cleaning Modes
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with 5 cleaning modes as standard. This is surprisingly the same number of cleaning modes as the more expensive Oral-B Genius 8000. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 has daily clean mode, Gum Care Mode, Pro-Clean, Sensitive and whitening mode. Out of the five modes, my favourite two modes would have to be daily clean and sensitive mode. Daily clean is a 2 minute cleaning mode that oscillates at 8,800 per minute and 40,000 pulsations per minute. Sensitive mode is a reduced power mode which is great for people who have sensitive teeth or regularly press too firmly with their toothbrush.
3) Battery Life – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 features the new upgraded lithium ion battery which now lasts for up to 2 weeks. This does not mean that it lasts for 2 weeks of continuous use rather it lasts for 56 minutes which is 2 minutes of brushing, twice a day for two minutes. This is a vast improvement over the previous model the Oral-B SmartSeries 5000 whose nickel hydride battery only lasted for up to 1 week.
Charging station
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with a fantastic charging station, that not only charges the electric toothbrush handle upright but also stores up to four brush heads. This is really useful if you share the electric toothbrush handle between a few people. It is also useful if you have different types of brush heads that need to be kept separate.
Unless you have a shaving plug in your bathroom, you will need to get a 2 pin to 3 pin adapter, if you are in the UK. This can be picked up from any hardware store, most supermarkets or Amazon.
4) Portability – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 is quite lightweight and very portable. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 handle weighs around 123g on it’s own, so will not take up a great deal of weight when travelling. The other plus point of the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 over the Oral-B Smart 4 4000 is that it comes with a travel case. The travel case is not as premium as the one that comes with the Oral-B Genius 8000 or 9000 however it does a good job of protecting the electric toothbrush handle. The travel case is similar to the one featured on the cheaper Oral-B Pro 2 2500. On top of holding the electric toothbrush handle, it also holds two brush heads.
5) Value for money – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
Price
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Warranty
As with all Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes, the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 comes with a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty. This can be extended to 3 years by visiting the Oral-B website and registering your product.
Running Costs
The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 will last at least 3 years because of the manufacturer’s warranty. This gives a total average running cost of £2 per day and this is the worst case scenario. I have had my Oral-B electric toothbrush for 5+ years and it is still going strong. On top of this, you will only need to factor in the cost of water and electricity and the cost of replacing brush heads. These costs are minimal as brush heads are generally around £2 and will last 3 months. This works out to be less than a £1 a month.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What is the best electric toothbrush?
I would highly recommend you taking a look at my post on the best electric toothbrushes.
Is the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 waterproof?
Yes this electric toothbrush is waterproof and can be used in the shower if you so wish.
How do you change cleaning modes on the Oral-B Smart 5 5000?
You change cleaning modes by clicking the on/off button multiple times. Unfortunately on this electric toothbrush does not have icons on it so you have to remember the order of the cleaning modes. Eventually you will get used to this but it is annoying having to cycle through 5 cleaning modes each time.
Is the Oral-B Smart 4 4000 suitable for children?
The Oral-B Smart 4 4000 has not been designed specifically for children. There are better electric toothbrushes for children on the market. I would recommend you clicking here if you want a children’s electric toothbrush.
Would you recommend the Oral-B Smart 4 4000 or the Oral-B Smart 5 5000?
I rated the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 slightly higher than the Oral-B Smart 4 4000. The reasons for this is the travel case, the higher number of cleaning modes and the improved charging station. Every purchase will always be a balancing act between features and price. I would personally buy the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 however the ultimate decision is up to you.
Is the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 noisy?
Not really however it depends what you have used in the past. If you have come from using a manual toothbrush, you will find any electric toothbrush noisier. You will get used to this over time.
Is it safe to use the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 with dental restorations/crowns/bridges/implants?
Yes it is safe to use this electric toothbrush on dental restorations, crowns, bridges and implants. If any of these fail when you are brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush, it was likely already previously damaged and not related to the electric toothbrush.
Summary – Oral-B Smart 5 5000 Electric Toothbrush Review
Oral-B always make good electric toothbrushes, this one is no exception. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 balances some great features whilst still being fairly good value for money. Yes it is on the higher price side of the electric toothbrush market however it comes rammed with features and in my view, is well worth the money.
