REVIEW: Oral-B iO6 is the smart brush that will change your brushing habits

Launched in 2021, the Oral-B iO6 can be considered the “middle sister” of the line iO of smart brushes that the company has already placed on the market. With five modes, a very intelligent smartphone app and a pressure indicator to help with brushing, is the R$1.200 investment really worth it? Check out our review!

Design

There is no denying that the visual aspect is what catches the most attention as soon as you take off the Oral-B iO6 from the box. It has an official weight of 272 grams, with a very comfortable feeling on a daily basis.

So that it is not necessary to purchase a new model after a while, the brushing refills (the famous bristles) are removable. When the bristles are attached, the brush seems too big, but it becomes much smaller when it is “disassembled”. You can also share your Oral-B toothbrush by purchasing a bristle refill for each person you live with.

There are only two buttons on the smart toothbrush: one for navigating modes and accessing settings and another for activating modes and turning on the device. Both are rubberized, which makes it easier to use while your hands are wet.

I really liked the screen which, despite not being colorful, manages to fulfill what it was developed to bring. There, you can see the modes and settings in a simplified way and in a few seconds.

Closing this topic, I would say that the design of the Oral-B iO6 It's simple but usual. I really liked that the company was concerned not only with developing a device that fits easily in the hand and is not so heavy. The rubberized buttons are another great feature that help with use while taking a shower or after finishing brushing your teeth.

Application

I can say that this is the biggest highlight for anyone who buys any of the Oral-B electric toothbrushes. Available to Android e iOS, all you need to do is create an account in less than five minutes to gain access to a complete digital tool.

The first brushing is done in an “assisted” way: you activate the smart toothbrush and the app tells you how the cleaning is being done: as the teeth are being cleaned, they turn from blue to white on the cell phone screen. See this example:

When you finish brushing, you can report whether or not your gums have bled and, if this becomes frequent, it's worth speaking to a dentist to find out why this is happening. After finishing, you get a score on the coverage of your teeth in the last brushing and, as the days go by, you can have an average to know if your teeth are being cleaned correctly.

The coolest thing about this is that the app is not extremely necessary for the brushing session to be recorded. Because you won't always have time in the morning to take your cell phone to the bathroom and do the guided session.

In the same application, you can also change the default LED color if white is not your favorite color. A goals section also helps you improve your mouth care. Are they:

• Fresh breath;
• Fight against the plate;
• Branching;
• Gum health;
• Orthodontic care.

The connection between the device and smartphones takes place via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, a technology that connects devices using location sensors within a short range of up to 50 meters. You won't connect the Oral-B iO6 electric toothbrush or any other model in this line via the Bluetooth that connects a smartwatch or headset.

Finally, I really liked that it is possible to register the initial date of use of the bristles to receive a notification after three months, the recommended period for changing the refill. Setup takes less than 5 minutes and notification will be sent on the correct date so you don't have bristles that no longer do the same job.

Brush functions

One of the functions I liked most is the pressure indicator, located just below the bristle fitting. When the smart toothbrush is activated, the operating system indicates usage: green for correct pressure, red for high pressure e white to put more pressure.

When I commented that the Oral-B iO6 electric toothbrush was the “middle sister” of the line, there is a reason: it is the successor to the iO3 and the predecessor to the iO9. Because of this, it has five brushing modes (the most complete model has seven modes). Are they:

• Gentle on gums
• Intensive cleaning
• Daily cleaning
• Sensitive
• Branching

Personally, I liked the way Gentle on gums, which rotates the bristles at medium speed and cleans without hurting the most sensitive part of the mouth. In fact, an important point: instead of making the bristles vibrate, the Oral-B iO6 smart toothbrush motor makes the bristles rotate, which provides better cleaning of the teeth and also the tongue.

Although we don't have a color display, the black and white display with a very functional system does the job of displaying information very masterfully. The feature I liked most is the numeric counter, which is “filled” up to two minutes, the time recommended by American Dental Association and many dental professionals to ensure that the mouth is cleaned thoroughly.

A vibration every 30 seconds also happens to let you know when it's time to change the area you're brushing. That's what I mentioned in the topic above: you won't always have the patience to take your cell phone to the bathroom, and having a display that shows the brushing time, as well as a vibration system that helps at this moment, makes everything even more complete.

Accessories

A Oral-B was concerned about the mobility of having to carry the device around and, in the box, sent a transport case for the iO6 made of plastic. And it was developed just to store the brush without the bristles and refill.

In the box, there is also a charger to recharge the model and four bristle refill units: two called UltimateClean, for cleaning, and two others that bear the name of ultimate care, for oral health care.

Na Amazon, a box with two bristle refill units is sold for £ 123,14. If you only use the smart toothbrush, you will need to invest around R$247 per year for “maintenance”.

Battery and charging

Due to being launched in 2021, the electric toothbrush Oral-B iO6 It is a model that could have better charging. The reason for this? For your battery to go from 0% to 100%, you need to wait twelve hours. I placed the model on the charging base at 8:30 in the morning and it took 12 hours for the battery to be at 100%.

The discrepancy in relation to the iO9 is curious, as the most recent model takes just three hours to be completely recharged, according to information from its manufacturer.

Its battery lasts well: when I used it three times a day: once in the morning, once after lunch and once before bed, it lasted for ten days. The big problem is its high loading time; So, if you need to travel and want to have your electric toothbrush to use during the days you are away from home, take the time to leave it plugged in before leaving.

The charger is a magnetic model that just charges the toothbrush, and while it's in the base, the display shows the battery percentage. When turned on, the device shows the remaining battery percentage and you can also see this in the smartphone app.

Conclusion

A Oral-B promises that your entire line iO has a useful life of ten years, which represents an annual investment of around 120 reais, considering the current price of iO6 on Amazon, R$1.200,72. Still, having access to this is for those who want and, above all, can afford a device like this. As it is a 2021 launch, the “middle sister” of the Oral-B It costs less than the iO9, which can currently be found for R$1.800.

The big question is: are you willing to pay more than minimum wage for a smart toothbrush? It's important to answer this question by considering the benefits.

There is no denying that whoever buys the model will have access to a complete device that offers a different experience than most Brazilians are used to. In fact, you will have a super device to improve your oral health, which has an integrated app that will support you to stay healthy. But you will still have to pay R$1.200 to access it.

Technical Specifications

Would you buy a model like these for your everyday life? Tell us in the comments!

See also other features

REVIEW: Oral-B Genius-X is the smart toothbrush to help with your oral hygiene

Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim