DISCLOSURE: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Modern Mom on behalf of Oral-B and received a product sample to facilitate my review.  All opinions are my own.

I was recently asked to review the Oral-B Professional Precision 1000 Power Toothbrush.  I normally use a manual toothbrush and Colgate Optic White toothpaste when I brush my teeth.  I've only used an electric toothbrush once and didn't really care for it.  I just felt my teeth were cleaner when I brushed them myself with the manual toothbrush.  It was at least a few years ago, though, so I jumped at the chance to try another one!  Maybe things had changed.  And this was supposed to be one of the top of the line electric toothbrushes from Oral-B.  I was hoping it was better than the previous one I had tried (the Oral-B Vitality).

At my last dental check-up, they had said I had a couple cavities.  One needed a filling and the other needed a crown.  But it had also been about a year and a half since the previous check up.  I was pregnant and had had a baby in between visits and kind of put myself last when it came time to schedule a dental visit (I have three kids).  I had several dental visits between the last check up and when I received the Oral-B Professional Precision 1000 Power Toothbrush to try.  In that time I had gotten a temporary crown and then a permanent crown with temporary cement.  I had two visits to try and take the crown out and replace the cement with permanent cement, but for some reason, the dentist and her assistant could not get the crown out!  So, I've been really hesitant with brushing too hard or flossing around the crown.  I didn't want it falling out when I wouldn't be able to get to the dentist right away.


Here's a picture of what the front and back of the Oral-B Precision 1000 package looked like:

• 1 waterproof handle
• 1 Precision Clean brush head
• 1 portable SmartPlug charger

The Professional Precision 1000 features:

• Up to 5X better cleaning at the gumline vs. a regular manual toothbrush
• Dentist-Inspired Precision Clean Brush Head that surrounds each tooth for precise cleaning in hard to reach areas
• Brush head pulsates to break up plaque and oscillates and rotates to sweep plaque away
• 2 minute timer signals every 30 minutes to guide quadrant switching
• Pressure sensor stops pulsating when brushing too hard
• Indicator bristles fade half-way to indicate when to replace brush head for better cleaning
• Charge indicator lets you know when the brush is charged

It took about a day (manual indicated at least 17 hours) for the toothbrush to charge once I plugged it in.  The green charge indicator light flashes while the handle is charging.  Once it's fully charged, the indicator light stays lit for 5 seconds and then turns off.  A full charge allows about a week of regular brushing (twice a day for 2 minutes) until the handle will need charging again.

When I first used the brush, I was surprised at how powerful and LOUD the toothbrush was!  It really pulsates and vibrates a lot.  I could understand how it claims to clean up to 5 times better than a manual toothbrush at the gumline.  The brush is designed to make a short stuttering sound in 30 second intervals to signal you to switch to another quadrant.  At the end of 2 minutes, it makes a long stuttering sound but it DOES NOT turn off.  The first time I used it, I was assuming it would be like my husband's old electric toothbrush (different brand) that turned off after 2 minutes.  So when it did the long stuttering sound, I figured it was still telling me to switch quadrants.  After 5 or 6 stuttering sounds, I realized it wouldn't turn off and I needed to do it myself.  Not a deal breaker.  I should be paying attention while I brush anyway!

What I did not like about the toothbrush was just how powerful it was.   I actually didn't want to brush around my crown at all with the toothbrush in fear it would knock the crown out!  Especially with it only being held with a temporary cement.  So I would actually brush with a manual toothbrush after I used the Oral-B electric toothbrush, just to make sure that part of my mouth got cleaned.  If I didn't have a crown though, I probably wouldn't have had a problem with how strong the brush head pulsated and spun around.

What did I like?  I liked how well it cleaned my other teeth.  I felt my teeth were even whiter than when I brushed with my whitening toothpaste and a manual toothbrush.  I also liked that you could go at least a week without having to recharge the handle.  It's nice that the toothbrush comes with a 2 year limited warranty and a satisfaction guarantee.  If you're not completely satisfied within 60 days of purchase, you can return it for a full refund.

Would you recommend it?
Yes and no.  If you don't have sensitive teeth or gums (or any dental work that you want to be careful around), then yes, buy it!  It cleans really well.  But if your gums are sensitive, then you might want to consider one of the other brushes in Oral-B's professional line.  They include a Sensitive brushing mode that's supposed to be more gentle.  There's also a Sensitive brush head that you can buy with softer bristles.

How much does it cost?
The retail list price is about $75-$80.   Right now, Oral-B is offering a $20 mail-in rebate until September 30, 2012.

Where can I buy it?
You can find it at all major drug stores, mass merchandisers, grocery stores and online retailers.