Philips Sonicare HX6732/02 HealthyWhite R732 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
|
List Price: Our Price: $99.97 You Save: $40.02 (29%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Health Care See more product details |
|---|
Customer Reviews of Philips Sonicare HX6732/02 HealthyWhite R732 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
Customer Review: I am Amazed by This Toothbrush
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
UPDATED NOTE: October 2009, Sometimes I get lazy, and that's what I did about four months ago, when I went back to brushing my teeth with a regular toothbrush. Even though my checkups were better (it's been 15 years since I've had a cavity and my enamel was stronger), I went back to just brushing them for a minute with a regular toothbrush. Two weeks ago, my gums got tender. I concentrated on brushing better, still with the regular toothbrush, but after 4 days they were still puffy. I pulled-out the Sonic and started using it again. I was wrapping-up my second day, and my gums were back to normal, again. However, I was brushing with the manual toothbrush, I wasn't doing a good enough job. Like I said in the title, "I am amazed by this toothbrush."
About 10 years ago, at the suggestion of my wife, I bought two expensive electric toothbrushs: one for her and one for me. They were Rota-dents, and while pricey ($100.00), they did a good job. I still needed to my 6-month's cleaning, mainly because of ice tea stains, and I especially had some problems with two lower teeth, next to the lower eye-teeth, because they were slightly pushed back from the other teeth, and they didn't get brushed as thoroughly.
Well, those toothbrushes, and their $17.00/each replacement brushes, finally bit the dust, and about two years ago, at my dentist' recommendation, I bought a Braun electric toothbrush for around $88.00, and it was slightly better in keeping my teeth clean (BTW, I brush at least twice, usually three, times a day). BUT, I still kept having trouble with those two bottom teeth getting yellow. So, last year, I had one of those expensive teeth whitening sessions at my dentist. Wow, afterwards, my teeth looked great. In fact, I cannot ever remember them looking so white; however, even with the monthly at-home retreatments, I found that those two bottom teeth started yellowing.
This month through the Vine Program, I was able to get the Philips Sonicare HealthyWhite Power Toothbrush.
This Philips Sonicare is the most unusual toothbrushe I've ever used. A previous dental hygienist I used to have used sonic waves to help clean my teeth a couple of years ago. At first, this is a little unnerving, but I remembered that it worked great at the dentist's office, so the "sonic" noise didn't bother me.
In the literature provided, it says that you should expect your teeth to be two shades whiter in two weeks. I received the Philips Sonicare Healthywhite power toothbrush on Monday, and last night (Thursday), after not even four whole days of using it, those two bottom teeth are as white as my other teeth, which are already whiter, too. I'm a little apprehensive about this, but these results are so remarkable, I have posted two pictures of my teeth: one taken 11-2007 and one taken 07-2008. I wish I had a better "before" picture, but I have a feeling that I didn't smile as big before. Anyway, you can notice that the darker places where those two lower teeth are. In the 07-2008 picture, all the teeth look the same. I have noticed that there have been a couple of days this past week when those places were darker, only to be lightened-up after brushing. Those were days I drank quite a bit of iced tea, a Southern staple. NOTE: I haven't found a place to upload pictures for this product. I'll keep looking (7-3-2008).
I am so excited about how good this product is, I did not want to wait two weeks to write my review. In fact, I don't know how my teeth can get any whiter. In fact, two days ago, I went to a Rotary dinner function, and I was kibitzing during a discussion two other men were having, when one said, they had to go to the dentist for tooth repair, and it was going to be costly because they had to match the repair to his other front teeth, of which three were fake teeth. I must have laughed or smiled at the prospect of this, and the other man said to me, "Yeah, you laugh. You've got pretty white teeth. When you get old like us (they are about 10 years older than I am), your teeth take a lot of work to keep-up." This was the first time in my life, and I'm 58, that anyone has said anything like this about my teeth.
BTW, I don't know if this makes any difference, but I brush my teeth twice a day with the Sonicare and use Crest Vivid White and Crest Vivid White Night toothpaste.
Customer Review: Much easier to clean than older models, and works overseas.
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I was first introduced to Sonicare products about 1993. My dentist came back from a
convention and told me that with my dental history (crowns, root canals, and one of the first dental implants) I HAD to have one of these. He set me up on a payment plan for the 250 dollar plus toothbrush. To start using it you had to put in bunch of rings. It tickled like crazy but I got used to it.
Since then I have always had a Sonicare. I always loved them, EXCEPT for keeping them clean. This toothbrush finally addresses those issues.
There is no longer a "ring" collar and a hollow portion in the handle where the magnetic portion of the brush would go. This always got full of gunk and had to be cleaned with a Q-tip. Gunk would also collect between the ring and the brush portion. This problem is eliminated with this new model. The brush head is completely different and simply sticks onto a "spike" that comes out of the top of the brush. There are no crevices for dirt and toothpaste to accumulate. The charging base is also now different, it no longer has an indentation to get dirty. The brush simply sits on a small spike on a flat surface. This, however, does make it easier to knock the toothbrush over, but I will take that for not having to clean out the charger with an old toothbrush.
The toothbrush initially starts with a "ramp up" period, which allows you to get used to the vibrations in your mouth over a few weeks of brushing. If you already have used a Sonicare you can simply put the brush on the base, hold down the button and it will automatically go to full power, you can also reverse this process to re-initialize the toothbrush back to the ramp up mode. If you get the brush and it does not seem as powerful as your old one, you need to skip over this "getting used to it period" by resetting the toothbrush.
The brush head itself is different from my current "Elite" model. This brushhead has a few longer bristles at the top which seem to vibrate faster and clean deeper. That took a little getting used to, I had to switch to the "sensitive" mode for a few of my teeth with extensive dental work. The handle feels more nimble in your hand and the brushhead smaller.
Another great feature, the charger can now be used overseas without a voltage converter. You do need a plug so you can physically plug it in (so the prongs match the prongs in whatever country you are visiting) (like Lenmar AC5 World Travel Adapter/Converter Plug Set) but you do not need a transformer. They don't say this in the product description on Amazon, but it is spelled out in the manual.
I am not sure how to determine if my teeth are whiter. I have been using the "clean and white" except on a few teeth. It would be neat if they included a chart in the box so you could test the "before" and "after". My teeth do not feel any cleaner than when I was using the Sonicare Elite, but my gums do seem to be bleeding less when I floss. I am not sure if that is due to the little extra length fibers on the brushhead or a different vibration pattern.
If you have a more recent Sonicare I would not run out to get this one, but would seriously consider it once you have used up your brushheads. Or hand down your older
model to your kids and upgrade. If you travel a lot, this is the one to get, you can use it without worrying about running out of charge. It is a lot easier to keep clean.
Although I usually do not send in warranty cards I do for Sonicare. They are will send you coupons for money off new brushheads and I also once had one that quit after 7 months. I called them, they looked up my warranty and sent me a new one in the mail right away.
Customer Review: Another Great Product from Sonicare
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
After using the Sonicare HealthyWhite Power Toothbrush for two weeks,
I found it to be an excellent product, consistent with all recent Sonicare electric toothbrushes.
I did find the packaging to be somewhat of an impediment to removing the
unit from its protective plastic casing, but once out, the unit felt solid and well built; it was also very straightforward and easy to figure out. Instructions were easy to follow and quick to comprehend. The unit comes with two brush heads (one standard size and one compact size) which can be color-coded, making it convenient for couples to share. Also included in the box is a charger with a handy cord wrap for easy portability, a storage case for the brush heads (together with travel caps for brush head hygiene), and a travel case.
The motor is powerful and works well in all cleaning modes. There are three cleaning modes, "Clean" which is the standard two minute brushing mode, "Sensitive" for people who have sensitive gums (this mode may also be useful if you're new to electric toothbrushes and want to start out with a gentler cleaning cylce at first), and "Clean and White" which adds an extra thirty seconds to the standard "Clean" mode so you can focus on the front teeth. Philips claims by using the "Clean and White" mode, you're guaranteed to have your teeth two shades whiter in two weeks. In each cleaning mode, you are notified at thirty-second intervals by a slight pause in the motor when to switch areas, so thirty seconds are intended for each of the four quadrants of your teeth. (I should note that this Sonicare model does not have a audible sound for each thirty-second interval like other Sonicare models, but one gets used to the pauses in the motor in lieu of the typical sound.)
After two weeks of using the "Clean and White" mode, I did notice my teeth to be at best a shade whiter. My teeth are white to begin with, so if you have teeth that are stained from coffee, red wine, or tobacco, you will probably see better results. (However, this additional cleaning mode seemed somewhat of a gimmick to me, since it's no more than a longer cycle to clean your teeth. Sonicare has obviously jumped on the lucrative "whiter teeth" bandwagon that is common with various kinds of toothpaste and whitening strips.)
One thing that I particularly liked about the Sonicare Toothbrush is the shape of the brush head. It does feel like it penetrates well into the small crevices between the teeth and gums. Also, I liked being able to use a very small amount of toothpaste for effective brushing.
One thing that I feel could be improved about the product is that you're not able to start in the "Clean and White" mode. You need to press the start button to turn the motor on, then press it two more times (Clean > Sensitive > Clean and White), and if you have toothpaste on the brush head, it WILL vibrate off instantly. So you need to start with the unit off and the brush head in place in your mouth before you press the button three times.
All in all, the Sonicare HealthyWhite Toothbrush is an excellent product. While I still think that the Ultreo Ultrasound Toothbrush cleans a bit better and longer than the Sonicare products, all of the Sonicare products, including the HealthyWhite Toothbrush, are top notch. Once you use a good electric toothbrush, there is simply no going back to a manual brush.
Customer Review: My Second Sonicare
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I was given a Sonicare Elite toothbrush as a gift about seven years ago. Whenever I needed a thorough cleaning of my teeth I would be sure to use it. Its battery finally gave out about a year and a half ago and I held off on getting another because of the cost. If not for the triple digit price tag, I probably would have purchased another.
This week I was fortunate enough to get the latest and greatest Sonicare HealthyWhite Power Toothbrush through the Amazon Vine program. Good thing too, because the $110+ price tag would probably have deterred me from buying it on my own. But don't get me wrong, it is worth the money if within you budget. No manual or cheapo battery-powered regular toothbrush cleans as well as the Sonicare line. My wife says it is like being in the hands of a dental assistant -- the cleaning is that thorough and sensations very similar.
The new HealthyWhite is definitely a step up in quality. I don't know if it will whiten my teeth by two shades in two weeks, but it sure feels like it will. The build quality is excellent and cleaning motions very powerful. I really like the built-in timer that pauses briefly to let you know to clean a different section of your mouth. Each segment is about 30 seconds, plenty of time with a brush this effective. There are three different modes; Clean, Sensitive, and Clean and White. The first is a standard 4 segment cleaning, the second is a more gentle mode for sensitive gums and teeth, and the third has an extra 30 seconds for focusing on your front teeth or even your tongue. Out of the three, I like the extra time of Clean and White mode the best. One thing to add is that you don't need as much toothpaste with this brush as it really foams up with a small amount.
The travel case is nice, though I will probably just use a standard toothbrush when traveling. The base is compact and holds the brush two brush heads. The second smaller head is useful for getting hard to reach spots.
Pros: Well, just read above. It was ready to go right out of the box. This is the most impressive Sonicare I have ever used and probably the most effective tooth cleaning experience outside a dentist's office.
Cons: There are some but nothing severe enough to make me dislike this toothbrush.
1. The cost is a bit high for your average Joe.
2. They recommend replacing brush heads ever three months. A 3-pack is currently about $27 -- not cheap by any standard. At least you get a coupon in the box that is good towards a free brush head or $10 off a future brush purchase (good until the end of 2008).
3. The shape of the brush head is a little strange ... it is taking some getting used to. It does work though.
4. The vibration of the brush can be a bit intense for some people. I remember that it took me a while to get used to my first Sonicare. I did fairly quickly though and don't mind it a bit now.
5. I wish there was a way to turn off the timer so that it would not automatically shut off after completing a brushing cycle.
6. The tough interior clamshell packaging took a while to get open.
The Sonicare HealthyWhite Power Toothbrush is a top of the line brush. Its initial cost and cost of the brush heads might scare off some, but if you want really clean and white teeth, you can't do much better than this. 4 1/2 stars.
Customer Review: Great for healthy teeth and gums
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The Sonicare line of power toothbrushes is an excellent tool for maintenance of healthy teeth and gums and this latest example adds an element of portability that lets you take it on the road in a minimum of space.
The Sonicare method centers around getting you to spend the right amount of time on brushing your teeth. A built-in timer gives you 2 minutes of brushing time. To ensure that all your teeth get proper attention, the timer has four 30-second sections, divided by a brief pause. The manual shows you how to divide your mouth into quadrants - upper outer, upper inner, lower outer and lower inner - and each quadrant should get 30 seconds of brushing. This is common to all Sonicare toothbrushes.
The HealthyWhite toothbrush has a Clean and White mode, which adds two additional 15-second timer periods, during which you should give additional brushing time to your front teeth, upper and lower. This additional time will help clean coffee, tea, tobacco and other stains from your most visible teeth.
The toothbrush comes with a nice compact case that carries the handle and two brushes. The small charging stand can have its cord wrapped inside to make it even more compact. The brush heads have small plastic covers that protects the bristles and help keep them free of external dust and debris. This allows the entire package to be carried in a jacket pocket or other small space, so there is no reason not to take it with you on the road.
The package comes with two brush heads, one about 1" long and the other about half that length. The brush heads are easier to attach and detach from the handle than earlier Sonicare versions and it is easier to keep clean.
Without white-level cards, it is difficult to verify the claim of making your teeth two shades whiter in two weeks, but I can see that the tea stains on and between my front teeth have become less intense after a couple weeks of daily use.
Initially, this brush may cause some discomfort on your teeth and gums. This can come from applying too much pressure. It is important to keep a light touch on the brush handle and just touch it against your teeth, rather than pushing it. Let the brush do the work and after a week or so your gums will become acclimated to the more intense cleaning action. To help in the acclimation process, the toothbrush has a built-in "easy-start" mode, which gradually increases intensity with repeated usage, until the full action is attained. There is also a sensitive mode, with a permanently reduced intensity.
While the price of replacement brush heads can be quite high, the price of dental repair can be much higher, not to mention the "cost" of dental discomfort. Once you try a Sonicare toothbrush, you won't want to go back to a conventional toothbrush or a less capable power brush. Try it and use it properly. Your teeth and gums will thank you!