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I hadn’t had a cavity in over 15 years. Then, I started clear aligners. Wearing aligners or even retainers for extended periods of time means more bacteria in your mouth, and easy ways for food to stay stuck between your teeth — even if you manage to floss.

When I was diagnosed with my first adult cavity, I was crushed. My dentist recommended cleaning my retainers more often, adding a fluoride toothpaste to my routine, but most of all, they kept harping on me to get an electric toothbrush. I couldn’t understand why. After all, I brushed three times a day, and I was thorough. What difference would an electric toothbrush make?

Philips Sonicare 6500

Your one-stop shop to avoiding those pesky dentist visits every other month. Keep your teeth (and your mouth) free from germs, plaque, and cavities with this all-in-one device that packs a 21-day battery life and 9 cleaning settings for a customizable oral hygiene experience.

Then, I caved and tried the Philips Sonicare toothbrush, and in just three weeks, not only do my teeth feel cleaner, but my gums feel stronger. I’ve even reduced flossing to just a few times a week, because I never have to worry about food being stuck between my teeth anymore.

Now, there are a lot of different electric toothbrushes out there, and at a lot of different price points. Philips itself has brushes starting at just $50 and going up to $400. I chose the latest Philips Sonicare 6500, which falls in the middle range of the brand’s offerings, but given that each cavity cost me around $100 (after insurance), this dental care necessity was well worth the cost. Plus, right now you can get up to $10 off with the coupon listed below the product’s price on Amazon.

More Philips Toothbrushes

Budget-friendly

The best entry-level electric toothbrush with nearly 20,000 Amazon reviews. This no-frill option comes with two settings and 700% better plaque removal than your generic toothbrush.

$48.69
Buy Now

Six settings, including three pressure settings and a nifty gum health setting, will have your oral hygiene improving in no time.

$89.99
Buy Now

One of the more premium electric toothbrushes, this pick has 12 brushing settings and a 21-day run time. The biggest difference is the addition of the gum health setting.

$199.99
Buy Now

Why Philips’ Sonicare 6500 saved my teeth

There are a few features that make the Philips Sonicare worth the cost. First, the brand claims it’s great at removing plaque. I found this to be true, as over the month I’ve used this brush, I’ve developed no plaque behind my problem teeth. Secondly, the toothbrush has nine different settings, including three pressure settings and three brush settings (including a clean, whitening, and sensitive setting).

I’ve only used the whitening setting once or twice, and I don’t really see a major difference yet. That said, the one big spot I’ve really noticed a difference in is my general oral hygiene. Previously, even after brushing my teeth, I felt “unclean” or the need to keep brushing for an extra few minutes. With the Sonicare, the two-minute cleaning setting is all I need to feel clean. I use the first pressure setting, as the other two are a little too intense for my sensitive teeth.

The brush also has an inbuilt visual pressure sensor (a light ring at the bottom), which lights up to let you know when you’re pressing the brush too hard against your gums. All in all, it’s an intuitive device that doesn’t just reduce plaque, but leaves you with peace of mind that your teeth are actually clean at the end of the night.

While the $129.97 price is a little high, you can currently use the coupon code below the product’s price to score a neat $10 off. With a 21-day battery life, inbuilt pressure settings, and various easy ways to customize your brushing experience, the Philips Sonicare 6500 just might be what your dental routine is missing.

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