Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric toothbrush review - Dentistry Blogger (2024)

N.B. If you want to find out the electric toothbrush I consider to be the best click here.

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 electric toothbrushis high end electric toothbrush with many features. In the Oral-B range it sits between the mid-rangeOral-B Smart 5 5000 and the premiumOral-B Genius 8000. Does it’s range of features justify the high end price tag? How well does the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 match up to it’s rivals. Find out more here.

1) Features – Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric Toothbrush Review

Front of Handle

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 electric toothbrushcomes stacked with features. On the front of the handle are two buttons instead of one which is found on the cheaper Oral-B models. There is an on/off button which as the name suggests turns the electric toothbrush on and off. There is also a second button with a downward arrow on it. Pressing this button changes cleaning modes (More on this later). What this means is that you can turn the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 off without having to cycle through all the cleaning modes which is a massive bonus!

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 unfortunately lacks icons for the cleaning modes so you will have to remember the sound of each cleaning modes or alternatively remember the order they turn on in. The order is:

• Daily Clean
• Gum Care
• Sensitive
• Whitening
• Pro-Clean

Also on the front of the handle is the battery indicator which is well designed and also the smart ring visible pressure sensor (more on this later). The handle is waterproof so you will be able to wash those grubby toothpaste stains with running water and use it in the shower if you so wish.

Back of Handle

At the back of the handle is a white rubberised textured grip, which allows good grip even when wet. The smart ring extends around the back of the electric toothbrush handle allowing it to be easily seen.

The handle is slightly larger than the cheaper models in the Oral-B range giving a chunkier feel. This means that the handle is slightly heavier weighing in at around 132 g. This is still light enough to use the electric toothbrush easily.

Quadpacer 2 minute timer

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with an in handle 2 minute timer that single buzzes every 30 seconds to let you know when to change area of your mouth. This is handy as it informs you when the 2 minutes are up without needing a connection to your smartphone. After 2 minutes the brush head will double buzz to differentiate it from the 30 second buzzes.

Visible Pressure Sensor and SmartRing

A visible pressure sensor is so useful on an electric toothbrush and is one of the main advantages of electric toothbrushes over manual toothbrushes. The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 has the added benefit of being able to personalise the colour based on your preference. This is done through the Oral-B App and is called a smart ring. If you have more than one Oral-B Smart 6 6000 handle this will allow you to differentiate between them.

Bluetooth Connectivity and SmartCoaching

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 links to the Oral-B App via bluetooth connectivity. This turns it into a smart electric toothbrush. The Oral-B App allows you to:

• Monitor how often you brush your teeth and how long for
• Monitors how often you are pressing too firmly and allows you to correct it
• Provides tips about how to brush your teeth more effectively
• Customise how long you spend on each area, allowing you to focus more on any given area

Smartphone holder

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with a smartphone holder that looks a little bit like a white plastic hockey puck. It is well designed and will fit most smartphones. It is particularly useful when using the Bluetooth connectivity and SmartCoaching features of the Oral-B app.

2) Mechanism of action– Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric Toothbrush Review

Oscillating Rotating Motion

The Oral-B range all use the 3D oscillating and rotating movement which claims to remove up to 100% more plaque vs a manual toothbrush. Personally I think this could be exaggerating slightly however there is definitely evidence that electric toothbrushes do clean better than manual toothbrushes. The figure though is closer to 21% over a 3 month period. This is definitely an improvement so would still recommend getting an electric toothbrush with 3D oscillating rotating motion.

Versions of the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 electric toothbrush

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes in 3 different versions, all of which have the same electric toothbrush handle. The main difference is between the brush heads that come as standard in the box.

• Smart 6 6000N is the most common version and comes with the 1 x crossaction, 1 x sensitive and 1 x 3D white brush head as standard.
• Oral-B Smart 6 6000S is the sensitive version and comes with 2 x sensitive and 1 x crossaction brush head as standard.
• Smart 6 6000W is the whitening version, I would not recommend buying this one. It comes with 2 x 3D White brush heads and 1 x crossaction.

Brush Heads

Although the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with 3 x brush heads out of the box, it is actually compatible with the whole range of brush heads. If you need a recommendation for which Oral-B brush head to buy click here. The Oral-B Brush head range includes the:

• CrossAction Brush head
• Sensitive Brush head
• Dual Clean Brush head
• Trizone Brush head – Not recommended click here to find out why
• Ortho Essentials Brush head
• 3D White Brush head
• FlossAction Brush Head

Out of the brush heads, I would recommend trying out the CrossAction Brush head.

The crossaction brush head has 16 degree angulation of bristles which allow you to clean effectively around the gum margins. Also the brush head is small and round which allows the brush to access difficult teeth easily. It also has indicator bristles which give you an indication as to when the brush head needs changing. I would recommend changing your brush head every 3 months.

Cleaning Modes

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with 5 cleaning modes which is the same number as the more expensive Oral-B Genius 8000. It comes with daily clean, sensitive, gum care, pro-clean and whitening. I would recommend putting the brush in daily clean mode for most people because it is the best regular use brushing action and lasts for 2 minutes. The sensitive mode is good for people who have sensitive teeth and can be combined with using a sensitive brush head. Gum Care, Pro-clean and whitening I would only use for special occasions and should not be used regularly.

3) Battery life– Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric Toothbrush Review

Battery longevity

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with an upgraded lithium ion battery that has recently been rolled out. It is an excellent battery that has good capacity. The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 will last for 2 weeks of use, which is 2 minutes twice a day. This means if it was left on continuously the battery would last for 56 minutes. This is a massive leap forward from the previous model which used a nickel hydride battery and only lasted for half the time.

It takes roughly 12 hours for the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 to charge from flat, so leaving the battery charging overnight will get the battery close to full charge.

Charging station

The charging station that the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with is actually not as good as the cheaper Oral-B Smart 5 5000. This is because it only holds two brush heads instead of four. The charging station still holds the electric toothbrush handle vertically and is well designed. As with all Oral-B charging stations, it comes with a 2 pin plug. This is fine if you have access to a shaving plug socket in your bathroom, if not then you will need a 2 to 3 pin adaptor like the one below.

4) Portability– Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric Toothbrush Review

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 now comes with a premium travel case similar to the one on the Oral-B Genius 8000. It is a fantastic travel case that is made from soft touch plastic. It provides good protection for your Smart 6 6000 on your travels and is small enough to easily fit into your hand luggage.

The Smart 6 6000 weigh around 132 grams and its rough dimensions are:

• Height – 24cm
• Width – 2.8cm
• Thickness- 3.1cm

This is very portable and lightweight.

5) Value for money– Oral-B Smart 6 6000 Electric Toothbrush Review

Price

This electric toothbrush costs. This is reasonable considering the amount of features that you get with the package.

Warranty

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 comes with a 2 year warranty that can be extended to 3 years by visiting the Oral-B website and registering your product. Click here to go to the relevant Oral-B Page.

Running Costs

If we take the minimum amount of time that this electric toothbrush will last you to be 3 years (although mine has last me 5+ years), this gives an average running cost of £2 a month. If we use Oral-B CrossAction Brush heads at a rate of one every 3 months. This brings the total running cost of brush heads and electric toothbrush handle up to £3 a month. The only other costs you should factor in is the cost of water and electricity which will be minimal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What is the best electric toothbrush?

I would recommend you clicking here to find out what I consider to be the best electric toothbrush.

Is the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 waterproof?

Yes it most certainly is. This means that it can be cleaned with water and also be used in the shower if you so wish.

Is the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 noisy?

No the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 is not particularly noisy for an electric toothbrush however this is subjective. If you have just moved from a manual toothbrush expect any electric toothbrush to be noisier. You will notice this less and less as you continue to use an electric toothbrush.

Is it safe to use the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 on dental implants/bridges/restorations/crowns?

Yes it is safe to do so. The human bite puts considerably more force on the teeth than an electric toothbrush does. If a dental implant/bridge/restoration or crown fails when using an electric toothbrush, it would have failed anyway the next time you ate.

Is the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 suitable for children?

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 has not been designed specifically for children in mind and thus I cannot recommend it for children. If you do want a children’s electric toothbrush, I would recommend clicking here to find out which one would be suitable.

How do you change cleaning modes on the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 electric toothbrush?

You change cleaning modes by clicking the downward arrow button which is located on the front of the electric toothbrush handle. Unfortunately the Oral-B Smart 6 6000 does not have any icons for the cleaning modes so you will have to remember which one you are on. The Oral-B Genius 8000 and Genius 9000 do have icons however are more expensive.

Does this electric toothbrush come with a travel case?

Yes it does indeed. It comes with a very nice, premium travel case which provides great protection for your electric toothbrush handle when you are on your travels.

Oral-B Smart 6 6000 electric toothbrush summary

The Oral-B Smart 6 6000 is an excellent electric toothbrush that comes with many great features. It has a great travel case, lots of cleaning modes and a smartphone holder. It is only really let down by the charging station and the lack of icons. If these features are not essential to you, then it is a fantastic electric toothbrush for your money.

A Brilliant High End Electric Toothbrush