It’s not often that your toothbrush talks, but we are in the age of AI and all things smart, so anything is indeed possible. Oclean’s X Ultra Digital Sonic toothbrush will tell you to switch areas or admonish you when you’re brushing too fast or with too much pressure, doing so through bone-conduction technology. But while a talking toothbrush might attract the headlines, the fact is the Wi-Fi connected X Ultra contains many more features there to promote top-of-the-line oral hygiene.

Brushing teeth - there’s an app for that

Why does a toothbrush need to be Wi-Fi connected you might ask? The accompanying Oclean Care app syncs with the toothbrush, providing exact records of your dental cleaning habits. For example, a daily health report showcases a moveable 3D model of your brushing coverage, tracking poor or average coverage of your most cleaning sessions. You also receive what is called a Brushing Activity Clover, incorporating three types of info: a score for your cleaning degree, how long you brushed for, and how many times you actually brushed. It’s also possible to go through your brushing history and see how you did each day.

But wait, there’s more, because the app further breaks down your brushing force and excessive lateral pull (horizontal brushing), with the Oclean “Oral Assistant” also noting each day what you might be doing wrong.

A toothbrush is a toothbrush is a toothbrush?

But what about the toothbrush itself? Oclean notes the X Ultra electric toothbrush comes with a maglev 3.0 motor that “operates at an outstanding 84,000 movements per minute and uses an innovative TurboClean algorithm to ensure consistent power for superior cleaning.”

This is housed in a matt black body that feels sturdy and also premium without being too large or too heavy. Interestingly, you’ll find a small little colour LCD touchscreen on the body, from where you can see your Brushing Activity Clover, progressing to ability to select different brushing modes (Exclusive Mode, Sunrise Soothing, Sunset Clearout, Sensitive Gum Care, Whitening Polish), with it also displaying brushing coverage and score after a cleaning session. At the bottom of the unit is a LED light that goes on when brushing, turning red when you are brushing with too much pressure. 

Next up is the battery, which after 21 days of usage stood at 8%, really solid performance. It recharges via wireless charger, taking approximately 4.5 hours to do so.

Finally, the brush heads, with Oclean providing a generous three different ones in the box: Clean, White, Gum care, all differing slightly in terms of TPEE bristle type and setup. I liked that the app keeps track of how many days and times the head has been used.

One can argue the audible warnings are not really necessary, but it is a novelty that did draw attention while brushing. You can turn these off through the app, while I also received a firmware update for the Oclean once. There are a few things I wish Oclean explained a bit better, for example, the differences between the different brushing modes, or how exactly your selection of your "current tooth type" when setting up the app impacts your brushing down the line. 

It’s also important to note that the setup of the Oclean is meant for one person, so even though there’s more than one head included that can be used for a partner, the data tracking will not work as it should if you share the Oclean. Finally, be careful to brush a spot you missed after doing your full brush, since the app will only record your last activity. 

A clean mouth is a happy mouth

The Oclean’s X Ultra electric toothbrush is a premium device, not just in build quality and features but also, for example, in the impressive travel case it comes with, through which it can also be charged. 

There’s no doubt that my brushing experience with the Oclean was one of amazingly clean teeth. With the Oclean notifying you when you need to change area or if you’re brushing too fast, this little twice-a-day ritual was a far more mindful exercise. Indeed, I’ve received a perfect cleaning score once, with at least two times a day to try again. 

At R3 999 the Oclean X Ultra falls firmly at the premium end of the electric toothbrush market, coming complete with Wi-Fi capabilities, a useful app and and three brush heads. It is available at the Ivodent website, with a few more electric toothbrush options to choose from.