I bought this toothbrush as a gift for my kids, and they’ve been using it for almost a year now. One of the first things my daughter noticed was the brush head is noticeably larger compared to other Oral-B rechargeable toothbrushes. This can be uncomfortable for users with smaller mouths, but overall, the toothbrush functions well. The battery life is long-lasting and it conveniently charges on the same station as our other Oral-B brushes.
However, the internal design is disappointing. While the brush head is removable and can be cleaned separately, water still manages to seep into the handle and gets trapped inside. Over time, this leads to mold growth and a foul odor, which has completely turned my daughter off from using it. She finds the smell so unpleasant that she no longer wants to even touch the toothbrush.
For a product at this price point, I expected much better quality and hygiene design. It's unfortunate, because the cleaning performance is solid—but this design flaw really impacts the overall experience.
reply from Oral-B
Thanks for getting in touch! We’re sorry to hear about your daughter’s experiences with her iO2. We understand these concerns are frustrating, but we’re glad to share that we’re confident we can help, thanks to the hard work of both our Quality and Safety Teams. Regarding the size of the brush head, while the iO Series 2 can be safely used by people 3 years of age and higher, the dimensions of the iO brush heads were designed for permanent teeth, so we recommend iO usage as of 6+ years. If your child is young, this could explain discomfort from the size of the brush head. You also mentioned that you’re concerned about mold growth on the brush. Please know that there’s nothing in our toothbrush components that would cause mold before use. Mold requires organic material to grow, which isn’t present in our brushes. While it’s rare, mold can develop after use if the brush is stored in a damp area or comes into contact with certain cleaning agents or soaps that can make the plastic porous. To prevent this, it’s important to clean and dry your brush after each use. Be sure your child rinses the brush head under running water with the handle on. Then switch it off, remove the head, clean both parts separately, and dry them before reattaching. It might help to know we provide a choice of Oral-B Junior brushes for children, which come with playful designs, which may suit your daughter better. Please ask your daughter to stop using the brush for her safety, then call us for additional help with this purchase. Our number is 1 (800) 492-7378, and we’re available Mondays-Fridays, from 9 AM to 6 PM, EST.