AquaSonic~$20
AquaSonic Icon
Sonic
No pressure sensor listed · ADA Seal listing
- 3-year cost
- ~$75
- Price per head
- $4.98
- Battery
- 30-day battery
- ADA-listed
- $20
- Travel case
Best for: An ADA-listed rechargeable at the lowest price
What the ADA Seal of Acceptance Means on an Electric Toothbrush
Short answer
It means the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs reviewed evidence the maker submitted and found the product safe and effective for what the listing says, typically removing plaque and helping to prevent and reduce gingivitis. It is awarded per product. 14 of the 53 brushes here have a live listing on the ADA's own search.
What a powered brush has to show
According to the ADA, powered toothbrushes with the Seal have to demonstrate they are safe for use on teeth, gums and dental restorations and meet the requirements of a safety laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories. The listings for brushes in this catalog state that the Council's acceptance is based on the product being safe and having shown efficacy in removing plaque and helping to prevent and reduce gingivitis, when used as directed.
The Seal is voluntary: a maker applies and pays for the evaluation. A brush without a listing has not failed anything; it may simply never have been submitted.
Why this site checks every model
The Seal belongs to a named product or a named list of models, not to a brand. Makers' own listings sometimes say "ADA accepted" for models the ADA's search does not name: AquaSonic's listings do this for several brushes, while the ADA lists the Icon by name and a generic "AquaSonic Toothbrush". Philips' ProtectiveClean listing no longer resolves on the ADA's site. So a brush is marked here only when the ADA's own product search had a live page naming it, its series (Oral-B iO Series) or a model list that includes it (Oral-B's oscillating-rotating-pulsating listing names the Pro 500 and Pro 1000).
| Brush | ADA listing | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| AquaSonic Icon | AquaSonic Icon Rechargeable Power Toothbrush | ~$20 |
| Oral-B Pro 500 | Oral-B Oscillating-Rotating-Pulsating (model list includes Oral-B Pro 500) | ~$40 |
| Oral-B Pro 1000 | Oral-B Oscillating-Rotating-Pulsating (model list includes Oral-B Pro 1000) | ~$50 |
| Oral-B iO Series 3 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$60 |
| Oral-B iO Series 2 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$65 |
| Oral-B iO Series 4 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$100 |
| Oral-B iO Series 5 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$120 |
| Oral-B iO Series 6 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$160 |
| Oral-B iO Series 7 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$220 |
| Oral-B iO Series 8 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$250 |
| Oral-B iO Series 9 | Oral-B iO Series | ~$330 |
| quip Kids Sonic Toothbrush | quip Kids Electric Toothbrush | ~$26 |
| quip Sonic Toothbrush | quip Electric Toothbrush - Non-Rechargeable | ~$30 |
| Waterpik Sonic-Fusion 2.0 | Waterpik Sonic-Fusion Toothbrush/Flosser | ~$140 |
What it does not tell you
The Seal does not rank one accepted brush above another, and it says nothing about battery life, running cost or which design suits you. It is one checkable fact, which is why it sits in the gum-safety chip beside the pressure sensor rather than deciding any order on this site.
Sources
- American Dental Association, ADA Seal of Acceptance
- American Dental Association, ADA Seal product categories
- American Dental Association, Toothbrushes (Oral Health Topics)
Maker claims quoted on this page are the maker’s own and are labelled as such. This page is general information, not dental or medical advice.
Brushes this comes up with
Oral-B~$65
Oral-B iO Series 2
Oscillating-rotating
Pressure sensor · ADA Seal listing
- 3-year cost
- ~$144
- Price per head
- $7.22
- Battery
- 28-day battery
- 4-week battery
- Starts on sensitive
- ADA-listed series
Best for: Someone moving from a manual brush who wants the iO head without paying for a screen
Waterpik~$140
Waterpik Sonic-Fusion 2.0
Brush + flosser
No pressure sensor listed · ADA Seal listing
- 3-year cost
- ~$223
- Price per head
- $7.50
- Battery
- 14-day battery
- Built-in flosser
- ADA-listed
- 3-year warranty
Best for: People who skip flossing and want it built into brushing
Related
- What a Toothbrush Pressure Sensor Does, and the Kinds There Are
It tells you when you are pressing harder than the maker intends, by a light, a vibration or both. 24 of the 53 brushes here list one. It is a feedback feature, not a treatment, and makers do not publish the force at which theirs trips.
- How Often to Replace Brush Heads, and Whether Third-Party Heads Are Fine
The ADA says every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are matted or frayed; most makers say three. Genuine heads in this catalog run from about $3 to $10 each. Third-party heads can be cheaper, but they are not the product the maker's figures, or any ADA listing, describe.
- How to read a toothbrush spec sheet
Every specification explained, with the real numbers from the catalog behind each one.