Last updated 9 November 2026. Written by the Clean Smile Home team. We sell the Oral-B brushes and heads mentioned here, so we have an interest, but this guide is about getting the most from whichever brush you already own. We don't run lab tests ourselves: battery and charging figures come from Electric Teeth's hands-on reviews, and brushing advice comes from the NHS and the Oral Health Foundation, all listed in the sources at the end.
The short answer
Charge the handle fully before first use (Oral-B iO2 and Vitality Pro can take close to a day), start on the gentlest mode for a week, let the brush do the work at a 45-degree angle, and brush for the full two minutes twice a day. Spit, don't rinse, and change the head every three months.
Which brush have you got?
Setup is similar across Oral-B's range, but the details differ. Find yours in the table first, because the mode button, the battery and the brush head all change between models.
| Oral-B Vitality Pro | Oral-B iO2 | Oral-B iO3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modes | Sensitive Plus, Sensitive, Daily Clean | Super Sensitive, Sensitive, Daily Clean | Daily Clean, Sensitive, Whitening |
| How to change mode | Single power button cycles through | Power button cycles through | Separate mode button |
| Pressure sensor | No | Yes, a light in the power button flashes if you press too hard | Yes, a light ring: green is right, red is too hard |
| Timer | 2 minutes, pauses every 30 seconds | 2-minute timer | 2 minutes, pauses every 30 seconds |
| Battery (as tested by Electric Teeth) | 17 days (Oral-B claims about 10) | 37 days | 17 to 20 days |
| Full charge (per Electric Teeth) | Up to 22 hours | Oral-B says 24 hours; measured around 18 | Up to 16 hours |
| Battery indicator | None | LED on the handle | LED on the handle |
| Brush heads | Standard Oral-B round heads | iO heads only | iO heads only |
| Our price | from £22.07 | £36.79 (or the iO2 Duo, two handles, £55.19) | from £59.77 |
Battery tests vary. Electric Teeth's reviewer got 17 days from the Vitality Pro, well above Oral-B's own claim, but some iO3 owners in the review comments report 7 to 10 days. How long you brush, which mode you use and whether you leave the brush on longer than two minutes all change the result. Treat the figures as a rough guide.
If you're still choosing, our comparisons of the Vitality Pro vs iO2 and iO2 vs iO3, and our roundup of the best electric toothbrush under £60, will help.
Step 1: unbox and check the plug
Every Oral-B charger we sell has a two-pin plug. That's normal in the UK. It's designed for bathroom shaver sockets, which are the only sockets allowed near a basin. If you don't have a shaver socket, a two-pin to three-pin shaver adaptor lets you charge it from an ordinary socket elsewhere in the house. We've written a whole post on why electric toothbrushes have a 2-pin plug.
Check what's in the box before you throw the packaging away:
- Vitality Pro: handle, charging stand and two brush heads. Electric Teeth's sample came with one Sensi UltraThin and one CrossAction head. Pack contents can change, so check yours.
- iO2: handle, charger, one iO head, and a travel case in the travel case sets.
- iO2 Duo: two handles (Night Black and Calm Pink), so each person can tell theirs apart.
- iO3: handle, charger, iO head, and in our set a travel case, refill holder and charger pouch.
Step 2: give it a full first charge
Most brushes arrive with a little charge, enough to try them. We'd still give it a full charge before you rely on it, so the battery indicator (on the iO models) starts from a known point and you aren't caught out on day three.
A full charge is slow compared with a phone. Electric Teeth measured around 18 hours for the iO2 (Oral-B says 24) and up to 22 hours for the Vitality Pro, with the iO3 up to 16 hours. The easiest approach: put it on charge when you unpack it, use your old brush that night, and start the next evening.
A few charging habits that help the battery last:
- You don't need to leave it on the stand all the time. Charging when it runs low is fine.
- Keep the stand dry. Wipe toothpaste drips off the base and the bottom of the handle.
- On the Vitality Pro there's no battery indicator, so you'll only know it's low when the brush slows down. Pop it on the stand every week or so to avoid surprises.
- Pack the charger when you travel for longer than a week or so. Our travelling with an electric toothbrush post covers plugs, cases and flights.
Step 3: fit the brush head
Push the head straight down onto the metal shaft until it clicks or seats firmly. Pull it straight off to remove it. Don't twist.
The big thing to know: iO heads and standard Oral-B heads aren't interchangeable. iO heads only fit iO handles, and the round heads for the Vitality Pro, Pro, Smart and Genius don't fit an iO. Electric Teeth notes iO heads are also a little bigger. If you're unsure, our guide to which Oral-B brush head fits your toothbrush sets it out.
If two people share a charger, use different coloured heads or the coloured rings that come with some packs so nobody grabs the wrong one.
Step 4: pick a mode and understand the buttons
Vitality Pro
One button does everything. Press once to switch on, and press again while it's running to step through the modes. Electric Teeth found it takes three presses to reach Daily Clean, and the handle doesn't remember your last mode, so you'll go through the same presses each time. There are no lights or labels to tell you which mode you're in; you learn them by feel. Sensitive Plus is the softest.
iO2
The power button also changes modes. Electric Teeth reports that it starts in Super Sensitive by default, and you press again to move to Sensitive and Daily Clean. The reviewer also describes holding the power button for about five seconds to make your chosen mode the one it starts in. We'd check this against the leaflet in your box, as it's the kind of detail that changes between production runs.
iO3
The iO3 has a dedicated mode button below the power button. Switch on, then press the mode button to move from Daily Clean to Sensitive to Whitening. There are no mode labels on the handle, so count the presses.
Which mode should a beginner use?
Start gentle. Electric Teeth's guide to Oral-B modes calls Sensitive "a great option" for new users, and the Oral Health Foundation says a basic daily clean mode is enough for most people. Our suggestion:
- Days 1 to 7: the gentlest mode (Super Sensitive on the iO2, Sensitive Plus on the Vitality Pro, Sensitive on the iO3).
- Week 2: move up to Sensitive if you started lower.
- Week 3 onwards: try Daily Clean. If your gums are happy, stay there. If not, there's nothing wrong with sticking to Sensitive for good.
Whitening is optional and mostly about polishing surface stains. You don't need it.
Step 5: brush properly
An electric brush makes good brushing easier, but it doesn't do it for you. The NHS says it doesn't matter which type of brush you use, as long as you clean every surface with fluoride toothpaste. The difference is that an electric brush handles the motion for you. Your job is placement and time.
- Put a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste on the head. The NHS says adults should use toothpaste with at least 1,350 ppm fluoride.
- Put the head in your mouth before switching on, or you'll paint the mirror.
- Angle it at about 45 degrees to where your teeth meet your gums, as the Oral Health Foundation describes.
- Guide it slowly from tooth to tooth. On a round Oral-B head, hold it on each tooth for a moment, then move on. Don't scrub back and forth like a manual brush.
- Follow the timer. Every 30 seconds the brush pauses or pulses. Use that to move to the next quarter: upper outside, upper inside, lower outside, lower inside, with the biting surfaces along the way.
- Keep going to two minutes. The NHS recommends about two minutes twice a day, with one of those last thing at night.
- Spit, don't rinse. Rinsing washes off the fluoride. The NHS also says not to use mouthwash straight after brushing.
We've covered technique in more detail in how to brush your teeth properly with an electric toothbrush.
Pressure: lighter than you think
The most common beginner mistake is pressing hard out of manual-brush habit. With an oscillating brush, pressing harder doesn't clean better; it slows the head and can wear gums.
- iO3: the ring lights green when the pressure is right and red when you're pressing too hard, and the motor slows down. Electric Teeth notes it shows white when pressure is low.
- iO2: a light in the power button flashes when you press too hard. Electric Teeth's reviewer found it hard to see while brushing, so listen for the motor changing note as well.
- Vitality Pro: no sensor. Hold the handle loosely, with your fingertips rather than your fist, and let the head rest on the teeth.
Our post on what a pressure sensor does explains why this matters.
Your first week: what's normal
Switching from a manual brush feels odd for a few days. Here's what most people notice, and what to do about it.
It tickles or feels buzzy
Very common, and it fades within a few days for most people. The gentle modes help. Close your lips a little around the handle to stop splatter.
My gums bleed a bit
If you weren't cleaning right along the gumline before, an electric brush may reach plaque that's been there a while, and slightly inflamed gums can bleed at first. Keep going gently, on a sensitive mode, with light pressure. If bleeding carries on beyond a couple of weeks, gets worse, or comes with pain or swelling, see your dentist. Bleeding gums can be a sign of gum disease that needs checking.
My teeth feel incredibly smooth
That's the "just been to the hygienist" feeling lots of people report. It's a good sign that plaque is coming off.
Two minutes feels like forever
It does at first. Most manual brushers brush for much less than two minutes without realising. The quadrant pauses make it easier: four lots of 30 seconds.
The brush stops after two minutes, or doesn't
Electric Teeth found the Vitality Pro and iO3 change their alert at two minutes but don't switch off by themselves. Press the button to stop.
Brush heads: when and what to buy
Change the head about every three months, or sooner if the bristles splay out. That's the Oral Health Foundation's advice, and it matches what Oral-B and Electric Teeth say. The iO3 has a reminder light for this; the iO2 and Vitality Pro don't, so put a note in your calendar. Our post on how often to change your electric toothbrush head goes into the signs to watch for.
- Vitality Pro: any standard Oral-B round head fits. Our Precision Clean 12-pack is about three years for one person.
- iO2 and iO3: iO heads only. Our iO Ultimate Clean heads come in packs of four or eight. Oral-B also makes a softer iO Gentle Care head.
Change your head after a cold or mouth infection too. It's cheap insurance.
Three-year running cost
Using a three-month head change for one person, that's 12 heads over three years. Prices are ours at the time of writing.
| Brush | Handle | 12 heads | Three-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitality Pro | £22.07 to £23.00 | £23.91 (one 12-pack of Precision Clean) | about £46 to £47 |
| iO2 | £36.79 | £52.68 (one 8-pack at £31.27 plus one 4-pack at £21.41) | about £89 |
| iO3 | £59.77 to £59.79 | £52.68 | about £112 |
| iO2 Duo (two people) | £55.19 | £105.36 (24 heads) | about £161, or £80 each |
Electricity for charging is pennies a year and not worth worrying about. The head is the real ongoing cost, and iO heads cost roughly twice as much each as standard Oral-B heads in these pack sizes. That's the trade-off for the iO's smoother feel and longer battery.
Keeping it clean
- After brushing, rinse the head under the tap with the brush running for a couple of seconds, then switch off.
- Once a week, pull the head off and rinse the shaft and the inside of the head, where toothpaste builds up.
- Let it dry upright. Don't keep it in a closed travel case while wet.
- Wipe the charger base so paste doesn't crust on it.
Our full guide on how to clean and look after your electric toothbrush has more.
Common setup problems
It won't switch on out of the box
The battery is probably flat from storage. Charge it for a few hours and try again. Check the charger is plugged in and switched on at the socket, and that a shaver socket isn't on a pull-cord that's turned off.
The iO doesn't sit on the charger properly
The iO handle needs to sit centrally on its charger. If the light doesn't show charging, lift it and set it down again.
I can't tell which mode I'm in
On the Vitality Pro and iO3 there are no mode labels. Switch off and start again, then count your presses. On the Vitality Pro, three presses gets you to Daily Clean according to Electric Teeth.
The pressure light keeps going red
You're pressing too hard. Loosen your grip, hold the handle with your fingertips, and let the head rest on each tooth.
The brush feels weaker than it did
Usually a low battery, especially on the Vitality Pro with no indicator. Charge it. If it's weak straight after a full charge, contact Oral-B, as the handle may need checking under the guarantee.
The head wobbles or rattles
It isn't pushed fully on, or it's the wrong head type. iO heads only fit iO handles.
Who should do what
- Sensitive teeth or gums: stay on the gentlest mode for a fortnight, use light pressure, and consider a softer head (Sensitive Clean for the Vitality Pro, Gentle Care for iO).
- Heavy brusher who presses hard: an iO3's colour ring is worth having. On a Vitality Pro, try holding it with two fingers and a thumb.
- Braces, crowns or implants: ask your dentist or hygienist which mode and head they'd like you to use.
- Couple sharing a bathroom: the iO2 Duo with different coloured handles avoids mix-ups, and you'll share one head order.
- Teenager getting their first electric brush: the Vitality Pro's timer is the most useful feature. Two full minutes is more than most teenagers manage with a manual brush.
Our verdict
The hard part of a first electric toothbrush isn't the technology. It's unlearning manual habits: scrubbing, pressing, and stopping at 45 seconds. Charge it properly, start gentle, follow the timer, and press less than you think. Give it a week before you decide whether you like it. Almost everyone who sticks with it past the tickly first few days doesn't go back.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I charge my new Oral-B toothbrush before first use?
Charge it fully before relying on it. Electric Teeth measured around 18 hours for an iO2 (Oral-B says 24), up to 22 hours for a Vitality Pro and up to 16 hours for an iO3. Overnight and the next day is a safe plan.
Can I use my electric toothbrush while it's charging the first time?
Most arrive with a little charge, so you can try it, but we'd let it reach a full charge before regular use. That way you know where the battery stands and you won't run out within the first few days.
Which mode should I use on an electric toothbrush as a beginner?
Start on the gentlest mode for the first week: Super Sensitive on the iO2, Sensitive Plus on the Vitality Pro, or Sensitive on the iO3. Then move up to Daily Clean once your gums are used to it.
Is it normal for gums to bleed with a new electric toothbrush?
A little bleeding in the first days is common if gums were slightly inflamed. Use a gentle mode and light pressure. If it carries on for more than a couple of weeks or gets worse, see your dentist, as it can be a sign of gum disease.
How long does an Oral-B toothbrush battery last?
In Electric Teeth's tests, the iO2 lasted 37 days, the iO3 about 17 to 20 days and the Vitality Pro 17 days, though Oral-B only claims about 10 for the Vitality Pro. Real-world results vary with how long and on which mode you brush.
Should I leave my electric toothbrush on the charger all the time?
You don't need to. Charging when the battery gets low works fine and keeps the stand clear for others. On the Vitality Pro, which has no battery light, put it on charge every week or so.
Do I need to press hard with an electric toothbrush?
No. Pressing hard slows an oscillating head and can wear gums. Hold the handle lightly and let the head rest on each tooth. The iO models warn you with a light if you press too hard.
Do iO brush heads fit the Oral-B Vitality Pro?
No. iO heads only fit iO handles such as the iO2 and iO3, and standard Oral-B round heads only fit non-iO handles like the Vitality Pro, Pro, Smart and Genius.
How often should I change my electric toothbrush head?
Every three months, or sooner if the bristles splay out, according to the Oral Health Foundation. Changing after a cold or mouth infection is sensible too.
Should I rinse after brushing with an electric toothbrush?
No. The NHS advises spitting out the excess toothpaste and not rinsing, so the fluoride stays on your teeth. Don't use mouthwash straight after brushing either.
How long should I brush with an electric toothbrush?
Two minutes, twice a day, as the NHS recommends. Oral-B brushes pause or pulse every 30 seconds so you can move to the next quarter of your mouth.
Why does my Oral-B toothbrush have a 2-pin plug?
UK bathrooms only allow shaver sockets near water, and those take two-pin plugs. To charge elsewhere, use a two-pin to three-pin shaver adaptor.
Does my electric toothbrush switch off after two minutes?
Electric Teeth found the Vitality Pro and iO3 signal at two minutes but keep running until you press the button. Check your own model's leaflet, but expect to switch it off yourself.
