Sonicare Toothbrush feature evaluation :
The Sonicare UV brush head sanitizer (FlexCare RS930).

The Sonicare FlexCare RS930 has an integrated UV sanitizer.

The flagship model of the FlexCare 900 series of Sonicare toothbrushes is the FlexCare RS930, which has an UV sanitizer integrated into the design of its recharging stand. The designation "UV" refers to the fact that ultra-violet light is used as the sanitizing agent. Sonicare also offers a freestanding version of this sanitizer, the "Sonicare UV Sanitizer."

The availability of this feature poses a question for the electric toothbrush shopper. Since Sonicare's FlexCare R910 model offers the exact same toothbrush only without the accompanying sanitizer, is the model RS930 worth the extra expense? Does having the integrated UV sanitizer make the FlexCare RS930 a better product than the R910?

What is the purpose of a toothbrush sanitizer? Is this really needed?

Information on Sonicare's website states that this ultra-violet sanitizer can kill up to 99% of the bacteria and viruses that can live on a brush head. This includes the bacteria E. coli and S. mutans (a bacterium that causes tooth decay) as well as the virus H. simplex (one of the herpes viruses). As important as this sounds, we'd like to describe our interpretation of these facts.

To start with, you should take notice of the fact that Sonicare has labeled this product a "sanitizer," as opposed to a "sterilizer." They've done so because that's exactly what it is, just a sanitizer. This unit is capable of reducing the number of microorganisms that reside on a brush head (sanitize) but is not expected to kill them all (sterilize). You the toothbrush user are still being exposed to bacteria, however, admittedly fewer of them.

We'd also like to point out that while it is documented that sharing a toothbrush can spread microorganisms from one person to another, there is a lack of evidence that documents that those microorganisms that do reside on any single user's toothbrush will lead to any specific health problems or concerns.

All of this would lead us to be of the opinion that spending money on a toothbrush sanitizer is unnecessary. We'd suggest that the use of any type of toothbrush (including an electric toothbrush) needs to involve the use of some common sense. You shouldn't share your toothbrush with others. You should rinse your brush off after you have used it and store it separately from (no contact with) other people's brushes. It is beneficial to allow your brush to thoroughly air dry between brushings (even if it means alternating between the use of more than one toothbrush or brush head) because an environment that includes a constant or prolonged presence of moisture will be more conducive to bacterial growth.

For more information about toothbrush care, here's a link to the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Oral Health. Take notice of the fact that they don't see a need for the use of toothbrush sanitizers either.