I see Braun electric toothbrush replacements on sale in online apps - Temu etc. Sometimes less than a dollar.
Presumably copies.
The genuine Braun are usually $7 each on special at Coles and Woolworths. Are these cheapies any good, even if they don’t last as long?
I have used the half price Total Care ones and both my hygienist and dentist were satisfied with my oral care - includes daily floss.
Thankyou
9 out of 10 dentist use oral B.
find that one dentist that uses Braun for advice
So no dentist use Philips sonicare . That's so bad !
Braun is Oral-B
Yummy microplastics….
I tend not to skimp and chase "fakes" of heath and hygiene products…….im not that tight
Oh I meant Oral B
Oral Braun
Dentists’ comments please
It's Monday morning. They are busy cashing up with clients. Maybe ask on Wednesday - they may respond before they hit the first tee at Royal Melbourne.
Monday morning is surely hosing down the boat?
They are better than using your finger with toothpaste
"I have used the half price Total Care ones"
What is Total Care ones?
I've used generic ones before, no good and were stiff as fck.
Got some Oral B Power Toothbrush Precision Clean Refills 16 Pack for ~$30 recently… so that's about $2 a Refill which is cheap at say $8 p.a.
Total Care is kinda budget brand at Coles or Woolies.
Where was your “pack” from?
Thx
ok..
It was cheaper than normal- https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/826684
But you can usually find Oral B ones for around $4 each- https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/112184/oral-b-power-…
Reply
Thankyou Jim B
Genuine product at that price, much appreciated
The difference I can tell is as follows:
China ones. They are okay (you get what you pay for and Oral B ones are probably made in China. I worked for them in 2000s and I think they were like US$0.15 each to make). The blue bristles don't fade properly (the Oral B ones fade really fast). I dropped the brush once and the head came away a little and put it against my finger it wasn't vibrating so you need to keep a eye on it wearing out.
Oral B: obviously top of the line but is it worth full price. Most likely not.
I worked for them in 2000s and I think they were like US$0.15 each to make).
Do you mean you worked for the OEM making the knock-offs? In what capacity? Do you know why the blue bristles don't fade properly, or as quick as the genuine Oral B ones?
I worked for Oral B.
They had factories in Europe, China and Americas. Reason why I got the US$0.15 number is they didn't want countries ordering from low cost countries. You order, HQ puts it on a ship and and gives you an ETA.
Do you know why the blue bristles don't fade properly
No idea but I'd also note that the bristles in the knock offs seem to last longer. Original ones seem to go from clear to white and thin out.
Oral B was owned by Gillette (along with Duracell) the whole business was taken over by Proctor and Gamble (not because they went bankrupt).
So basically the margin is like 40% on the handles (that is why you see them 50% off all the time) then they make 80% - 90% when they sell to Woolies and Coles. If you can get people onto the "eco system" then you mint money.
That was really interesting- thanks for shedding some light.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like an intentional plan on the "ecosystem" along with planned obsolescence on those toothbrush heads!
@Craze: It is fun understanding how the business model works.
Mens razors. Some twin blades are as good as 3 blades but they went to 4 blades and then made vibrating handles. Some people use tooth paste as shaving cream or cheap generic brand shaving gel but Gillette ones are better (yes getting stuck between the blades to make it harder to wash off?)
It is a great business to be in.
Thank you for sharing @Craze.
just because it fades doesn’t mean it’s not useful.. i use them till the bristles actually start spreading out to a degree where they are unusable
@buyer-123: I'm guessing that will take quite a long time to reach that state! Unless you're overly rough with brushing which isn't helpful.
Can't go wrong for $7. $28 a year if you replace every three months.
Dentists only?….. no wonder I am an anti-dentite.
Did it start with a few jokes and some slurs? Like "Hey, denty!"?
IANAD, but toothbrush is toothbrush, probably only paying for a slightly better build and battery quality
When I used fake oralB ones they didn't rotate properly or "slipped" and kept snagging on my lips. Never had that issue with legit ones.
I use the cheap ones. No practical difference between them so its a nobrainer
I used fake ones once - they were terrible both in the clean and how long they lasted for. I just buy the real ones when they are on special
I've been using the knock off ones for years. I just buy in bulk from AliExpress. I can't tell a meaningful difference. My dentist says my teeth are fine and I have no fillings. YMMV.
Hi OP, dentist here.
The difference usually comes down to the bristles. The cheaper ones are usually just cut off flat where the oral b ones have rounded tips. Theoretically these will cause less microtramua to the teeth and gums, but this will likely only be a problem if you're brushing too aggressively.
The regular oral B brush heads are far too stiff for my liking anyway, so the difference between them and the Aldi ones is likely negligible.
I usually reccomend the sensitive or gum care ones for everyone as they're much softer. You can usually get pretty cheap through Amazon.
Thankyou for your reply.
Many people here have had varied personal responses and I respect them all.
I guess the main thing your want to see is good diet, twice daily brushing teeth/gums with fluoride toothpaste and daily flossing.
You know what, I'm over tooth brushing.
Where's the modern technology - like a spray or something that coats our teeth and gums with a transparent shield or dissolves bad stuff, or whatever.
Come on man. 2024 - this industry has gone nowhere. Yes they're electric. Yes they 'buzz' at the x minute mark.
Big deal. There should be a chemical solution to replace teeth brushing.
Or an injection.
So over it
Kinda minty
I tried cheapies - too stiff.
With bad teeth, I've spent enough of my life in a dentist chair (not to mention the $$$) so I reckon skimping on reliable toothbrush heads is a false economy. If you have great teeth and saliva, lucky you, YMMV.
For what its worth, Dr Huberman's 2 hour episode on oral health says everyone should be using a soft bristle tooth brush - he actually asks why, given this advice of multiple top dentists he consulted, why on earth does the industry even make medium and hard bristles any more?! He makes similar points on mouthwash - cancer-causing and destroying your oral microbiome is not a great health product. Stop buying it, stop using it.
Interestingly I don't think he even mentions whether manual or electric toothbrushes are better. So if you are really looking for an oz bargain, go manual 😁
"Bootleg" really?
I never buy the cheapies again after the gap on the rotating part caught my tongue and ripped a small chunk off.
This was a decade ago though.
I just don't bother skimping anymore. Usually get the bulk pack at Costco when I see them on special.
You get what you pay for.