Checklist · 11 picks · 4 categories
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Glow-up season includes your smile. The basics are boring but they work: brush, floss every day, repeat.
An electric toothbrush with a timer tells you when you're done, and a pressure sensor warns you when you're scrubbing too hard. Floss picks or a woven floss make the nightly part less annoying, and a water flosser is a nice extra on top. Whitening strips come last, once the routine is a habit. The brushes and flossers carry picks from NBC Select, TechGearLab and Reviewed, and the floss and strips come from NBC Select's oral care roundup with advice from dentist Dr. Kandis Smith. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out, like a missing pressure sensor or strips that can make teeth sensitive.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you have tooth pain, bleeding gums or braces; see a dentist first, since these picks are for an everyday routine.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips Sonicare 4100 Electric Toothbrush | budget | $25-50 | your first electric toothbrush | 1 outlet |
| Waterpik Sensonic Electric Toothbrush | mid | $50-100 | a deep clean plus a case for trips | 1 outlet |
| Oral-B iO Series 10 Electric Toothbrush | splurge | $300-500 | gadget people who want app feedback on their brushing | 2 outlets agree |
Best electric toothbrushbudget pick · Rechargeable
Best for your first electric toothbrush
NBC Select's best basic electric toothbrush: an ergonomic handle, two intensity levels, a pressure sensor and a timer.
Heads up. Only one cleaning mode
1 outlet. NBC Select best basic electric toothbrush.
$25-50
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mid pick · Rechargeable
Best for a deep clean plus a case for trips
NBC Select's best overall electric toothbrush: it offers a deep clean, comes with a travel case and has long battery life.
Heads up. No pressure sensor
1 outlet. NBC Select best overall electric toothbrush.
$50-100
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splurge pick · Rechargeable
Best for gadget people who want app feedback on their brushing
NBC Select's best electric toothbrush to splurge on, and TechGearLab's best premium electric toothbrush: high-tech, with a digital display, smart charger and a pressure ring that turns red when you brush too hard.
Heads up. Very pricey, not ADA-accepted, and the app can be slow to connect
2 outlets agree. NBC Select best to splurge on electric toothbrush. TechGearLab best premium electric toothbrush.
$300-500
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plackers Micro Line Dental Floss Picks | budget | under $15 | flossing in bed or on the go | Limited evidence |
| Brushmo Expanding Woven Dental Floss Air | mid | under $15 | tight teeth that shred regular floss | Limited evidence |
| Slate Mini Flosser | splurge | $25-50 | cutting down on single-use floss picks | Limited evidence |
Best flossbudget pick · Large pack
Best for flossing in bed or on the go
From NBC Select's oral care roundup: one-handed floss picks with a pick on one end, in a big pack.
Heads up. Not reusable, with little flexibility
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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mid pick · Spool
Best for tight teeth that shred regular floss
From NBC Select's oral care roundup: a thin woven floss that glides and gets into tight spaces, and its black color shows what you've cleaned out.
Heads up. Not great for braces, and the mint is subtle
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
under $15
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splurge pick · Pocket size
Best for cutting down on single-use floss picks
From NBC Select's oral care roundup: a reusable flosser with a travel cover and a built-in tongue scraper.
Heads up. It's still manual flossing
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$25-50
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser | mid | $50-100 | a bathroom counter setup you use every night | 2 outlets agree |
| AquaSonic Aqua Flosser | budget | $25-50 | trying a water flosser without spending much | 1 outlet |
| Waterpik Cordless Advanced 2.0 Water Flosser | splurge | $50-100 | small bathrooms and trips | 1 outlet |
Best water flossermid pick · 22 oz tank
Best for a bathroom counter setup you use every night
NBC Select's best corded water flosser and Reviewed's best overall: 10 pressure settings and a big removable tank, and Reviewed notes it's ADA-approved.
Heads up. Can be noisy, and the cord can get in the way
2 outlets agree. NBC Select best corded water flosser. Reviewed best Overall water flosser.
$50-100
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budget pick · About 18 oz tank
Best for trying a water flosser without spending much
NBC Select's best budget water flosser: a lower price, a tongue scraper tip and a storage bag for travel.
Heads up. Battery life and charging time aren't listed
1 outlet. NBC Select best budget buy water flosser.
$25-50
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splurge pick · 7 oz tank
Best for small bathrooms and trips
NBC Select's editor's pick water flosser: impressive battery life, a removable reservoir and a size that's ideal for travel.
Heads up. Shorter flossing time
1 outlet. NBC Select editor's pick water flosser.
$50-100
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Best whitening stripsmid pick · 22 treatments
Best for your first whitening kit
From NBC Select's oral care roundup: upper and lower strips that remove deep stains with results that last, and dentist Dr. Kandis Smith calls it a good starter product.
Heads up. Can cause sensitivity, and each strip stays on for 30 to 45 minutes
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$25-50
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splurge pick · Strips
Best for sensitive teeth that hate peroxide
From NBC Select's oral care roundup: peroxide-free strips that are thin, stay in place and caused no sensitivity.
Heads up. Can be hard to apply at first
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$50-100
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Not completely, according to the dentists NBC Select spoke with. One calls it an additional step rather than a substitute, since it may not reach plaque where teeth touch, though another says the data shows similar results and that something is better than nothing.
Dentist Dr. Kandis Smith tells NBC Select to floss daily, preferably at night, and calls flossing mandatory for preventing cavities, gum disease and bad breath.
Dr. Kandis Smith suggests whitening every three to four months, using a toothpaste for sensitive teeth for two weeks beforehand, and checking with your dentist first.