Counterfeit sonicare toothbrush

Fake electric brush heads are risking the gum health of unsuspecting patients.

That's according to the results of a study carried out by Philips that tested more than 200 so-called Sonicare brushheads purchased cheaply online and found that none met Sonicare quality standards.

Their poor design with poor quality bristles had a four times higher risk of damaging the brush handle and could not deliver a gentle in-mouth experience, risking harm to soft tissues.

They could also damage the brush handle or were so poorly stapled that the tufts shed because of the powerful Sonicare drive mechanism.

Private label brush heads also wear out four times faster – in fact, sometimes within a week of use.

By contrast, Sonicare’s superior performance can be assured by using genuine Sonicare brush heads which are up to ten times better at plaque removal.

The study also found that under 50% of electric brush users replace their brush head every three months