DYSON don’t do things by halves.
When the brand launches a new product, you know it’s going to break the internet.
The company revolutionised vacuums in the 1990s, hairdryers a decade ago, and bought about a whole new category of zero-damage air stylers in 2018, as well as turning its (very clever) hands to fans, headphones and air purifiers.
But this week’s launch might just be the most talked about yet.
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Dyson CameraJet Electric Toothbrush, £419.99
Dyson’s CameraJet, £419.99, isn’t a run-of-the-mill electric toothbrush – it combines different length bristles that are powered by a sonic motor while also oscillating, ensuring they’re in constant motion and don’t stall in place.
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It also contains a camera that live streams your brushing so you can see what’s happening inside your mouth, while it analyses 28 images per second to predict where the gaps are between teeth and fire out a conical stream of mouthwash to blast away plaque.
The specs are impressive – as is the research behind the gadget, that took six years (and countless prototypes) to create.
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But how does it perform in real life?
And is it worth almost £500?
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I got my hands on one at the launch event in Paris earlier this week and have been using it since.
Read on for my honest thoughts.
What’s inside the box
As well as the toothbrush itself, there’s a docking station that contains a tank to fill with mouthwash – or water – for the flossing element of the brush, two brush heads (which contain RFID trackers to keep tabs on usage and tell you when they need replacing), a travel cover that encases the entire docking station, a separate charger for shorter trips where the dock isn’t necessary, and a ‘spearmint starter kit’, which includes the brand’s new non-foaming toothpaste and low-foaming mouthwash.
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Dyson CameraJet Electric Toothbrush Ceramic Pink, £419.99
Setting up Dyson’s CameraJet
I’ve been an electric toothbrush devotee for a good 15 years, but never before have I felt the need to download an app to keep tabs on my technique.
Given it’s the only way to view the camera feed, which is what I’m most excited about with this brush, I’d downloaded the My Dyson app before I’d even unboxed the toothbrush.
Set-up was simple and straight forward – the toothbrush comes loaded into the dock, so all I had to do was add the stand to the bottom, fill the tank with mouthwash and pop the brush head over the camera spicule.
There’s an easy-to-read quick-start guide, but I didn’t need to consult it to get everything in the right place, and there’s a library of video tutorials on the app should you need further help.
Using Dyson’s CameraJet
I’ve used an oscillating electric toothbrush for as long as I can remember, so I knew the CameraJet would require a new technique.
According to the instructions, it works best if you hold the brush horizontally, starting with your front teeth, and use slow, oval movements across the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth so that the flosser has time to discharge the mouthwash before you move on.
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Dyson CameraJet Electric Toothbrush, £419.99
It sounds easy enough, but after using it five times, I’m still not sure I’ve got my technique quite right – although watching the live stream as I brush is definitely helping hone my skills.
I’m used to thinking of my mouth in quarters, but Dyson suggests splitting your teeth into six sections to ensure every tooth is properly cleaned – and this is mirrored by the in-app analytics that tell you how long you’ve spent on each area, how hard you’ve brushed, and how many times the jet-flosser was activated.
Without an alert to tell me when to move on from each section, I’ve struggled to keep tabs on how long I’ve covered each area for or how long I’ve been brushing in total (there’s supposedly a sound for the latter, but it’s hard to hear over the gadget itself).
So one of my brushing sessions lasted an unsustainable four minutes and 37 seconds, and another just two minutes 10 seconds – which is below the three minutes the brand recommends.
Unlike water flossers I’ve tried in the past, the jet isn’t at all painful, and it’s far less messy, given there’s not a constant high-pressure stream of water bouncing off your teeth and gums.
I can only put that down to the conical flow Dyson has created, which spreads the water across a larger surface area once it’s dispensed from the brush head rather than sending a needle-like point, which is traditionally the case.
Another genius move is the so-called ‘anti-gravity tank’, which means the jet-flosser works no matter what angle the brush is held at thanks to a balloon which grows as the floss tank empties, unlike water flossers, which need to be held upright for the straw to pump out liquid.
Still, despite the gentle approach, my teeth and gums felt just as (if not more) clean than they have with anything I’ve tried in the past.
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Dyson CameraJet Electric Toothbrush Ceramic Ultra Blue, £419.99
Aside from the minor teething (sorry!) problems – which are largely user error – there are two things that I’m concerned about.
Firstly, to brush the inside of my front teeth I have to turn the brush vertical, which limits the floss function, as the jet and camera aren’t able to track the gum line.
Secondly, you have to spit regularly and rinse the brush head to allow the camera to work, which is both time consuming but also makes me question how much toothpaste remains in your mouth towards the end of the cycle.
Admittedly, it’s been less than a week since I started using it, so I might find a way around both those issues with time.
I think the camera will really come into its own if I have any dental issues in the future, allowing me to send a photo or video to my dentist before booking an appointment.
Dyson CameraJet Verdict
Like any new gadget, there’s an adjustment period – which I’m still firmly in – but even so, I’m confident my teeth are cleaner than ever.
The no-foam toothpaste is nothing like no-foam soaps and shampoos I’ve tried in the past that have left my face and hair feeling dirty, and the spearmint flavour of both that and the mouthwash leave my mouth feeling fresh without being overly strong.
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Dyson CameraJet Electric Toothbrush, £419.99
Considering Oral-B’s top-of-the line iO10 has an RRP of £800, and Phillips’ Sonicare DiamondClean 9900 Prestige rings in at £599.99, Dyson’s price point seems much more palatable.
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If you’re time-poor, it might be too much of an undertaking, but for the floss-shy, it’s undoubtedly the easiest way I’ve tried to help keep plaque at bay.
I’m already excited for my next dentist appointment – which is something I never thought I’d say.